NHL links Edmonton Oilers to free agent goalie on leave, former Flyer Carter Hart
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NHL insider Kevin Weekes has linked the Edmonton Oilers to reaching out to speak with free agent goaltender Carter Hart.
The 25 year old former Flyers goaltender is one of 5 former World Juniors players currently on trial for an alleged assault that took place in London, Ontario in 2018. All 5 of the accused have plead not guilty, and are waiting for verdict from the judge.
NHL insider connects Edmonton Oilers to speaking with goalie Carter Hart
On today's edition of TSN's Free Agent Frenzy show, NHL insider Kevin Weekes speculated that the Oilers may reach out to sign Carter Hart to address their goaltending.
Hart is officially a free agent after his contract expired last season, and the Flyers did not re-sign him pending results of the investigation.
From Sherwood Park just outside Edmonton, Carter Hart was an elite goaltender in his time in the NHL. In 227 career games, he's posted a .906 save percentage and was always considered among the NHL's top talents.
That being said, the Edmonton Oilers signing Carter Hart would be a very controversial deal for obvious reasons. Many fans would feel alienated by the decision, and with the history of GM Stan Bowman, would just be tough look.
Oilers insider Bob Stauffer says this debate won't matter much anyway, and the NHL is likely to suspend Carter Hart and the other accused players regardless of the trial outcome.
I've talked to Carter a couple of times, and I think he's - I was really impressed the time I met him. This is a tough case, this one you're talking about. It's going to get ruled by a judge, not by a jury.
I'm going to tell you right now, I will be stunned if there's not supplemental discipline from the National Hockey League, regardless of what the courts say. And so I don't think that's a path you can go down this year. Read between the lines of what I'm saying.... There's people that believe the players are getting suspended regardless of if they're sentencing or not.
- Bob Stauffer
I'm going to tell you right now, I will be stunned if there's not supplemental discipline from the National Hockey League, regardless of what the courts say. And so I don't think that's a path you can go down this year. Read between the lines of what I'm saying.... There's people that believe the players are getting suspended regardless of if they're sentencing or not.
- Bob Stauffer
The Oilers will need to get creative to find their next starting goaltender, and that's not picking up Carter Hart. The team now seems poised to run back the same tandem of Skinner and Pickard, but there's still time to at least get an improvement at the backup position in free agency.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 1 | 1094 ANSWERS NHL links Edmonton Oilers to free agent goalie on leave, former Flyer Carter Hart Do you think the Oilers should sign Carter Hart? | ||
| Yes | 692 | 63.3 % |
| No | 402 | 36.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
