Carter Hart Set for NHL Return with Vegas Golden Knights After Lengthy Absence
The Vegas Golden Knights are preparing to roll out a new face in net this week-one that hasn’t been seen in NHL action in quite some time. Goaltender Carter Hart is expected to make his debut for Vegas on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, marking his first NHL start of the season and his first appearance in the league since a long and highly publicized legal process kept him sidelined.
Hart, 27, officially joined the Golden Knights’ main roster after signing a two-year contract with the team back in October. That deal came shortly after he was cleared to return to professional hockey following his acquittal in July in a sexual assault case involving members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team. Until that ruling, Hart was ineligible to sign with an NHL club or participate in regular-season games.
Now, with the legal chapter behind him, Hart is set to get back to doing what he does best-stopping pucks.
Before getting the call-up to the NHL roster, Hart had been working his way back into game shape with the Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas’ AHL affiliate. Since mid-November, he appeared in three games, posting a 3.07 goals-against average and an .839 save percentage. Those numbers aren’t eye-popping, but considering the long layoff and the weight of what he’s been through, the focus right now is more on rhythm than results.
Vegas is bringing him in at a critical time. The team has been managing without their Stanley Cup-winning netminder Adin Hill, who’s missed most of the season due to injury.
Akira Schmid has stepped up admirably to keep the team afloat, but with third-stringer Carl Lindbom struggling in relief, the Golden Knights have been stretched thin in the crease. Hart is expected to step into a rotational role with Schmid, giving Vegas a more reliable tandem and some much-needed depth.
The Golden Knights are currently holding onto third place in the Pacific Division, just a point off the lead. They snapped a five-game losing streak on Sunday with a 4-3 win over the Sharks, and the hope is that Hart’s arrival can help stabilize things as the team pushes through a tough stretch of the schedule.
For Hart, Tuesday’s expected start isn’t just another game-it’s a return to the NHL stage after a long, uncertain road. And for Vegas, it could be the beginning of an important second-half boost in net.