There was a time Carter Hart wasn’t sure when he was going to be playing meaningful postseason hockey again.
Or if.
That has made his run to the Western Conference final as goaltender of the Vegas Golden Knights that much more satisfying.
“I think when you have something taken away from you that you love for awhile and you never know when you’re going to get it back, it just means so much to just be back playing the game I love and playing with this group,” he said after practice on Monday. “Everyone here has been so great to me. This road that we’ve been on in the playoffs has been amazing and I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and appreciate each day.”
Hart’s story is well-documented. He was placed on leave from the Philadelphia Flyers in January 2024 and eventually charged along with three former Team Canada teammates in a controversial and very public sexual assault case stemming from a 2018 incident. Hart was acquitted and was allowed to sign with the Knights this season, finally returning to NHL action in December, nearly two years after he last played.
He appeared in 12 games before he was injured and missed 33 contests. Hart, 27, won all six starts in April to earn the starting nod for the postseason and has run with the opportunity.
“It’s been great,” he said. “Missing a lot of time and then coming back and getting hurt and then missing more time, it just feels so good to be in a routine with the fellas and competing for the Stanley Cup. It’s pretty amazing and I know we’re really looking forward to Game 1 on Wednesday.”
That’s when Hart and the Knights will open up against the Avalanche, the league’s best team all season long.
After winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best record and averaging a league-best 3.63 goals per game average, the Avalanche have stepped up their offense to the tune of 4.11 goals per game in going 8-1 in the playoffs.
Hart will need to have a good series for the Knights to have any chance. His teammates have no doubt he will.
“He’s been unbelievable,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “He’s been so good for us with making those big saves. We try to do the best we can to play well in front of him, but in the playoffs you’re always going to need those big saves, and he’s been great for us in that area. He’s just so calm back there and it calms you down when he’s not all over the place. He’s just been great.”
Hart is 8-4 with a .915 save percentage in the postseason, but he has saved his best for big games and pivotal moments.
He has stopped 53 of 55 shots (.964) combined in a pair of closeout Game 6 road performances in the first two rounds, 5-1 victories at Utah and Anaheim.
The Knights have also won three overtime contests, improving Hart’s record in sudden-death overtime playoff games to 6-0.
“We have all the confidence in the world,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “He’s been great and when it’s a big game, he’s got that extra level or gear or jolt whatever you want to call it for a goalie. But he’s dialed in. It’s crazy how hard he works. It’s very impressive. You love seeing that from a goalie. He’s very detailed in everything he does. It’s great for him. He was out for awhile and he’s done awesome with this opportunity.”
Hart shrugged off the suggestion he has some innate ability to rise to the biggest occasions.
“I just go out there and try to do my job and give my team a chance to win every night,” he said. “I think that’s all you can ask from your goalie. You don’t want to make things too complicated. I’m just having fun and enjoying the process. That’s the biggest thing is just that I’ve been having a blast.”
Knight coach John Tortorella, who also coached Hart in Philadelphia, believes Hart’s ability to remain level regardless of the situation or whether the game is on the line has been his strength.
“He’s the same guy to me,” Tortorella said. “He’s a really good goalie that has a strong mental presence about the position.”
His teammates have also noticed how hard Hart works at his craft.
“It wasn’t an easy year for him,” forward Tomas Hertl said. “You come to a new team and then get hurt, but he came back and played really well. He’s such a hard-working guy. You always see him out on the ice always doing extra work and trying to get dialed in. He’s won a lot of hockey games for us, stolen a few by making big saves. We have a lot of trust in him.”
That has enabled Hart to thrive despite all the time away.
Time where all he could do was dream about moments like these.
He couldn’t even really rely on his memory since this is a new experience for him. Hart’s only other playoff run came in the bubble when he and the Flyers went to the second-round in the modified bubble tournament.
So this is all new to Hart, which made it even more difficult to imagine what it would be like those times he would allow himself to think about the possibility.
It has also made him notice and appreciate all the details.
“Actually experiencing my first home playoff game with fans ever here in Vegas in Game 1 against Utah, that was special,” he said. “Even going to the opposing buildings and the boos and the noise level. Those are things you miss and that you love about the game. It’s just so much fun.”
Now the challenge is to keep it going with the stakes raised and level of competition soaring.
“I feel solid,” he said. “I feel good. Just taking things one day at a time. Showing up to work every day and having fun just sticking to the process.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
