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Carter Hart

West Notes: Canucks Strategy, Hart, Hinostroza

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Earlier today, we covered reports coming out of Vancouver that the Canucks had made it known across the league that key veteran players, namely, their pending unrestricted free agents, were available to other teams in trade talks. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance provided some more detail on the situation in Vancouver, reporting that the club’s “hockey operations leadership spent much of the day in high-level meetings” and emerged with “a growing belief that the time has come to proactively chart a clear direction for the franchise.” While Drance clarified that the team is unlikely “to publicly brand their overall approach” as a “rebuild,” the Canucks have decided to realign their priorities “into a younger overall direction.”

Perhaps the most alarming element of Drance’s reporting, at least for the Canucks’ short-term future, was his revelation that Canucks management “has seen enough to be skeptical of this group’s urgency and will to win on a consistent basis.” That impacts the Canucks’ immediate planning, as the team had long been rumored to be highly interested in acquiring an NHL-ready second-line center. That has now changed, with Drance writing that “the notion of paying futures for a second-line center upgrade will be off the table for the time being.” The Canucks are in a difficult spot, to be sure, and the looming unrestricted free agency of franchise face Quinn Hughes doesn’t help matters. But at the very least it appears the team is engaging in an honest interrogation of its own competitive chances, one that appears to have led to them selecting a more sustainable path to contention.

Other notes from the Western Conference:

  • The Vegas Golden Knights are “expected to recall” netminder Carter Hart to their NHL roster as early as next week, according to TSN’s Chris Johnston. Hart, the former starting netminder for the Philadelphia Flyers, hasn’t played in an NHL game since the 2023-24 season. He was acquitted of charges in this past summer’s high-profile trial, and signed with Vegas in October. They sent him to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, in November, and he has played in two games, posting a 1-1-0 record and a .875 save percentage. He’s expected to make one more start on his conditioning stint before joining the Golden Knights’ NHL roster. The Golden Knights remain without Adin Hill due to an injury, and have relied upon Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom in Hill’s absence.
  • Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes provided the media, including The Athletic’s Michael Russo, with clarification on the recovery timeline of injured forward Vinnie Hinostroza. Hynes said that Hinostroza is likely to miss four-to-six weeks with his injury, a lower-body ailment he suffered on Nov. 21. Hinostroza, 31, was acquired by the Wild off of waivers from the Nashville Predators last season and has scored 13 points across 46 games with the team.

Golden Knights Assign Carter Hart On Conditioning Loan

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According to a team announcement, the Vegas Golden Knights have assigned netminder Carter Hart to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights on a conditioning loan. In a corresponding roster move, Jason Pothier and Ken Boehlke of SinBin report that Adin Hill has been placed on the injured reserve, likely retroactive to October 20.

It’ll be Hart’s first appearance in a professional setting since the 2023-24 season. Hart, as well as four others, were involved in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial during the summer months and found not guilty.

Per the additional punishment agreed to by the NHL and the NHLPA, the five players from the assault trial were barred from signing a contract until October 15, and could not return to NHL ice until December 1. Accordingly, it’s reasonable to assume that Hart’s conditioning stint will last until then.

Although he didn’t maintain the same production as in his first two NHL seasons, Hart remained consistent during his last three years with the Philadelphia Flyers.. From the beginning of the 2021-22 NHL season until he was suspended during the 2023-24 campaign, Hart managed a 47-56-20 record in Philadelphia with a .906 SV% and 2.99 GAA.

It’s anyone’s guess as to how Hart will perform upon his return. It’s one thing to return to the game’s highest levels after two years removed, and it’s another to return after going through the stress and embarrassment of a high-profile lawsuit. At any rate, the Golden Knights believe he has more left in the tank, signing Hart to a two-year, $4MM deal on October 25.

Meanwhile, Hill is designated for the IR  after nearly a month away from the ice. Still, despite missing a month due to a lower-body ailment, Hill is expected to return within the next few weeks if his recovery timeline goes according to plan. He has a 1-0-2 record through five games to start the season with a .888 SV% and 2.73 GAA.

Golden Knights Sign Carter Hart To Two-Year Deal

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Oct. 25: The Golden Knights have registered the contract, PuckPedia reports.  The deal carries a $1.45MM signing bonus this season with a league-minimum salary of $775K.  In 2026-27, Hart will make $1.775MM in salary with no signing bonus.

Oct. 24: Vegas will be converting Hart’s tryout into a two-year contract as expected. It’ll be worth $4MM with an average annual value of $2MM, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.

Oct. 16, 12:31 p.m.: The Golden Knights announced that Hart will be joining the organization, although there isn’t a guaranteed contract yet – he’ll begin his work on a tryout with AHL Henderson, Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN reports. Vegas’ full statement is as follows:

Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization. The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.

Oct. 16, 8:30 a.m.: The Vegas Golden Knights are nearing a deal with free agent netminder Carter Hart, insider Frank Seravalli reported on his Victory+ show yesterday. Seravalli said, “I’d expect Hart’s deal to be two years,” a bit north of the league-minimum salary.

Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson seconded Seravalli’s report and provided a little more detail, stating that Hart’s deal is expected to be a two-year, $1.8MM AAV pact. Hart, who Wasserman’s Judd Moldaver reps, became eligible to sign an NHL contract yesterday but is not eligible to play until December 1st.

That Hart isn’t eligible to play until December is notable given a recent injury to starter Adin Hill during the team’s road win against the Calgary Flames two days ago. There has been no further update on Hill’s status, but since Hart remains ineligible to play for the next month and a half, the Golden Knights will have to look elsewhere to reinforce their position in the crease should Hill miss any time.

While no deal with Hart has been officially announced to this point, Vegas’ interest in Hart has been widely reported, even going back to September, when The Athletic’s Chris Johnston called the team a front-runner to secure the netminder’s services.

It was reported earlier that month that Hart would receive interest from multiple NHL teams, which is notable as the other four Hockey Canada players acquitted of charges this summer in connection to an alleged sexual assault have been met with more muted NHL interest.

Center Michael McLeod was at one point expected to sign a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, but ultimately agreed on a three-year extension with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, the side he played for in 2024-25.

A month ago, Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios commented that both his organization and forward Alex Formenton agreed that “a fresh start” would be the best option for both sides. Still, thus far, Formenton hasn’t been able to secure another NHL team to play for. He is currently playing out a four-month contract (that contains an option to extend for the rest of the 2025-26 season) with Swiss National League side HC Ambri-Piotta.

The final two players involved in this past summer’s trial, defenseman Cal Foote and forward Dillon Dube, remain free agents. Foote spent 2024-25 with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of the Slovak Extraliga, while Dube played for Dinamo Minsk in the KHL. There has not yet been much reporting indicating serious NHL interest in either player. The only notable report that was issued regarding either player came from The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, who noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs would not be interested in signing Dube.

As a result, it appears Hart is, by far, the most likely candidate of this group of players to receive an NHL contract in the short-term future. Hart is also, among the group, arguably its most accomplished NHL player.

The 27-year-old was once one of the more promising goalies in the sport, playing to solid results (.906 career save percentage across 227 games) for the Philadelphia Flyers. While the Flyers mostly struggled during Hart’s tenure, especially later on, he did backstop them on one playoff run, posting a .926 save percentage in 14 games during the 2019-20 season. That Flyers team fell in seven games to the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

In Vegas, Hart would potentially have the opportunity to get a real chance to play games for one of the NHL’s leading Stanley Cup contenders. The Golden Knights, who currently sit first in the Pacific Division with a 2-0-2 record, are loaded with high-end veteran talent, including center Jack Eichel, defenseman Shea Theodore, and wingers Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.

Hill, the team’s starter, backstopped the team to its first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2023, but the 29-year-old doesn’t have an extensive resume as a number-one goalie. While he started to achieve real success on a Stanley Cup-winning team, he has also made 50 starts in a season just once in his career.

Whether Hart has a path to being Vegas’ long-term number-one goalie is unclear at this stage.

Hill was signed to a six-year, $6.25MM AAV contract extension in March, signaling the Golden Knights’ commitment to him as their top netminder moving forward. But the Golden Knights have shown a willingness to make aggressive moves to maximize their competitive chances in the past, especially in net, such as when they acquired and extended netminder Robin Lehner despite the presence of Vezina winner Marc-Andre Fleury on their roster.

As a result, assuming Hart does sign in Vegas, and assuming he can play well upon his return to the NHL, a potential long-term future in Vegas cannot be counted out, even though Hill has signed that hefty extension. If the Golden Knights feel, down the line, that Hart gives them the best chance to win long-term, everything they have done and accomplished as an organization thus far suggests they won’t hesitate to re-sign Hart, even with Hill signed. Worth noting here is that under the reported terms of Hart’s expected contract (two years, $1.8MM AAV), Hart would become eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1st.

Bringing that up may be getting a little bit ahead of things, though, as the reality is Hart has not played competitive hockey since he left the Flyers in January of 2024. While he was once seen as a promising young netminder, it’s difficult to project how a player will perform, especially a goalie, after missing so much time. The Golden Knights, though, based on all of the available reporting, clearly believe in Hart’s NHL future, and appear poised to sign a two-year contract with the player that reflects that belief.

Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Hurricanes No Longer Pursuing Michael McLeod, Carter Hart

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Oct. 3: While the two sides were close to a deal, talks between the Hurricanes and McLeod are no longer ongoing and won’t result in him joining Carolina. The breakdown wasn’t compensation-related, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. It’s worth noting the club faced significant pushback from season ticket holders following Pagnotta’s report. In kind, they’re no longer a potential landing spot for goaltender Carter Hart, who was charged in the same case and was previously linked to Carolina.

Sep. 18: The Hurricanes are expected to register a contract for center Michael McLeod after he becomes eligible to sign with an NHL club on Oct. 15, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports Thursday. Until then, McLeod remains suspended by the league in relation to allegations of sexual assault made against him and four other NHL players that resulted in not-guilty verdicts at a trial in London, Ontario, in July. While he is eligible to sign then, he cannot return to play until Dec. 1.

“The events that transpired after the 2018 Hockey Canada Foundation Gala in London, Ontario, prior to these players’ arrival in the NHL, were deeply troubling and unacceptable,” the NHL said in its statement announcing the suspensions last week. “The League expects everyone connected with the game to conduct themselves with the highest level of moral integrity. And, in this case, while found not to have been criminal, the conduct of the players involved certainly did not meet that standard.”

McLeod, 27, was a first-round pick of the Devils and remained with the franchise up until he was formally charged with sexual assault in January 2024. He hasn’t played an NHL game since then and became an unrestricted free agent when New Jersey opted not to qualify him last year. He spent the 2024-25 season in the Kontinental Hockey League with Kazakhstan’s Barys Astana and Russia’s Avangard Omsk before returning to Canada this summer to stand trial.

He was a bottom-six faceoff specialist during his time with the Devils, going 58.3% on draws for his career to pair with 85 points in 287 appearances across six seasons. He managed a 6-13–19 scoring line in 35 games for Barys and Avangard last year.

The Hurricanes will now add him to a bottom-six mix that’s already filled out nicely. The path for McLeod to play an everyday center role will be muddy if the team rolls with Logan Stankoven as its second-line center – something head coach Rod Brind’Amour trialed in the first day of camp today after deploying him on the wing after acquiring the young forward from the Stars in last year’s Mikko Rantanen trade. That would leave Jordan Staal and Jesperi Kotkaniemi anchoring the third and fourth lines, meaning McLeod may have to shift to the wing to get back into an NHL lineup. He’ll be competing with names like William Carrier, Mark Jankowski, Tyson Jost, and Eric Robinson for minutes and a roster spot.

Transaction Notes: Hart, Pilut, Felcman

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The Athletic’s Chris Johnston provided an update today on the status of free agent goaltender Carter Hart, who is one of the five Hockey Canada players set to become eligible to sign NHL contracts on October 15th after being acquitted of sexual assault in Ontario Superior Court in July.

According to Johnston, Hart “has started to zero in on the most attractive options for where he might attempt to reboot his career.” Johnston specifically named the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes as two front-runners, alongside “one or two” other teams who are “still in the mix” to sign the player.

Johnston reported that Hart’s “main priorities remain finding a landing spot that comes with a clear path to playing time on a team that’s set up for success,” and both Carolina and Vegas certainly fit the bill. The Golden Knights look set to enter the season with Adin Hill and Akira Schmid as their NHL tandem, and Schmid played in just five NHL games last season. Carolina looks to be in a stronger position in terms of their current goalies, with Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov already under contract. But Andersen, 35, has dealt with persistent injury troubles over the last three seasons, and Kochetkov had an uneven season in 2024-25, posting an .898 save percentage. Those two factors could help explain why the Hurricanes are considering adding another goaltender into the mix. Regardless, it appears Hart is getting closer to finalizing the franchise with which he’ll attempt to return to NHL action.

Some other transaction-oriented notes from across the hockey world:

  • Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut signed a one-year contract with the Swiss National League’s SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, according to a team release. The 29-year-old will return to action after missing the entirety of 2024-25 recovering from a torn Achilles. Pilut is a two-time AHL All-Star who last played in North America in 2022-23, when he scored 28 points in 47 games for the AHL’s Rochester Americans and managed to dress for 17 NHL contests. The former SHL Defenseman of the Year and SHL Champion joins a Rapperswil-Jona squad that currently sits fifth in league play with a 4-2 record. Their roster currently boasts multiple former NHL and AHL players, including 2011 first-rounder Nicklas Jensen, 2014 first-rounder Julius Honka, 2015 first-rounder Jacob Larsson, and former 48-point scorer Victor Rask.
  • Chicago Blackhawks 2023 third-rounder Jiri Felcman has signed a one-year contract extension with his current club, the Swiss National League’s SCL Tigers. The 20-year-old broke into Switzerland’s top league as a 19-year-old last season, ultimately scoring 10 points across 43 combined regular season and playoff games. He has yet to sign his entry-level deal in Chicago, and the Blackhawks hold the exclusive rights to sign Felcman until June 1st, 2027, per PuckPedia. This extension shouldn’t impact the Blackhawks’ signing decision but instead serves as a nice show of faith in a player recently ranked by EliteProspects as the Blackhawks’ No. 26 prospect.

Morning Notes: Hart, van Riemsdyk, Laughton

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After stating their intent to place netminder Connor Ingram on waivers, speculation arose whether the Utah Mammoth would have a competition for their backup role between Vítek Vaněček, Jaxson Stauber, and Matt Villalta, or pursue the recently reinstated Carter Hart once he’s eligible to sign on October 15th. We now know it won’t be the latter.

On yesterday’s edition of The Chris Johnston Show with TSN’s Chris Johnston, the insider indicated that although the Mammoth had internal conversations regarding Hart, it’s not something they’ll be pursuing over the next few weeks. Multiple reports suggest that Hart’s preference is to sign with a U.S.-based franchise, and the list of hypothetical options has continued to shrink.

Outside of Ingram and Karel Vejmelka, Vaněček is the only other netminder in Utah signed on a one-way contract. Still, he may not be a lock quite yet after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign. Split between the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers, Vaněček managed a 5-14-4 record in 25 games with a .884 SV%, 3.62 GAA, and -11.5 Goals Saved Above Average.

Additional morning notes:

  • The Washington Capitals are without defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk today, and could be for the next few days. According to Sammi Silber of DC Backcheck, van Riemsdyk will miss today’s skate due to personal matters, most likely correlated to him and his wife expecting a child soon. The exciting news is likely the reason behind his older brother, James van Riemsdyk, being absent from the Detroit Red Wings’ training camp yesterday.
  • Last trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs sent a 2027 first-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for center Scott Laughton, only to see the veteran score two goals and four points in 20 games, with another two assists in 13 playoff contests. In a recent interview with David Alter of The Hockey News, Laughton recognized his poor play last season and is coming into the 2025-26 campaign more inspired to contribute, saying, “I need to be able to contribute offensively and create that way and help out some of those top guys.“

Metro Notes: Devils, Ovechkin, Capitals, Hart, Foerster, Bonk

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Before taking the ice for the first session of training camp, the New Jersey Devils shared several updates on absent players. Netminder Jacob Markström, defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic, forward Stefan Noesen, and prospects Shane Lachance and Lenni Hämeenaho were all absent from today’s skate.

Fortunately, Markström’s absence isn’t linked to an injury, as the Devils announced he’s dealing with a family matter. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Noesen and Kovacevic. As expected, New Jersey stated that Kovacevic is still recovering from offseason knee surgery and that he’s out indefinitely.

Meanwhile, Noesen continues to deal with a nagging groin issue, which required a procedure this summer. However, unlike Kovacevic’s timeline, the Devils didn’t indicate how long Noesen would miss or his status for the start of the regular season. Lachance and Hämeenaho were injured in the team’s rookie camp, though they’re each expected to begin the year with the AHL Utica Comets, regardless of their health status.

Other updates from the Metropolitan Division:

  • The Washington Capitals got a brief scare this morning when captain Alex Ovechkin left the team’s skate early, failing to return. Fortunately, it’s nothing serious, as Sammi Silber of DC Backcheck shared an update from head coach Spencer Carbery saying that Ovechkin is dealing with a mild lower-body injury, and his recovery timeline is day-to-day.
  • Unfortunately, a few more members of the Capitals’ roster are dealing with mild injuries. Earlier today, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network reported that defenseman Martin Fehérváry and Justin Sourdif are skating in non-contact jerseys for today’s skate. Still, El-Bashir, nor anyone within the Capitals organization, has indicated that the injuries will affect either of their regular-season availability.
  • If the Pittsburgh Penguins want prospect Joel Blomqvist to have more seasoning in the AHL, and Arturs Silovs doesn’t build on his excellent AHL campaign last year, the Penguins have little else behind Tristan Jarry, if he’s even capable of handling a majority of the workload. Regardless, they won’t be seeking outside help from a former top-prospect netminder who was recently allowed back into the NHL. Earlier today, Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported that Pittsburgh wouldn’t be one of the teams targeting Carter Hart over the next couple of weeks.
  • Philadelphia Flyers forward Tyson Foerster continues his speedy recovery from elbow surgery. Providing an update in today’s media availability (via Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia), Foerster remains hopeful he could shed his non-contact jersey during training camp and is still expecting to be ready for the start of the regular season.
  • Another member of the Flyers is dealing with an injury, albeit a mild one. Philadelphia announced that defenseman Oliver Bonk is dealing with an upper-body injury, and he’ll miss the next few days. Bonk is entering his first year of professional hockey, likely with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, after spending the last three years with the OHL’s London Knights.

Carter Hart Expected To Receive Interest From Multiple Teams

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Earlier this week, the NHL announced that the five Hockey Canada players who were found not guilty of sexual assault earlier this summer would be suspended to December 1st but would be eligible to sign an NHL contract as of October 15th.  It appears that goaltender Carter Hart will get an opportunity to continue his career; Chris Johnston reports in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that Hart is expected to receive interest from multiple teams and should have a handshake deal in place by the start of next month.

Hart last played near the midway point of the 2023-24 season before taking a leave from the team when charges were about to be laid.  Then, when his contract expired, the Flyers didn’t issue a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The 27-year-old has played in 227 career NHL contests, all with the Flyers who drafted him in the second round back in 2016.  Hart started off quite strong with Philadelphia before his performance started to dip, coinciding with their struggles in the standings.  Overall, he has a 2.94 GAA along with a .906 SV% and six shutouts over his six-season career.

While there has been some speculation that the Flyers could look to bring him back, Johnston suggests that’s unlikely to be the case as Hart is believed to be looking for a fresh start.  Meanwhile, Philadelphia already has Samuel Ersson and newcomer Daniel Vladar in the fold while prospect Aleksei Kolosov will also be in camp with the team, as will Ivan Fedotov who looks like a waiver candidate as things stand.

Johnston added that Hart is almost certainly going to sign with a U.S.-based team which would take the long-speculated possibility of the netminder signing with his hometown team in Edmonton.  There were no teams specified as likely landing spots but his priorities are finding a team with a chance to win but also provides him a chance at meaningful playing time.

Despite the long layoff, Johnston expects that Hart will get a multi-year contract from whoever he signs with.  That said, it would be surprising if he received more than the $3.979MM he was making with the Flyers on his last contract so it might be in Hart’s best interest to look for a shorter-term pact if he is able to be an impact performer with his next team.

Even if an agreement is reached by the start of next month, he’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to officially sign it.  From there, Hart would be able to practice with the team for a month to work on conditioning before being granted a conditioning stint in mid-November where he will see his first taste of AHL action since 2019.

Carter Hart, Others Found Not Guilty In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial

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Sept. 11th: According to an update from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the NHL and NHLPA have agreed that the five players will be suspended until December 1, 2025. However, they will be permitted to sign with any team on October 15th. Friedman clarified that the Commissioner Gary Bettman did not have a formal hearing with any of the players, as all five reportedly waived their right to appeal the Commissioner’s decision.

Jul. 25th: As expected, the five players will not be immediately accepted back into the NHL despite yesterday’s verdict. According to a public announcement, the league released a statement, saying, “The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable. We will be reviewing and considering the judge’s findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.”

Jul. 24th: Carter Hart, the first of five players charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving the 2018 Canadian men’s national junior team to hear his verdict, has been found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario, according to reporting from The Athletic. Dillon Dube, Callan Foote and Alex Formenton have also been found not guilty of sexual assault. The fifth player charged, Michael McLeod, has received the same verdict. He was the only player charged with two counts – one of sexual assault and one of being a party to the offense.

The allegations against Dube, Foote, Formenton, Hart, and McLeod first became public in May of 2022, when reports emerged that Hockey Canada had paid to settle a lawsuit with a woman, known in court documents as E.M., who said she was sexually assaulted by eight players “over several hours” in a London hotel room on July 18, 2018. No charges were levied as a result of the initial investigation by local police, which was closed in February 2019, but the case was reopened after the 2022 report.

Formal charges were then brought against the five defendants on Jan. 30, 2024. The trial began on April 22, 2025, and the verdicts were reached solely by Justice Carroccia after two mistrials influenced her to dismiss the jury.

The NHL does not have a formal policy for players accused of or charged with domestic violence, sexual assault, or similar crimes. Instead, the four players who were under NHL contracts at the time – Dube, Foote, Hart, and McLeod – were granted indefinite leaves of absence by their clubs shortly before the charges were announced. All of them were pending restricted free agents on expiring contracts and were not extended qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents as of July 1, 2024.

Today’s not guilty verdict indicates the Canadian prosecutorial team “failed to meet its onus on any of the counts before me,” Justice Carroccia said today. She did not find reasonable doubt that any of the players’ contact with E.M. was non-consensual, which was the main point of contention in the trial that could have led to a guilty verdict.

When asked about the playing eligibility of the defendants, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continually deferred action until after a verdict was reached. While none of the players are formally suspended by the league, similar situations have routinely required some sort of permission from league offices for them to play in or return to the NHL. If teams approach any of them with a contract offer, they will presumably wait for that guidance before registering the deal.

Metro Notes: Hart, Laperrière, Fehérváry

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In late July, after the non-guilty verdict was announced, the NHL shared that none of the five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial would be permitted back into the league upon further investigation. Still, that hasn’t negated interest from some teams, especially around Carter Hart.

According to a new article from The Fourth Period, David Pagnotta reports that the Philadelphia Flyers and several other teams are interested in signing Hart, awaiting the NHL’s decision on his eligibility. Regardless of the NHL’s eventual ruling, it is notable that nearly two years have passed since Hart and the other four players participated in competitive hockey, making it almost impossible to project their future value.

Before stepping away from the Flyers during the 2023-24 season, Hart had enjoyed a relatively successful career at the NHL level. The former 48th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft had spent six years in Philadelphia before that point, managing a 96-93-29 record in 218 starts with a .906 SV% and 2.94 GAA. Meanwhile, despite being outed in Round Two by the New York Islanders, Hart’s first trip through the postseason in 2020 was a bright spot in his career, collecting a 9-5-0 record in 14 games with a .926 SV% and 2.23 GAA.

Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:

  • After spending the last 16 years within the Flyers organization as both player and coach, Ian Laperrière is finally moving on. Earlier today, Anthony Di Marco of the DailyFaceoff reported that Laperrière is joining the Islanders as a professional scout. Seeking the head coaching position of the Flyers this summer, Laperrière was removed from his post as head coach of the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but retained by the Flyers as an advisor. Regardless, Laperrière has finally decided to leave the organization altogether.
  • In late April, the Washington Capitals lost defenseman Martin Fehérváry for their entire playoff run on the last game of the regular season due to knee surgery. There were concerns at the time that Fehérváry may miss a few games of the 2025-26 season, but that no longer appears to be the case. Sammi Silber of the DC Backcheck reported that Fehérváry skated today, but was still donning a non-contact jersey. The Capitals are taking his recovery slowly, which is fairly typical for the summer months, with the hope that he’ll return on time for the upcoming campaign.

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