Flyers
Former Flyer Scott Hartnell Announces Retirement
I have been writing for Sports Talk Philly since 2011. Currently editor and lead writer of Philadelphia Flyers coverage. Co-host of the YWT Podcast. I also am Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN-FM in South Jersey. I graduated from Cabrini University in 2014.
All posts by Kevin DursoPublished01 Oct 2018
By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Over the offseason, the Flyers and James van Riemsdyk reunited, bringing a member of the 2010 Eastern Conference Championship team back to Philadelphia. JVR joined Claude Giroux as the only members still with the Flyers in 2018.
A number of the members of that team have since retired in recent years, among them Danny Briere, Simon Gagne, Kimmo Timonen and Chris Pronger.
Another member of that team is hanging up the skates for good. Scott Hartnell, a Flyer for seven years of his 17-year career, announced his retirement on Monday.
Hartnell, 36, posted a message to Twitter announcing the decision.
“Every young kid from a small town across Canada dreams of playing a game in the NHL…I was fortunate enough to play in 1,249 of them,” Hartnell wrote. “A huge thank you to the Nashville Predators (twice), the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Columbus Blue Jackets. You are all world class organizations and it was an honor playing for your cities!”
— Scott Hartnell (@Hartsy43) October 1, 2018
Hartnell began his career as a draft pick of the Nashville Predators, selected with the sixth overall pick in 2000. Hartnell scored just two goals and had 16 points in his rookie season, but steadily produced from there, scoring at least 10 goals in the next five seasons and setting a career high with 25 goals and 48 points in 2005-06.
Hartnell was traded to the Flyers in the summer of 2007, along with Timonen, for a first-round pick. Hartnell signed on and began a seven-year tenure with the Flyers, scoring 24 goals in his first season. In his second season with the Flyers, he set new career highs with 30 goals and 60 points.
Hartnell would eclipse those numbers again in the 2011-12 season playing with Giroux and Jaromir Jagr on the Flyers top line. He scored 37 goals and had 67 points. He was also named an All-Star that season.
Hartnell played just 32 games in the lockout-shortened 2013 season and then scored 20 goals and had 52 points in his final season as a Flyer in 2013-14.
During the offseason, the Flyers traded Hartnell to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward R.J. Umberger and a fourth-round pick.
Hartnell spent three years with Columbus, scoring 28 goals in his first season, before his career started to fizzle out. He signed on with the Predators again last season, scoring 13 goals and adding 11 assists for 24 points in 62 games.
He remained unsigned through the offseason and ultimately announced his retirement.
Hartnell played seven seasons with both Nashville and Philadelphia, but played more games with the Flyers, suiting up in the Orange and Black for 517 games. He scored 157 goals and had 326 points as a Flyer. In his career, Hartnell played in 1,249 games, scoring 327 goals and adding 380 assists for 707 points.
More than the production on the ice with the Flyers, Hartnell was known for his community service. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation and remains a charter member, started his own foundation called Hartnell Down and was a regular at Flyers community events.
Hartnell certainly won over the city with his playing style. Why not close out this remembrance of his career with one of his finest moments in the Flyers-Penguins rivalry.
