Golden Knights Get Shady With Carter Hart’s Availability in Philly

Vegas is not making goaltender Carter Hart available to the media on Thursday. This comes after the team announced that Hart is not starting against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday in what would have been his return to Philadelphia. Hart will likely start Saturday when the Golden Knights face the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy said the decision not to go with Hart was based on rotation. They wanted to get Akira Schmid back in. Many are having the same reaction Greg Wyshynski of ESPN did when he wrote, “Yeah, that must be the reason.”

Hart has returned to the NHL after being cleared of sexual allegations charges. His comeback is not being met favorably by everyone, and not every team was willing to give him a look when he became an unrestricted free agent. The Flyers were said to be one of the teams interested, but Hart declined.

It was reported that he wasn’t prepared to return to a passionate hockey market, which would have included Canadian teams and the Flyers, who, at the best of times, have a very vocal fan base that isn’t afraid to speak its mind. That would have been a lot of pressure for Hart, given the circumstances of his return.

Everyone Seems to Understand What’s Really Going On With Carter Hart

Most believe his not playing Thursday has little to do with the rotation, but more with not subjecting him to questions and scrutiny from the media or the fans. Perhaps this is Vegas trying to protect their goalie, or Hart just wanting to avoid the drama. Either way, fans and analysts seem ready to make a judgment on the move, suggesting they see right through what’s really going on.

Whether it’s shady or savvy depends on one’s perspective.

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