Goaltender Carter Hart has not officially been allowed to return to the National Hockey League, but a report on Thursday indicates that the players would welcome him “with open arms.”
Hart is one of five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team who were recently acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from a criminal case brought against them in February 2024. The allegations centered on an incident at a London, Ontario, hotel following a Hockey Canada gala, but after months of testimony, the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Despite the legal resolution, Hart’s NHL future remains murky. The league has declared Hart and the other four men — Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Alex Formenton and Cal Foote — ineligible to play pending continued review, citing concerns over conduct regardless of the verdict. Insider Frank Seravalli described Hart as a “non-starter” for all NHL teams — including the Edmonton Oilers, to whom Hart had been previously — at this juncture.
“He and the other four NHL players have been labeled by the NHL as ineligible, and they’re going to continue reviewing the file before they determine next steps by the commissioner’s office,” Seravalli stated.
Carter Hart Trains On Ice in Edmonton While Waiting for Reinstatement by NHL
That said, a number of organizations are quietly monitoring his situation. Several teams, particularly those thin in the net, are reportedly interested in the once-promising former Philadelphia Flyers goalie — albeit contingent on the outcome of the league’s conduct review. The NHL Players’ Association has formally challenged the league’s ineligibility ruling, arguing it violates the collective bargaining agreement by barring legally cleared players from returning.
Legal analyst Eric Macramalla spoke optimistically of Hart’s prospects, noting his willingness to testify and the trial outcome may help the court of public opinion over time — even if concrete opportunities remain stalled for now. Some pundits suggest the Ottawa Senators may be the first to take a closer look, though nothing is settled until the NHL commissioner officially lifts the suspensions.
NHL Players Training With Carter Hart Say He ‘Looks Great,’ Would be Welcomed Back
In the meantime, the X (formerly Twitter) account for the Edmonton-based 2 Mutts Podcast stated on Thursday that Hart has reportedly been working on the ice in Edmonton this summer with a few NHL players, who have said that Hart “looks great” and remains “very focused on returning” to the NHL.
“Hart believes he is able to help a team out,” the post stated.
“His goalie mechanics from all reports look great from not playing these last few years. He’s ready to get an opportunity to show others he can be a huge contributor to the success of the team.
“All the players we spoke to believe Carter Hart deserves to play in the league again & if he joined their team they believe he would be welcomed in with open arms by all the players.
“We are expecting an announcement within the next few weeks on Hart’s road back into the #NHL as there are a lot of teams who would bring him in on a PTO as at least 4 organizations have told us if he’s cleaned to return we will bring him in.”
As suggested by The Hockey News, one of those teams is likely the Oilers, who have well-documented concerns at the goaltending position. Hart, who turned 27 on Aug. 13, last played an NHL game in January 2024, went 96-93 over six seasons, with a 2.94 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
Oilers Linked to Controversial Goaltender Training On Ice in Edmonton