Confirmed with Link: Flyers sign Garnet Hathaway, 2 x 2.375m

[Beef Invictus]

They do, but it's a balance, one reason they added Anisimov is he helped the development of his wings.
Desnoyers started the season in the bottom six and worked his way up to the top six and a 23 goal season.
One reason to add solid AHL veterans is to give kids out of the CHL some teammates with a clue.

If Staal signed with the Flyers to get a head start on a coaching career, it wouldn't shock me if he ended up with the Phantoms as essentially a player/coach.

Hathaway is different, he's a real player, he probably came here b/c the Flyers overpaid a tad, similar to Chicago's FAs this summer.
This is probably his last decent contract ($3M after taxes is a nice retirement fund), but wouldn't surprise me if both parties discussed the possiblity of a TDL trade

They do not.

 

[deadhead]

As a big rock nerd, please don't disrespect Moh's Scale by relating a beautiful mineral with all of Hathaway's impurities and imperfections just because they share the same name. Hathaway sucks. The mineral is awesome. The gemstone is very pretty and holds great value. Hathaway is ugly and holds little to less value. JAG.

He comes to the roster deeply flawed and bringing little to no worth. He is not of gemstone quality (which are rare), he is the common type - deeply flawed and imbued with imperfections. Perfect for a 4th line role (but completely obsolete on this Flyers team). Garnet is the type of player you can find littered all across the NHL, most notably, within your own franchise's pipelines as he does not bring any unique abilities the average NHLer lacks. Coincidentally enough, the mineral is very common and found dispersed in many different types of rock formations across Earth that any Joe-Shmoe can find on a walkabout.

If the Flyers/Torts are unable to grind him into a fine powder and use his abrasiveness effectively (wooo! BSB so gritty) then this garnet is truly dull and holds little value so the Flyers need to move on from him by this year's deadline, or sooner.

I love that they overpaid his salary, too. Like a desperate merchant overpaying for common goods simply because they don't want to search elsewhere for a better deal or look from within to see what resources are already available.

Of course they overpaid, cap room is an asset (and cash flow is not a problem) - Chicago did the same with Perry.
Why would a veteran sign with a team that has no chance at the playoffs unless he's overpaid and hopes for a TDL flip to a PO team.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Have to overpay to get anyone to play for John

 

[BrindamoursNose]

Briere said he assumed Hathaway was signing elsewhere, but then his agent got back in touch with him on Saturday night.

I remember very specifically after he said "we're done for the day" that I came here and said "How TF does he knew he's done? How is that even possible?"

I never want to hear a GM say they're done by 4 PM on the 1st day of free agency. You aren't done for at least 72 hours in my book - and then you can take a break.

 

[Limeyjim]

I heard Danny B say in a recent presser that he doesn't believe in "tanking", so that is why he getting players like Hathaway and Staal to help the younger players develop into a team instead of just digits on a roster.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I heard Danny B say in a recent presser that he doesn't believe in "tanking", so that is why he getting players like Hathaway and Staal to help the younger players develop into a team instead of just digits on a roster.

If only they were actually gonna play younger players. Two fewer spots for them now.

 

[scumpup]

well desnoyers got destroyed by andrae, so torts will see that as a reason to play andrae. He's tough. They should have a highlander style tournament for the last roster spot. That way Torts can be confident the new kid is the toughest.

 

[eramosat]

None of them were seen as "4th line" guys though at ~20-21 or so. They were guys who were slotted into future top 6s and 9s. Because they have skill and can produce.

I would see no problem with Desnoyers and Lycksell starting on 4th line at some point this year. Both 2-way guys who played C growing up and can PK.
Allison is a guy who... like maybe Carrier (albeit he is slightly more "talented") who once was seen as a potential 2nd liner but his skill-set would actually be great on a stereotypical 4th line.


All that being said... Hathaway is a guy who could be a good 12th forward on a contender and not a "problem" in himself.
But having Deslauriers, Poehling and Hathaway does seem a bit like over-kill... albeit 2/3 would be fine really.

That's a fair statement, and more indicative of the tone of what the Flyers are doing...

"But having Deslauriers, Poehling and Hathaway does seem a bit like over-kill... albeit 2/3 would be fine really."

Said another way, 3 out of 3 is maybe too much, but even 2 out of the 3 is just fine. That's a pretty good approach, and we still have yet to see how the Flyers actually utilise them and the Desnoyers/Lycksells. I definitely see the 2 new signings as big improvements on last years forward chaff.

We also need to give the Flyers some credit for identifying prospect NHL readiness and playing them. Cates is a big win, that no-one predicted, votes for the Selke, the Lady Byng, the Calder, wow. Frost took a lot of time, and was frustratingly inconsistent, but is still getting prime time work.

Big changes. Hayes and Provy are pushed out, DeAngelo soon to follow. That's a ton of playing time to get soaked up, and while I hope Couts and Atkinson come back 100%, there is simply no guarantees that they will, being out for an entire season is indicative of serious trouble.

 

[deadhead]

The 4th line is playing fine, but the TDL looms. That is, guys like that have value if they're playing well, b/c PO teams often need to add depth by the TDL (injuries, players falling off the cliff).
Poehling & Hathaway are the 3rd pair of forwards on the PK.

Desnoyers (21) wasn't ready in camp, another season in the AHL won't hurt.
Lycksell (24) is a "tweener" right now, he needs to take his game up a notch.
Avon (20) is the one I'm watching, just came off the injured list, good frame, elite speed, made big plays in the CHL playoffs.
Wisdom (21) looks like he's past his shoulder injury, tough nosed kid destined for a bottom six role.
Matt Brown (24) is the long shot, fast, compact body, does he have NHL talent even in a 4th line role?

 

[Beef Invictus]

The concept of "4th line roles" is inherently limiting for roster construction and a terrible approach.

 

[deadhead]

If you can put together 3 good lines (not that easy, Colorado struggled with a 3rd line even when they won the Cup), you want to maximize their minutes on ice (some teams with elite forwards maximize the ice time of their first two lines and the bottom six gets the scraps).

That's means limited ice time for the bottom of the roster forwards - so you want players who can leave the bench flying and make things happen with physicality and speed when their number is called. Some players can't hack that role, they need regular shifts to get into the game.

 

[Beef Invictus]

It's hard, so best to not even try I guess. That's the Flyers way. Just lean into having slop at the bottom and pretend it's the natural and destined "role."

 

[Appleyard]

Shame he is stapled to Deslauriers all the time. I mean, you can see it too...

but stats wise especially Deslauriers kills every line he is on at 5v5.