When Ryan Poehling and Garnet Hathaway both signed to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2023-24 season, the organization knew that they were getting two players that would bring depth, strength, and speed to their lineup.
When Ryan Poehling and Garnet Hathaway both signed to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2023-24 season, the organization knew that they were getting two players that would bring depth, strength, and speed to their lineup.
When Ryan Poehling and Garnet Hathaway both signed to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2023-24 season, the organization knew that they were getting two players that would bring depth, strength, and speed to their lineup.
They certainly delivered on those fronts, but Poehling and Hathaway also brought a crucial level of consistency to the Flyers lineup that proved to be invaluable throughout the season, as the team dealt with numerous injuries and healthy scratches that caused some major shuffling within the lineup.
Although they were both new to Philadelphia, the chemistry was already noticeable between Hathaway and Poehling as early as preseason.
"When a guy brings maybe a little bit something different than the guy next to him, I think that's a way guys can complement each other," Hathaway told The Philadelphia Inquirer after the Flyers played a preseason matchup against the New York Islanders.
He added: "[Poehling's] speed and puck control, his faceoffs, are going to be a big part of us getting the puck back, controlling the play, and hopefully doing what we want to do."
In a team that became known for their "no quit" attitude during the season, Hathaway and Poehling also both stood out as some absolute workhorses that contributed to the Flyers' ability to stay in games throughout all 60 minutes. Hathaway in particular became a fan favorite due to his hard-nosed style of play and swiftness in defending his teammates, not to mention his ability to get his teammates and the crowd fired up with a good physical altercation.
The pair were rewarded, with head coach John Tortorella even calling their line with Noah Cates the Flyers' most consistent line at one point in the season. Hathaway would agree.
"I think it's a sign we're doing something right," he said. "I don't think we're quite where we want to be yet, but to be able to start a game the way we play, trying to create some energy, get a forecheck going, get guys in the game...I think it worked well."
Alternate captain Scott Laughton concurred as well when speaking about Hathaway and Poehling's line with Nic Deslauriers (or, rather, the "PHD" line).
"[They're] probably one of the better fourth lines that I've seen around," he said. "You don't want to play against them, you don't want to get hit, and you see that with D-man going back for pucks and things like that. They bring a lot to our group. They kill penalties, provide energy, and [Poehling] brings speed and is good on draws...They challenge other teams' groups."
As offseason preparations begin in the summer months, Poehling and Hathaway will both be looking to not only improve physically, but to continue growing their flourishing bond with each other.
"I was talking to [Hathaway] about how we both started the year we were and ended how we did," Poehling said. "I told him I was proud of him and I loved playing with him. He's always gonna have your back, he's enjoyable to play with. We just kind of worked our way up, and the relationship has been great. He's helped me out with a lot, and I think I've helped him out a lot, so it was a ton of fun."
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