What would Garnet Hathaway’s response have been if you told the Calgary Flames right wing he would play 150 games – and counting -- in the National Hockey League after going undrafted?
“I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat,” answered the 27-year-old, who was born in Naples, Fla., and moved with his family to Kennebunkport, Maine, when he was six months old. “I’ve had a lot of support, from family, friends, coaches, strength coaches, skating coaches. It’s been a dream so far, but it’s one I want to keep living."
Fittingly, Hathaway reached the 150th-game milestone in Florida when the Flames visited the Panthers on Feb. 14. But it would’ve been special regardless of where that contest was played considering that skating in just one NHL game seemed beyond the realm of possibility at one point for the 6-2, 210-pounder.
“Oh, yeah,” Hathaway responded when asked if he had doubts about making the NHL after never hearing his name called at an NHL draft. “I think everyone in here (the Flames’ locker room) probably had some doubts no matter where they were. That’s stuff you have to grow through. If you don’t have doubts and you don’t go through those situations, you may miss out a little bit on the growth and maturing you have to do. As any kid would at 18, I wanted to be drafted, but it hit me pretty quickly that there had to be another way if I was going to make it. So, you just have to start working hard, looking for another way and forming your own path.”
