Golden Knights caught in ugly fallout less than 24 Hours after Carter Hart signing

On Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights did what everyone expected them to do, while still managing to shock nearly everyone in the process. They signed embroiled goaltender Carter Hart to a professional tryout contract, with plans to add him to the main roster when he becomes eligible to return to NHL action on December 1, 2025.

The signing dominated headlines all day, and will for many more to come, especially after Hart’s comments and the Golden Knights’ official statement.

“Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization. The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.”

Hart, for his part, said he’s ready to “move on.”

“I’ve learned a lot. I’ve grown a lot. I’m ready to move on. I’m excited to get out in the community and show my true character.”

But moving on is not something everyone is ready to do. The Golden Knights are now facing a fierce wave of backlash, accused of hypocrisy and selective morality.

As USA Today’s Mary Clarke points out, the phrase “core values” from the Golden Knights’ statement stands out, particularly when compared to the NHL’s own stance from just a month ago, when the league said of Hart and the other men involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada case:

“While found not to have been criminal, the conduct of the players involved certainly did not meet [our] standard.”

If the NHL itself acknowledges that Hart’s conduct fell short of acceptable standards, where does that leave Vegas, the organization claiming to be “aligned” with the league’s process while touting its core values?

It’s not the first time those “values” have been called into question. Just weeks ago, the team revoked a credential for The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus after he asked defenseman Noah Hanifin about the possible Hart signing. He was also removed from the team’s practice facility after the exchange.

Now that Hart has officially joined the Golden Knights, it’s fair to ask whether reporters will again be punished for doing their jobs, or whether the team will finally live up to the principles it claims to represent.

Because right now, it seems clear which values the Golden Knights are truly protecting: the ones that help them chase another Stanley Cup, no matter the cost.