Carter Hart’s contract details leak following tumultuous time away from NHL

Free-agent goaltender Carter Hart has reportedly narrowed his search for a new NHL home to just two teams: the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes.

According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Hart has been in contract discussions with both franchises, possibly with a third team quietly in the mix. Reports had previously linked him to his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, along with the Edmonton Oilers and Utah Mammoth, but those teams have decided not to pursue him.

Johnston also revealed how Hart is expected to sign a two-year deal, with the potential for some AHL tune-up games in mid-November before making his first NHL start in early December.

The rumoured two-year deal shows that Hart is being treated as a viable NHL starter despite his reputation and legal ordeal.

Hart is on the verge of coming back to the NHL as one of the most intriguing names on the market. Drafted by the Flyers in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft, he spent six seasons in Philadelphia before parting ways in January 2024. His departure came amid legal proceedings stemming from a June 2018 incident at a London, Ontario, hotel following a Hockey Canada gala. Hart, along with Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, and Cal Foote, faced charges, but all five were acquitted by Justice Maria Carroccia earlier this summer.

After months of uncertainty and negotiations between the NHL and the NHLPA, Hart and his fellow acquitted players became eligible to sign contracts starting October 15, with NHL action resuming on December 1.

Hart’s situation isn’t just about hockey. Reports suggest he is only interested in joining an American market, narrowing his options further. Both Vegas and Carolina present strong fits as teams on the rise with championship aspirations with a chance to join a competitive, deep roster in thriving hockey markets.

Wherever Hart lands, the goaltender will get a second chance, but will be under the spotlight, tasked with proving he can deliver between the pipes after some much complicated time off the ice.