Hartnell's Huge Weekend Comes With Dad in Attendance

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The following is guest coverage from Flyers reporter Dave Isaac. Follow Dave on twitter at @davegisaac.

For the past two days, Scott Hartnell has
palled around with his father, Bill. He may want to keep him around a bit
longer, because in the last two games, Scott has five goals. In the second period of the Flyers' 6-5 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins, Hartnell tallied a natural hat trick.

Bill will join the Flyers in Sunrise, Florida, too, but after
that, the trip may end if Minnesota’s Mikko Koivu doesn’t bow out of the
All-Star Game and allow the Flyer to make his first trip to the NHL’s All-Star
Game. Did the father's presence have an impact on his son's game?

“Yeah, he was sort of ‘on’ I guess you’d say,” said Bill,
after watching Scott score a natural hat trick. “Opportunities were there,
eh? Linemates are getting him the puck and he happened to be able to connect in
his spot. It was pretty exciting.”

After 30 years as a teacher and principal in Lloydminster,
Alberta, Bill Hartnell retired and now finds joy in watching his son Scott play
live as much as he can.

“It’s just quality time is what it is,” said Bill. “You’re
away from home. It’s quality time. It’s great."

If witnessing five goals in two games is any indication, the
Flyers might want to keep him around. In fact, Jaromir Jagr interrupted the
interview to lobby for just that.

“Did the Flyers just offer you two years, $6 million?” asked
the injured Jagr. “Scottie’s going to have to take a pay cut a little bit.
You’ve got until tomorrow. Make a decision.”

“I need an agent,” said Hartnell’s father.

“I’ll be the agent,” said Jagr. “Five percent.”

Maybe while he’s lobbying, Jagr can help Hartnell get to
Ottawa on Thursday when the top players report for the All-Star festivities. He
has scored 25 goals and 19 assists on the season and is on pace to score 44
goals on the year with 33 helpers. But still no call to the All-Star Game. Not
yet, anyway. The school of thought exists that Koivu won’t play due to injury
and that if he can’t go, Hartnell might be at the top of a short list of
replacements. But he can’t bank on that.

“I have plans made already,” said Hartnell. “But obviously
if the call does come, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. That’s about it.”

Keeping in line with his son, Bill says he won’t let himself
think about his son’s potential to go to his first All-Star Game either.

“No, what happens, happens,” said the elder Hartnell. “It’s a big league and there are a lot of good players out there. Sure it’s a feather to be asked to go, but there’s an awful lot of other ones, too.”

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