The Vegas Golden Knights announced that goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the organization.
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston adds it is on a tryout.
The Golden Knights released the following statement:
“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.”
The announcement was made after Hart became eligible to sign with a National Hockey League team after he was one of five players acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 when they were members of Canada’s World Junior team.
As part of the players’ potential reinstatement, the NHL said in a statement following the verdict on July 24 by Justice Maria Carroccia that even though the players were found not guilty, their actions were “unacceptable,” and the players were ineligible to return to the league while it reviewed the decision.
As a result, the players were not eligible to sign contracts until Oct. 15, and will not be eligible to take part in games until Dec. 1.
Four of the players (Hart, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod) were playing in the NHL until charges were announced during the 2023-24 season. The fifth, Alex Formenton, has been out of the league since 2022 and rejoined Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta earlier in September.
McLeod signed to play in Russia in the Kontinental Hockey League earlier in October, while Dube and Foote remain unrestricted free agents.
Hart, 27, had a 12-9-3 record with the Flyers with a .906 save percentage and a 2.80 goals-against average in 26 games during the 2023-24 season.
He carried a cap hit of $3.98 million on his most recent contract, which expired in 2024.
In 227 career NHL games, all with the Flyers, Hart has a 96-93-29 record with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. He was selected 48th overall in the 2016 draft.