Hathaway's relentless and physical style of play has earned him favor with Tortorella. As a former member of the Boston Bruins, who claimed the President's Trophy, Hathaway has been a force on both the forecheck and backcheck.
During preseason training, Hathaway, along with some rookies, was seen on the ice, and he left a lasting impression with a thunderous open-ice hit on prospect Carter Sotheran, providing an unforgettable welcome to the NHL.