Welcome to NHL Rumours! A new week is upon us. Training camps open soon. The first preseason game will be played next Saturday. All is soon to be right in the world. Today, we open the new week with a rumour surrounding goaltender Carter Hart, one of the recently acquitted players in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial.
NHL Rumours
Carter Hart Will Have a Destination
Rumour: Chris Johnston of The Athletic reports that Carter Hart is expected to agree to a contract by October 1. Johnston believes Hart is looking for a fresh start, which seemingly eliminates a reunion with the Philadelphia Flyers. Furthermore, Johnston believes Hart is also looking to sign in the United States, which would eliminate him from joining his hometown Edmonton Oilers.
Chris Johnston: “Per league sources, Hart is expected to reach terms on a contract by Oct. 1” – The Athletic (9/12)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) September 13, 2025
Analysis: We will start by addressing and clarifying a critical detail. Hart and the other acquitted players cannot have an agreed-upon contract registered by the NHL until October 15. However, that does not mean Hart and the others cannot have a verbally-agreed-upon contract before then.
Of the acquitted players, Hart is the one who should generate the most interest. Hart has had a solid NHL career so far, posting a .906 save percentage in six seasons. Furthermore, the pool of other available goalies is not deep. James Reimer is the most notable goalie left on the free agent market. Most can agree Hart has more upside than Reimer.
Who is Interested?
Hart is likely going to go to a team seeking goaltending depth. However, just because a team needs depth does not mean they will be interested in Hart. Hart may be acquitted, but some teams may want to avoid the public relations issues that could be created by signing Hart. We saw something similar in the summer of 2024 when Stan Bowman was eligible to be hired by teams. The court of public opinion remains, despite the acquittals.
As of now, it is hard to pinpoint who may be interested. That picture is likely to become clearer in the coming weeks.
Contract Expectations
Johnston expects that Hart will get a multi-year contract from whoever he signs with. However, it would be surprising if he received more than the $3.97 million he was making with the Flyers. A multi-year contract itself seems a little excessive following Hart’s time away from hockey. Hart has not played in an NHL game since January of 2024.
With that being said, we expect a contract to go no longer than two seasons. If the salary exceeds Hart’s from his Flyer days, we will be amazed.
AHL Time Likely
Once Hart signs, he will have to wait until the middle of November to return to the ice. He will likely go to the American Hockey League to condition. Once his suspension is up, Hart’s team can then decide on when to call him up for his NHL return.
When Hart does play in his first game back in the NHL, it will be interesting to see what the fan response is. Again, the court of public opinion is still out there.
Main Photo: Eric Hartline- Imagn Images
