Golden Knights throw out reporter over Carter Hart questions!

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, with insider Chris Johnston recently reporting that the goalie 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.

Hart is on the verge of coming back to the NHL as one of the most intriguing names on the market. 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. Both Hart and McLeod are said to be closing in on a return to the NHL.

But then, things took a strange turn. Insider Mark Lazerus revealed on Thursday that the Athletic visited both Raleigh, N.C., and Las Vegas in the past week to discuss the possible signings with each team, and how the two trips went… differently.

The Hurricanes were open to talking about it despite still claiming nothing was set in stone and that for now, rumours are rumours. But the situation is far from different in Vegas. Lazerus dropped this bombshell when talking about the Athletic’s visit to Sin City to report on the possibility of Hart signing with the Golden Knights.

“The team declined to allow head coach Bruce Cassidy to speak to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic one-on-one after learning of the topic. Several minutes later, before Cassidy began a news conference, the spokesperson pulled an Athletic reporter out of the room and told him to leave the team’s practice facility immediately. The Athletic’s press pass for that evening’s preseason game was revoked. The spokesperson said The Athletic had “ambushed” Noah Hanifin during routine locker-room media interviews that morning and the team was not “comfortable” allowing the reporter to cover the game.”

Lazerus, who has revealed he is the reporter that got his credential revoked, is adamant that Hanifin had no issue facing the questions, writing: “Hanifin, for his part, showed no irritation at the questions (he was one of only two established players who made himself available for interviews that day). He said any player who joined the team would be shown love and support.”

But the Golden Knights saw it differently and their reactions to the media looking into the possibility of Hart joining the franchise is causing raised eyebrows…

Looking at Vegas and Carolina’s rosters, it feels like the Golden Knights are the most logical landing spot for Hart.

“Adin Hill’s backup, Akira Schmid, has only 48 NHL games under his belt, with a modest .903 save percentage. Carolina, meanwhile, has both Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov on the NHL roster, neither of whom would likely clear waivers to make room for Hart,” agrees Lazerus.

And so, are we so close to a signing of Hart in Vegas that the Golden Knights felt the need to expel a reporter about it?

This is certainly an interesting developing story…