Flyers Social Media Team Caught Complaining About Reporter on Hot Mic During Garnet Hathaway Call

Garnet Hathaway recently signed a two-year, $4.75 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers after making trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs the five years as a member of the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames. He now joins a franchise that hasn't seen the postseason since 2020. With that in mind during his introductory media call, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Giana Han asked Hathaway what made the Flyers an attractive free agency destination this summer. A hot mic then picked up audio of social media staff complaining about the question and the franchise.
Gross situation. Flyers reporter (Giana Han) asks new player (Garnet Hathaway) legitimate question. Team PR caught on livestream bashing her (video deleted; this clip exists). Team apologizes. Another reporter (Mollie Walker) notes it (sans video), gets hit with “proof???” https://t.co/db6yDq3NnC
— Matt Porter (@mattyports) July 11, 2023
One voice loudly says, "How many times is she going to ask this f---king question," and that's followed by another person mockingly saying, "The Flyers suck, why do you want to be here?" Video of this was posted on the team's official Twitter account and then deleted, but obviously, someone was able to capture the embarassing part. It was also noted on Twitter by Mollie Walker of the New York Post.
Got to love when the @NHLFlyers PR department gets caught on a hot mic ripping a reporter’s perfectly valid question during a press conference, tweets it out and then deletes it.
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) July 11, 2023
What a joke. The lack of respect is mind-boggling. Be better.
The team then had to issue a statement on Twitter saying they apologized for the "disrespectful remarks."
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 11, 2023
Meanwhile, Han went about doing her job and ignored the incident in public view, instead choosing to tweet about what Hathaway had to say during the interview.
Garnet Hathaway said he reached out to players who have played for the Flyers and others who played for Tortorella. He was excited by what he heard... and here he is, which took GM Danny Briere by surprise. pic.twitter.com/J4B8hjrbeJ
— Giana Han (@giana_jade) July 11, 2023
Overall, it was a case study in if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.