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Garnet Hathaway

Metropolitan Notes: Palmieri, Svechnikov, Flyers, Imama

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The Islanders elected not to move pending UFA winger Kyle Palmieri by last Friday’s trade deadline after having some discussions about a possible contract extension.  Pierre LeBrun recently reported in a piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that those talks have progressed since then with more progress being made.  At this point, the two sides are believed to be quibbling over term.  The 34-year-old speculatively would want more of a medium-term agreement while New York’s likely preference is something that doesn’t run quite as long.  Palmieri has 20 goals and 21 assists through 65 games this season and should be able to command a price tag that’s somewhat close to the $5MM he’s making now.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov has missed the last week with an upper-body injury and won’t suit up against Philadelphia tonight. Team reporter Walt Ruff relays that the team is hopeful that the 24-year-old will be able to return to the lineup at some point next week.  It has been a bit of a down year for Svechnikov who has 18 goals and 25 assists through 63 games, his lowest point-per-game average since his rookie year back in 2018-19.
  • The Flyers will once again be without defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and winger Garnet Hathaway for their game against Carolina tonight, relays Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). Ristolainen is dealing with an upper-body injury that caused him to miss Thursday’s game versus Tampa Bay while Hathaway, who has resumed skating, has missed the last two weeks with an upper-body injury of his own.
  • Penguins winger Bokondji Imama has played in a career-high 11 NHL games this season after being recalled in late January. A pending unrestricted free agent, he recently told reporters including Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he’s hoping to remain with the organization for next season.  At this point, a one-way contract likely remains out of reach but a two-way pact with a guarantee higher than the $400K he’s getting this season could be doable, especially if he plays somewhat of a regular role with Pittsburgh down the stretch.

Metropolitan Notes: Olivier, Joseph, Hathaway

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are closing in on an extension with forward Mathieu Olivier (as per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period). The 28-year-old is in his sixth season with Columbus and has set career highs in many statistical categories, registering 12 goals and nine assists in 60 games. While he will never be an analytical darling, Olivier has made his presence known this season, posting 228 hits and 66 blocked shots.

Olivier is in the second season of a two-year $2.2MM contract and was set to become a UFA on July 1st. He picked an excellent time to have a career year and will surely earn a raise on the $1.1MM he is making this season.

In other Metropolitan Division notes:

  • Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph left yesterday’s game against the Boston Bruins with an upper-body injury (Twitter Link). The injury occurred when Bruins forward Mark Kastelic hit Joseph with a thunderous body check that sent the Penguins defender to the ice and ultimately out of the game. It was an unfortunate end to an eventful day for Joseph who had earlier laid a hit that sent Bruins forward Brad Marchand out of the game. It’s been a tough stretch this season for the 25-year-old who was dealt mid-season from St. Louis back to the Penguins for future considerations and has been exposed defensively for much of the time since his return.
  • Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway was unavailable for last night’s game against the Winnipeg Jets due to an upper body injury (Twitter link). Hathaway last played on Thursday against Pittsburgh, and likely suffered the injury after taking a late hit from Penguins forward Boko Imama. Imama was assessed a minor penalty for interference on the play and Hathaway needed assistance to get off the ice. The 33-year-old Hathaway has eight goals and 10 assists in 60 games this season and has continued to provide a physical presence for the Flyers, handing out 218 hits.

Canucks Activate Kiefer Sherwood

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The Vancouver Canucks have activated forward Kiefer Sherwood off of injured reserve. Sherwood has missed Vancouver’s last four games with an undisclosed injury. His return brings some sense to Vancouver assigning Aatu Raty and, after he cleared waivers, Phillip Di Giuseppe to the minor leagues.

Sherwood is expected to return to the lineup in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. He’ll join a lineup full of new faces, including recent trade acquisitions Marcus Pettersson, Victor Mancini, and Filip Chytil. Sherwood should maintain his role on the team’s third line despite the lineup shuffle. He’s been one of the brightest performers in Vancouver’s bottom-six, boasting 13 goals and 21 points in 47 games this season. Sherwood has also recorded a staggering 273 hits – while no other Canuck has managed even 100 (Noah Juulsen has 99). In fact, Sherwood’s lofty hit totals lead the entire NHL by nearly 80 hits – with Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway ranked second with 197 hits. So long as he maintains his current hit pace, Sherwood is on track to finish the season with 453 hits – which would stand as an NHL record.

Sherwood has doubled down on the role of goal-scoring wrecking-ball after recording 10 goals, 27 points, and 234 hits in 68 games with the Nashville Predators last season. He seems to be finding plenty of comfort in his first year with the Canucks, sat just seven points shy of surpassing his career-high in scoring from last year. This news sets him up to continue pursuing new scoring heights, and the hit record, in a Canucks roster with plenty of minutes opened up by the trading of top forward scorer J.T. Miller.

East Notes: Hathaway, Aubé-Kubel, Nemec

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Flyers winger Garnet Hathaway has avoided a suspension for his elbow to the face of Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek in yesterday’s win. He didn’t go without punishment, though, and is now $5K lighter in the wallet after being fined the maximum allowable under the CBA by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

It marks the fourth season in a row that Hathaway has been fined by DoPS, and it’s the fifth fine overall of his 10-year NHL career. He was also suspended once for three games while with the Capitals in the 2019-20 season.

The incident in question occurred early in the second period of what ended up being a 7-5 win for the Flyers. While the Wild were cycling the puck on a power play, Hathaway elbowed Eriksson Ek in the face while battling for net-front positioning. Eriksson Ek had notably missed a pair of games earlier this month with a nasal fracture. Officials assessed Hathaway a minor penalty for roughing, not elbowing, on the play.

Hathaway, 33 next month, is in his second season as a Flyer and will be a UFA next summer after inking a two-year, $4.75MM deal in Philly as a free agent in 2023. He played in all 82 games last season, posting 17 points with a -7 rating while averaging 12:29 per game with a career-high 132 PIMs. He’s racked up 14 PIMs already this season in eight games, and he’s recorded three assists and 22 hits.

There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:

  • Sabres winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel will make his return to the lineup tomorrow as expected, head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters, including WGR Sports Radio 550’s Paul Hamilton. Buffalo still needs to free up a roster spot before taking him off injured reserve. That corresponding move will likely be placing Zach Benson, who missed practice again today with his lower-body injury and has sat out the last two games, on IR. Ruff said he wasn’t sure where Aubé-Kubel would slot in for just his second game as a Sabre after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Devils in their season opener over three weeks ago.
  • 2022 second overall pick Simon Nemec will watch his Devils from the press box for the third straight game tonight, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed to the team’s Amanda Stein. Nemec hasn’t played since Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce returned to the lineup from their respective season-opening injuries and, at least for now, has been surpassed on the depth chart by 27-year-old Johnathan Kovacevic amid his hot start to the campaign. Acquired from the Canadiens in what was viewed as a minor trade at the time over the summer, Kovacevic has averaged over 21 minutes per night for the Devils thus far and has five assists with a team-high +4 rating through 11 games. Nemec, meanwhile, has struggled to be a factor with an assist and a -2 rating through nine appearances. His possession metrics have also tanked from last season when he posted a 50.2 CF% and a 53.7 xGF% with a team-high 105 blocks in just 60 appearances. This year, though, Nemec has a 42.0 CF% and 46.1 xGF%, struggling to control play at even strength despite receiving easier minutes.

Flyers Sign Garnet Hathaway To Two-Year Extension

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The Flyers have inked grinder Garnet Hathaway to a two-year extension worth $2.4MM annually, per a team announcement. He’s entering the final season of a two-year deal at a slightly cheaper $2.375MM cap hit. His new contract will take effect with the 2025-26 season.

The 32-year-old had a decent first year in Philadelphia after coming over in free agency from Boston.  Offensively, he had seven goals and ten assists in 82 games while collecting a career-high 132 penalty minutes and 326 hits, the most of any forward in the NHL.  Hathaway averaged 12:29 per game and played a secondary role on the penalty kill.  For his career, Hathaway has 65 goals, 74 assists, 622 penalty minutes, and 1,672 hits in 539 NHL contests between four teams.

Still, it’s somewhat surprising that the Flyers elected to get an extension done this quickly with Hathaway.  For someone who produces at closer to a fourth-line level, the price point is a little high (as his current deal is) but they clearly value the grit he brings to the table with a younger core group up front.  Hathaway is now signed through the 2026-27 campaign, meaning he’ll be 35 when this new agreement expires, making him subject to 35-plus contract rules.

Metropolitan Notes: Rangers, Seeler, Hathaway, Danforth

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The Rangers could have defenseman Jacob Trouba back in their lineup tonight against Arizona, notes Mollie Walker of the New York Post.  The 30-year-old has missed the last 11 games due to a lower-body injury and it’s worth noting he still needs the final green light from the medical staff.  Trouba has played in 60 games so far this season, posting 22 points along with a team-leading 170 blocked shots and 164 hits while logging over 21 minutes a night so his return will certainly be a welcome one.

Meanwhile, the Rangers will have to wait a little longer to get their other injured blueliner back as Walker adds that Erik Gustafsson did not make the trip and will miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury.  The 32-year-old has been a quality provider of secondary offense from the back end, notching 30 points through 70 contests.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Flyers will get a key blueliner back in the lineup tonight as the team announced (Twitter link) that Nick Seeler will return to the lineup. The 30-year-old had missed more than three weeks with a lower-body injury.  Seeler has played in 63 games so far this season, logging nearly 17 minutes a night while leading the team in blocked shots with 184.  That helped earn him a four-year, $10.8MM contract extension earlier this month.
  • Still with the Flyers, the league announced yesterday that winger Garnet Hathaway was fined $2K for embellishment. It’s the second time he has been cited for that infraction.  Each citation between now and the end of the season will result in an increased fine for the 32-year-old who leads all NHL forwards in hits with 294 so far.
  • Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda relays (Twitter link) that forward Justin Danforth took to the ice before the team’s morning skate today. The 31-year-old has been dealing with an upper-body injury for the last three weeks.  Danforth has been used pretty much everywhere in the lineup for Columbus this season, picking up 10 goals and 11 assists through a career-high 63 games.

Injury Notes: Jarry, Cozens, Timmins

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Josh Yohe of The Athletic is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry left their game last night against the Anaheim Ducks after being bumped in the back of the head by Adam Henrique and then having his mask dislodged. This was just the beginning for Jarry as he was then struck in his unprotected face by a Ryan Strome shot. NHL officials quickly signalled to the Penguins bench and Jarry was rushed off the ice and did not return.

Up to that point, Jarry had been solid for the Penguins making 21 consecutive stops to preserve a 1-0 Penguins lead late into the second period. With Jarry sidelined, the Penguins’ turned to their third-string netminder Magnus Hellberg who made 11 straight saves to maintain the rare two-goalie shutout.

No updates have been given yet on Jarry, but Yohe did report that he was present in the Penguins’ dressing room after the game, which is certainly an encouraging sign. Jarry has struggled to start the year after signing a massive five-year contract extension this summer that was heavily criticized for being too long and too expensive. The Penguins are already without backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic until later this month and can ill afford to lose Jarry for any length of time.

In other injury notes:

  • Times Herald Reporter Bill Hoppe is reporting that Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens is back at practice today sporting a full-face shield as he makes his return to the ice after missing two games with an upper-body injury. No specifics have been given about Cozens injury but given that he is sporting face protection and a large bandage on his nose, it would appear to be an injury to that region. Cozens was engaged in a fight with Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway back on November 3rd, a game the Sabres lost 5-1, and acknowledged that this incident was the cause of the ailment. Cozens has three goals and four assists in 11 games thus far this season.
  • David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins is unlikely to get back into the lineup for at least a couple of weeks. Alter spoke with Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe after Timmins practiced with the team this morning, Keefe told the reporter that Timmins will travel with the team to Sweden next week but is unlikely to play. However, the plan is to have him ramp up in practice and he could re-join the lineup after they return from the extended road trip. Timmins has been on LTIR since the beginning of the season after suffering a lower-body injury and has yet to play a game.

Flyers Sign Garnet Hathaway

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The Flyers have added some more grit to their forward group, announcing the signing of winger Garnet Hathaway to a two-year contract.  The deal will carry an AAV of $2.375MM.

Hathaway’s garnered a well-deserved reputation as one of the more effective fourth-line players in the league, backing up being an annoyance on the ice with some offensive production and solid all-around play. The cap hit on this deal is perfectly fair, although it’s fair to wonder if the acquisition blocks a young player from making an impact in the Philadelphia lineup next year.

Nevertheless, he and Nicolas Deslauriers on the same line should help the latter become more effective too, actually providing a positive offensive impact via a heavy forecheck. After scoring 13 goals last year, Hathaway’s shown he can put the puck in the net with some frequency, and he’ll be an underrated offensive boost to the Flyers’ bottom six. They’ll likely be centered by Ryan Poehling, another UFA signing by the Flyers today.

Hathaway joins Cam Atkinson, Travis Konecny, and Calvin Petersen as notable members of the Flyers’ UFA class in 2025. He’ll be 33 years old at the end of the deal, and this was likely his best option to cash in on a $2MM-plus cap hit.

Afternoon Notes: Bruins, Samsonov, Sprong

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Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub is reporting that Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is hinting that the Bruins will go into a re-tool this offseason. What that will be remains to be seen but the long-time GM was quoted as saying, “roster changes are likely coming.” Sweeney continually referenced Boston’s dire salary cap situation as well as integrating younger players into the lineup. Sweeney’s words are no surprise given that Boston has less than $5MM in cap space entering the offseason and have just seven of their current forwards signed to contracts for next year. Boston will also need to work out a new contract for backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

On top of needing to work out a deal with Swayman, Boston has many other key free agents who will likely need to move on given the Bruins lack of cap space. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí are both unrestricted free agents who played on low cap hits last season and hit bonus clauses that will cause Boston to carry bonus overages of $4.5MM into 2023-24. Trade deadline acquisitions Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway are also all unrestricted free agents this summer and are likely to seek employment elsewhere. Given everything going on in Boston they will have a very different looking team than the one that lost in the first round to the Florida Panthers.

In other notes from around the NHL:

NHL Insider Chris Johnston tweeted today from Toronto Maple Leafs practice that Ilya Samsonov was not at Toronto practice and that goalie coach Curtis Sanford was working with Joseph Woll and Matt Murray. The Leafs have yet to offer an update on their netminders status for game 4. Samsonov is expected to have an MRI and some additional tests prior to the team offering an update on their starter for the elimination game on Wednesday. Woll would be the likely starter for Toronto should Samsonov be unable to play. The 26-year-old Samsonov was injured in a collision with teammate Luke Schenn in game 3 and was unable to return to action.

The Seattle Kraken have announced that forward Daniel Sprong has been ruled out of game 4 against the Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old is dealing with an upper body injury and won’t dress tonight as they Kraken look to take a 3-1 stranglehold on their second round series. Sprong has just two points in 10 games in these playoffs and is currently mired in a six-game pointless streak. He played just 6:36 in Seattle’s 7-2 game 3 victory and has been largely relegated to fourth line minutes during his recent stretch of poor play.

Matthew Tkachuk Avoids Suspension, Fined For Cross-Checking

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Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk has been fined the maximum allowable amount of $5,000 under the Collective Bargaining Agreement for a cross-checking incident involving Boston Bruins forward Garnet Hathaway, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at the end of the first period during yesterday’s Game 4 when Tkachuk was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking Hathaway. Given the strength of the check and its placement in a sensitive area on the side of Hathaway’s torso, some felt the play warranted a suspension. Hathaway returned to the game but stayed on the ice in pain after the incident.

It wasn’t the only penalty Tkachuk racked up in what was a physical game. He added another minor penalty for slashing midway through the third period before he was given a 10-minute misconduct for his actions in a scrum with just over three minutes remaining in the game.

It’s a lucky break for the Panthers, who need everything on their side in Game 5 to stave off another early playoff exit. They’ll need Tkachuk’s services to have any hope of doing so, as his physicality and two-way dominance almost single-handedly dragged Florida to a playoff spot this season.

He leads Florida in scoring during the series, registering two goals and three assists in four games.

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