This season, players are not permitted to interact with fans per NHL and NHLPA COVID-19 protocols, but Capitals forward and 2021 King Clancy Trophy nominee, Garnet Hathaway, found both a safe and ingenious way around that.
During his Training Camp skate on Wednesday, Hathaway took a photo with RMNB reader Alicia, posing on the ice while behind the glass.
Alicia was wearing a customized Hathaway jersey.
After a whole year I finally got a picture with Hathaway. @GarnetHathaway @Capitals @russianmachine @NoVa_Caps pic.twitter.com/IC00inKZjr
— Alicia Friskey (@AliciaFriskey) September 29, 2021
“I was just standing at the glass for practice,” Alicia said to RMNB. “He was in front of me, he waved and said, ‘Hey.’ Then smiled and pointed at my phone to take a picture!”
Alicia tells us that she was “shocked” and “extremely happy” by Garnet’s gesture. Hathaway has been Alica’s favorite player “since his time with Calgary. He’s a great person on and off the ice, and a great player!”
The diehard fan even traveled up to New Jersey for Alex Ovechkin’s 700th goal game against the Devils.
I’m crying 😭😭😍😍🥳🥳🥳 @NBCSCapitals @NBCSCapitals @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/d6emxPMKXO
— Alicia Friskey (@AliciaFriskey) February 22, 2020
“I have been a Caps fan since the 2015-16 season,” she said. “My older cousin got me into hockey. My first caps game was a playoff game vs. the pens in 2018 when we won the Stanley Cup.”
As for Hathaway, he takes his role as an athlete and public figure seriously and is routinely gracious with his time. His photo with Alica comes two weeks after making an appearance at a Laughlin Family Foundation Golf Tournament to help raise money for rare cancers. Hathaway donated one of his game-used sticks. It made over $2,000 in an auction.
