Carter Hart hit with major backlash after Hockey Canada ruling

Hockey Canada's appeal board delivered its final rulings this week on the five players connected to the 2018 World Junior Team scandal, confirming code of conduct violations and handing down staggered suspensions. But the most intriguing consequence may be what happens after one of those suspensions ends.

Carter Hart, the Vegas Golden Knights goaltender, received a ban lasting through November 10, 2027. That timeline means he will miss the 2027-28 NHL regular season's opening weeks and any Hockey Canada events before that date. It also means he becomes eligible roughly three months before the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, the first edition of the tournament since 2016.

The question of whether Hart could realistically wear the Maple Leaf in February 2028 is already generating debate and the Vegas Golden Knights goalie has been trending on social media, already getting backlash from passionate fans.

Hart's on-ice resume gives him a legitimate case. The 2025-26 season marked his return to the NHL after a lengthy absence, and he posted an .891 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average across 18 regular season starts with Vegas. Those numbers were modest, but context matters. He had barely played competitive hockey in over a year.

The playoffs told a different story. Hart was arguably the best Canadian goaltender in the 2026 postseason, compiling a .909 save percentage and 2.56 GAA over 22 appearances while helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final. His numbers through the first three rounds were even more impressive, sitting at a .921 save percentage before a tough six-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

No other Canadian netminder in the playoffs matched that output. Scott Wedgewood of the Colorado Avalanche came closest with a .904 save percentage. Logan Thompson, Jordan Binnington, Mackenzie Blackwood, Stuart Skinner, and Jet Greaves are among the other names reportedly in the mix for Team Canada's goaltending spots.

Still, selecting Hart would almost certainly invite significant backlash. The 2018 scandal generated widespread public outrage, and Hockey Canada's own reforms since 2022, including becoming a signatory to Abuse Free Sport and transitioning to the Canadian Safe Sport program, were designed in part to rebuild trust with fans and families.

It is worth noting that Hockey Canada's ruling confirmed that any player from the 2018 roster being considered for a national team will be required to undergo an enhanced screening process, including a third-party review of the investigation's findings. Hart would reportedly need to clear that hurdle before any selection could be made.

The appeal board, composed of the Hon. John I. Laskin, the Hon. Katherine E. Swinton, and the Hon. Thomas J. McEwen, upheld the original adjudicative panel's findings. Alex Formenton was reinstated immediately, while Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, and Michael McLeod received suspensions extending through 2026, 2028, and 2030, respectively.

From what we know, Hart's focus remains on the NHL and his future with Vegas. But the calendar does not lie. If he continues to perform at a high level next season, Hockey Canada will face a difficult and potentially polarizing decision when the 2028 World Cup roster takes shape.