Officially, Garnet Hathaway has played his last game as a Philadelphia Flyers player.

On Thursday morning, the Flyers traded Hathaway to the Florida Panthers, ending a three-year tenure in Philadelphia for the veteran tough guy.

By moving on from Hathaway, the Flyers moved up one round in the 2026 NHL Draft.

In exchange for Hathaway, 50% retention of his $2.4 million cap hit, and a 2026 sixth-round pick, the Flyers received a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

After adding Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa, the Panthers continue to add experienced, physical players who can help them win now.

As for the Flyers, they clear a roster spot, a contract spot, and $1.2 million in cap space while adding even more draft capital.

They do, however, lose an important leader who played some hard minutes for head coaches John Tortorella and Rick Tocchet.

The Hathaway trade clearly indicates that the Flyers feel their young players are ready to step into greater leadership roles, and this gives a veteran who accepted a reduced role a chance to win a Stanley Cup elsewhere.

Just months ago, the Flyers did the same with tough guy Nick Deslauriers, trading him away for free, and he won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes and was subsequently rewarded with a two-year extension.

Hathaway, 34, stumbled to just one goal and two assists in 66 games for the Flyers last season, but finishes his career in Philadelphia with 18 goals, 23 assists, and 41 points in 215 games, the second-most he's played with any team in his 11-year NHL career.