Although he's been no stranger to the NHL being just one game shy of 100 career appearances, Hathaway admitted that this season was bigger learning experience for him compared to years prior.
As he settled in and got accustomed to the change in dynamic from the AHL to the NHL, it was an eye-opening experience overall.
"With the more time being around the league you really learn how much of an everyday league it is," he said. "There's a lot of travel and it's all a routine of playing, travelling, practice and playing again almost immediately. In the AHL, you play on the weekend and you have almost the whole week before playing again.
"You have to be ready everyday not just physically but mentally. I really learned how to take care of my body and to be prepared each night."
With main camp kicking off on Sept. 13, Hathaway along with the other Flames players will take to the ice for the first time as a team since April to kick of the new season.
With the addition of new recruits, jobs are up for grabs and the level of competition will increase for those pushing to be on the roster for opening night.
"It's my goal to be there for game one and for all the games," Hathaway said. "Management has done a great job bringing guys in and I think it's going to be a very competitive camp and competitive season. I think that'll help the team improve having guys push each other to get better. That's what makes a team take the next step.
"With the guys we have it's a really exciting time. It takes a lot of hard work to be successful but I think we have the right guys in the room to do that."