Since rookie forward Tyson Foerster went down with a lower-body injury against the Seattle Kraken on February 10, the Philadelphia Flyers have needed players to step up to replace him. The major one has been gritty 32-year-old winger Garnet Hathaway, who has seen himself on the third line over his past four games instead of his typical fourth-line role.
In that time, Hathaway is playing his best hockey all season long. Like, by far. It’s been a complete rejuvenation of his game. Even when Foerster is set to come back, which could be soon, the veteran should remain right where he is. Let’s examine why.
Hathaway earlier this season
From the start of the season through Hathaway’s last game he was almost solely on the fourth line, it was not a great sight for him. In 53 games, he had just four goals and three assists for seven points along with a minus-12 rating. With just four even-strength points in that span, it was a far cry from the 21 he had last season in 84 regular season games. Considering his ice-time average only fell from 11:48 to 11:14, there was certainly some regression.
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