The younger brother of standout NHL offensive defenseman Kevin Hatcher, Derian had less pure offensive skill but was a superior shutdown defender with a considerable mean-streak and underrated two-way ability of his own. Derian Hatcher was drafted by Bob Clarke's Minnesota North Stars in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1990 NHL Draft.
Hatcher blossomed into NHL stardom after the Minnesota franchise relocated to Texas as the Dallas Stars. One of the league's most punishing hitters and intimidating presences at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds. Hatcher played in an NHL All-Star Game (1999) and was a regular selection for Team USA in international competition. He won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1998-99, was a second-team NHL All-Star in 2002-03 and became the Stars' longest-serving captain in franchise history.
After a brief, injury-riddled season with the Detroit Red Wings (limited by knee issues to 15 games), Hatcher signed a four-year unrestricted free agent contract with the Flyers on August 2, 2005, following the conclusion of a year-long work stoppage in the NHL.
Hatcher had chronic bad knees by the time he came to the Flyers. Nonetheless, he played stoically through pain. "Hatch" quickly became a team leader including stints as captain and alternate captain. Hatcher was one of the key players who helped drive the Flyers' run to the 2008 Eastern Conference Final once season after the worst campaign in franchise history.
One year earlier, near the 2005-06 NHL trade deadline, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren asked Hatcher if he preferred to be traded to a team in contention that season.
"Hell, no," Hatcher said. "I want to stay here and I want to win here."
That was all Holmgren needed to hear. Hatcher remained a Flyers blueline mainstay until the accumulated injuries ended his career.
Hatcher dressed in 208 regular season games and 21 playoff tilts for Philadelphia. He retired in 2009. For his NHL career, Hatcher dressed in 1,045 regular season games (80 goals, 251 assists, 331 points, 1,581 penalty minutes) and 133 playoff games (seven goals, 26 assists, 33 points, 248 penalty minutes).
During the Flyers' portion of his career, Hatcher played 203 regular season games (nine goals, 24 assists, 33 points, 193 penalty minutes while averaging roughly 23 minutes of ice time per game. Several of his goals came when being used as a net-front forward on power plays in addition to his blueline duties. Hatcher dressed in 21 playoff games as a Flyer (one goal, five points, 50 penalty minutes).
After his playing days ended, Hatcher spent several seasons as a Flyers player development coach. Later, he became part-owner and head coach of the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting.
Hatcher was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010. Separately, he was also inducted in the U.S. Hall as part of the iconic 1996 World Cup of Hockey championship winning Team USA squad.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Game Start as just $35
