Washington Capitals 2021-2022 Previews -- Forwards: Garnet Hathaway

Garnet Hathaway

“I don't have pet peeves; I have whole kennels of irritation.”
--Whoopi Goldberg

Six goals, 18 points, a little over 12 minutes a game are stats that get lost in the wash, but Garnet Hathaway answered the call for the Washington Capitals 56 times last season, one of only three Caps forwards to dress for every game.  This was no small feat for a player whose contributions in the art of “grittership” surpass those of his offense.  He led the Caps’ forwards in credited hits (179, fifth in the league among forwards), was second among Caps forwards in blocked shots (30), was second among forwards in penalties drawn (17), was second in penalties drawn per 60 minutes (1.48; minimum: 25 games).  Not that Hathaway was a liability, given his role, in the offensive end.  He had a career high in assists (12), and averaged almost a third of an assist per game (0.32).  His six goals were not a career best, but they mattered.  The Caps did not lose a game last season in which he scored one.

Odd Hathaway Fact… Back to those 56 games Hathaway played.  Only he and his fourth line teammates among forwards – Carl Hagelin and Nic Dowd – also appeared in all 56 games.

Odd Hathaway Fact II… Hathaway is one of four players to skate for Brown University and the Caps.  Brian Stapleton, Ryan Mulhern, and Aaron Volpatti are the others.

Fearless’ Take… Garnet Hathaway is one of those hard-working players who might get more credit for what he does off the ice than attention for what he does on it (unless he runs afoul of the rulebook).  And that is not a bad thing.  A 2020-2021 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominee for his work with "Hath’s Heroes,”  he has firmly established himself as part of the broader DMV community.  But in the tight circle of Capitals Nation, and the tighter circle of the Capitals’ locker room, he is the sort of player fans root for and teammates appreciate for his willingness to do the dirty work teams need to be successful and be a stand-up guy who has the back of his teammates.  Numbers are replaceable with respect to bottom-six forwards, but character is more difficult to quantify and replace.

Cheerless’ Take… Last year was a bit of an odd year for Hathaway.  His goals per 60 minutes dropped from 0.8 per 60 minutes in 2019-2020 to 0.5.  That might have been a function of his shots per 60 minutes (5.4) being his fewest since his rookie season in 2015-2016 (3.9).  And after a pair of seasons in which his shooting percentage topped 10 percent (14.3 percent in 2018-2019 with Calgary and 11.3 percent in 2019-2020 with the Caps), he dropped to 9.7 percent.  And the drop-offs came despite his posting his highest average ice time of his career (12:19 per game).

Potential Milestones to Reach in 2020-2021…

• 300 career NHL games (currently 297)
• 400 career penalty minutes (364)
• 200 career penalty minutes as a Capital (154)
• 1,000 career credited hits (828)

The Big Question… Can Garnet Hathaway be an irritant AND a 20-point player?

The last two seasons, both of which were cut short or delayed for COVID issues, hid the fact that Hathaway gave indications of being just such a player.  In 2019-2020 with the Caps, his 9-7-16 scoring line in 66 games was an 11-0-20 line per 82 games.  Last year, his 6-12-18 line in 56 games projected to 9-18-27 per 82 games.  Although he will turn 30 in November, his having played fewer than 300 games over six seasons leaves us with the question of whether there is still a bit of upside Hathaway can tap.  Keep in mind, only five Capitals in team history have appeared in at least 50 games in a season, averaged fewer than 13 minutes a game (Hathaway averaged 12:19 last season) and posted 30 or more points – Eric Fehr (39 points in 69 games and 12:08 in average ice time in 2009-2010), Ulf Dahlen (38 points in 75 games averaging 12:40 per game in 1999-2000), Chris Simon (31 points in 82 games averaging 12:11 in 2001-2002), Mathieu Perreault (30 points in 64 games averaging 12:02 a game in 2011-2012), and Tomas Fleischmann (30 points in 75 games averaging 12:37 a game in 2007-2008). 

In the end…

Garnet Hathaway carries around “whole kennels of irritation” that he can deploy against opponents.  But he is not a one-dimensional player.  He does have the ability to contribute offensively, even as a fourth liner, and he is durable, even playing a difficult role.  There is little to indicate last year’s results were a fluke or unusual.  He impresses as a player who will be in the lineup every night, getting under the skin of opponents, and pouring salt in the wound with some offensive contributions.  He helps make the Caps’ fourth line one of the best in the NHL.

Projection: 80 games, 10-16-26, plus-6