Published on October 16, 2025 • 2-minute read
Join the conversation
Carter Hart arrives at the London Courthouse in London, Ont., on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Photo by Nicole Osborne / THE CANADIAN PRESS
LAS VEGAS — Goaltender Carter Hart, one of five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team recently acquitted in a sexual assault trial, is set to join the Vegas Golden Knights.
The NHL team announced the signing in a statement on Thursday. While specific details of the agreement were not disclosed, multiple media sources reported that Hart has signed a professional tryout contract.
Although Hart remains suspended by the NHL until December 1, he was eligible to sign with a team starting Wednesday as he awaits reinstatement. “The Golden Knights are in alignment with the process and evaluation conducted by the NHL and NHLPA regarding their decision,” the team stated. “We are committed to the core values that have defined our organization since its inception and expect our players to uphold these standards moving forward.”
Hart, along with Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton, faced one count of sexual assault related to an incident involving a woman after a 2018 gala celebrating the Canadian world junior team’s gold medal. McLeod was also charged with being a party to the offense.
The five players were acquitted on July 24 during a trial in London, Ont. Hart is the first of the group to sign with an NHL team. McLeod has since joined a team in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, while Formenton is currently playing in Switzerland.
The 27-year-old Hart, hailing from Sherwood Park, Alberta, spent his first six NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he recorded a 96-93-29 record, a 2.94 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage, and six shutouts over 227 games. He took an indefinite leave from the Flyers on January 23, 2024, before turning himself in to police in London. After the 2023-24 season, he became an unrestricted free agent when the Flyers did not extend a qualifying offer.
The Golden Knights, considered among the favorites to win this season’s Stanley Cup, have been sharing goaltending responsibilities between Adin Hill and Akira Schmid. Hill has faced challenges with two overtime losses, a 3.60 GAA, and an .845 save percentage in three games, while Schmid has achieved two wins, a 1.80 GAA, and a .929 save percentage in two appearances.