{"id":108410,"date":"2021-04-29T12:47:23","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T16:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=108410"},"modified":"2021-04-29T12:47:23","modified_gmt":"2021-04-29T16:47:23","slug":"philadelphia-flyers-carter-hart-out-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/04\/29\/philadelphia-flyers-carter-hart-out-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Philadelphia Flyers Carter Hart Out for Rest of Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that goaltender Carter Hart<\/a> is out for the rest of the season with an MCL sprain.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Injury update: Goaltender Carter Hart will miss the remainder of the regular season with an MCL sprain in his left knee. pic.twitter.com\/cfsEyfIePg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 29, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Carter Hart Out for Rest of Season<\/b><\/h2>\n

Hart was initially injured after the Flyers\u2019 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> on April 15. It was thought to be minor at first, with the young goaltender slated to return in a couple of weeks. Now, though, it is clear that the injury was actually more severe.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is an unfortunate ending for Hart\u2019s already-rough season. His .877 save percentage and 3.67 goals-against average were some of the league\u2019s worst numbers among goaltenders. In comparison to Hart\u2019s .914 save percentage and 2.42 goals-against average last year, this season was a significant regression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hart was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round, 48th overall, and has remained with the team since. Over his three-year NHL career, he has a .908 save percentage and a 2.88 goals-against average.<\/span><\/p>\n

What This Means for the Future<\/b><\/h3>\n

Originally, Hart\u2019s injury wasn\u2019t cause for concern. Even now, with an extended recovery timeline, it won\u2019t have a huge impact on the team as a whole. Currently, the Flyers are further out of the playoff race than they were when Hart was first sidelined, so there still isn\u2019t much at stake in the remainder of the season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Hart himself, this long-term setback is ominous. Before his injury, Hart had been steadily improving, capping off his resurgence with a brilliant shootout victory over the Penguins<\/a>. Even with a short-term injury, he risked losing the progress and confidence that he\u2019d begun to build up. A long-term complication like this has the potential to exacerbate the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, a longer break might actually be what Hart needs right now. He looked significantly better after taking a week off to practice. Consequently, having extra time to reset mentally and physically after this disappointing season may also benefit him. This wasn\u2019t the ending that Hart or the Flyers wanted, but hopefully, he\u2019ll be able to come back stronger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>