7 Observations: Golden Knights Roar Back, Stun Mammoth in OT
Golden Knights Preseason Game 3: Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Mammoth
Kirkell: Golden Knights Should Stay Away From Carter Hart
7 Observations: Golden Knights Stifled in Preseason Home Opener
Golden Knights Preseason Game 2: Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Kings
Daily Nuggets: Fleury’s Return, Rookie Game; Leafs Miss Marner
Daily Nuggets: Marner’s Journey to Golden Knights; McDavid Extension?
Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Prospect Injured; Bäckström’s Back!
Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Roster Weaknesses; Trade Target
Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights’ Success Story?; Canucks Fleeced
Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Prospect Honored; Reaves Traded
Top Golden Knights Prospect Selected for World Junior Summer Showcase
Golden Knights Superstar Named to Team USA’s Olympic Roster
Rock & a Hard Place: The Golden Knights’ Goaltending Problem
Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Win Pacific; Stanley Cup Next?
Published
on
By
Carter Hart, one of five recently acquitted members from Canada’s 2018 World Junior team, is eying a return to the NHL. He can sign with an NHL team on October 1st, and is eligible to play an NHL game on December 1st.
With 227 career NHL games under his belt, Hart has his fair share of suitors. He has a career record of 96-93-29 and a .906 average save percentage.
On Monday, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported that Hart is narrowing down that list of suitors, two of which are the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Golden Knights boast one of the smartest run front offices in the league. Really, I’d be shocked if they weren’t at least passively looking for another goaltender. Their starting goaltender, Adin Hill, has had struggles staying healthy in the past. Last year, he avoided injury and played 50 games. This year, he might not be so lucky.
Akira Schmid has some real potential to be a good goaltender in this league. But do the Golden Knights trust him to play 32 or more games this season? Can Schmid handle that kind of workload? He’s played 48 career NHL games, and never more than 20 in a single season.
And then there’s Carl Lindbom, an exciting and promising prospect who played with the Henderson Silver Knights last season. For Lindbom, playing in the NHL isn’t a matter of if, it’s when. But the Golden Knights are in win-now mode— if Adin Hill were to miss significant time, would Lindbom be ready?
So, from a hockey standpoint, I can understand why the Golden Knights would kick the tires on Hart. But it doesn’t make much sense for their interest to go much further than that.
First and foremost, Hart’s biggest concern is his inability to stay healthy. During his six-year career with the Philadelphia Flyers, his injury history is about as long as a CVS receipt.
Hart took the NHL by storm as a rookie in 2018-19 and posted impressive numbers behind a painfully below-average Flyers team. In 2019-20, he became the Flyers’ undisputed starter, playing 43 of their 69 games for a record of 24-13-3 and a .914 average save percentage.
Then came the injuries.
From that point on, Hart struggled to stay healthy. He suffered a season-ending MCL sprain in 2020-21. That was the only season-ending injury of his career. Still, it was far from his only issue. He also dealt with lower-body injuries, mid-body injuries, upper-body injuries, at least one concussion, and a variety of illnesses, including COVID-19.
The biggest reason that the Golden Knights would be interested in Hart is that Adin Hill, the goaltender they committed $37.5 million to, also has injury concerns. Why would they go out and get an equally, if not more, injury-prone backup?
For the sake of moving this article along, let’s say Hart’s in tip-top shape. He’s had two years off, after all.
That right there is another huge concern. Hart is trying to mount a comeback after nearly two full years away from hockey. Has any goaltender in NHL history made a successful return after that much time away from the sport during his prime? That’s a very, very tall task.
During those two years, Hart wasn’t playing professional hockey at any level. He didn’t play overseas. I’m sure he trained and skated. But off-ice workouts are nothing compared to NHL action and the grind of the regular season.
Then there are the salary cap concerns.
Insiders and pundits have projected Hart’s new contract to come in at around $3-4 million. As it stands, the Golden Knights have less than $1.3 million in salary cap space.
There’s one more reason why this alleged marriage just doesn’t make sense: Carter Hart is a wildly inconsistent goaltender.
I’m sure you’ve read this before, but Hart was pulled in his last NHL outing. On January 20th, 2024, he allowed five goals on 15 shots against the Colorado Avalanche for -3.83 goals saved above expected.
It goes deeper than that.
Hart last played during the 2023-24 season, playing 26 games and posting a perfectly respectable record of 12-9-3 and a .906 average save percentage. But let’s look a little deeper. Of those 26 games, he recorded a save percentage above .900 in 15 of them– but less than half of those came against playoff teams. And he allowed at least four goals in six of the 26 games he played.
In 2022-23, he played 55 games, posting a record of 22-23-10 and a .907 average save percentage. He recorded a save percentage above .900 in 25 games– but fewer than half of those came against playoff teams. And he allowed at least four goals in 19 of the 55 games he played.
In 2021-22, he played 45 games with a 13-24-7 record and a .905 average save percentage. He recorded a save percentage above .900 in 23 games– but, again, less than half of those came against playoff teams. And he allowed at least four goals in 14 of the 45 games he played.
Sensing a pattern?
Listen, Carter Hart was, at one point, one of the top 25 or so goaltenders in the world. He was good enough to play and have some success at the NHL level, and could very well have that success again.
But he’s also a goaltender who has, historically, only performed well against playoff teams in around a quarter of the games he plays. He also gives up at least four goals in around a third of those games.
This year, the Vegas Golden Knights are true Stanley Cup contenders. They could use another goaltender– but that goaltender needs to be consistent. And Carter Hart is not that.
There are teams out there that can afford to take a chance on Hart. He will almost certainly sign with a team on October 1st, and I’d be shocked if he didn’t play in the NHL this season. But can you truly say that the Golden Knights should be interested?
I know I can’t.
Golden Knights Preseason Game 3: Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Mammoth
7 Observations: Golden Knights Stifled in Preseason Home Opener
7 Observations: Golden Knights Roar Back, Stun Mammoth in OT
Golden Knights Preseason Game 3: Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Mammoth
7 Observations: Golden Knights Stifled in Preseason Home Opener
Great take on Hart. Agree 100%. You do great work. Glad to have you with us in Vegas!
Flyers fan here giving you my perspective.In watching this team the last 6 or so seasons,with Carter Hart in net and after he left the team,the team in front of your goalie makes a big difference also,and the flyers players seem more interested in rushing up ice to pad their stats,than to defend their own goal.I get beyond frustrated as a fan by the lack of commitment to playing the system the coaches set up by the players on the ice.I know it ultimately comes down to the goalie making the save,but it also takes a team effort.I hope Carter can go to a team with that commitment.Thanks for letting me get my two cents in.
Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.
Copyright © 2023 National Hockey Now. Vegas Hockey Now is part of the National Hockey Now network and is in no way endorsed by the Vegas Golden Knights or National Hockey League.
Hockey News