10/16/25 05:01:00
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10/16 17:00 CDT Carter Hart agrees to join the Golden Knights after being
acquitted of sexual assault
Carter Hart agrees to join the Golden Knights after being acquitted of sexual
assault
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
Goaltender Carter Hart has agreed to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights,
becoming the first of the five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players to land
an NHL contract since they were acquitted of sexual assault in a high-profile
case.
Vegas announced an agreement with undisclosed terms for Hart on Thursday, the
second day after the window opened for the players to sign.
Hart and the others are not eligible to play in games until Dec. 1 as part of
the league's reinstatement process for him, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal
Foote and Alex Formenton.
Hart told reporters at the Golden Knights' facility in Las Vegas that he wanted
"to show the community my true character and who I am and what I'm about."
"The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and
NHLPA made in their decision," the team said in a statement. "We remain
committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its
inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards
moving forward."
McLeod, who was also found not guilty of an additional charge of being a party
to the offense, signed a three-year contract in the Russia-based KHL. Formenton
is playing in Switzerland, though it is unclear if he has an out clause to
return to the NHL, which he has not played in since 2022 with Ottawa.
"Each team is going to have to make its own decision," Commissioner Gary
Bettman said Wednesday after the NHL's Board of Governors meeting in New York.
"They know the rules. And it's up to them to decide whether or not, subject to
those rules, they want to move forward."
Hart is resuming his career at the age of 27 with the Golden Knights after
spending his first six seasons playing for Philadelphia. The Flyers last month
ruled out bringing back Hart, whose camp communicated to general manager Daniel
Briere that a fresh start was a better option.
That turned out to be Vegas, where at this point Adin Hill and Akira Schmid
serve as the goalies.
"I'm beyond grateful, excited and honored to be part of the Golden Knights,"
Hart said. "Got a great skate today with (goalie coach Sean) Burke and a few
guys.
"It's been a long road to get back to this point, getting back to playing the
game of hockey, the game that I love. I've been out of the game for a year and
a half now. I've learned a lot. I've grown a lot. Just excited to move forward."
The players were charged in 2024 in connection with an incident in London,
Ontario, in 2018. The judge overseeing the trial said the prosecution could not
meet the onus of proof to convict them and that complainant's allegations
lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges.
The league conducted its own investigation beginning in the spring of 2022 when
the allegations came to light. When announcing the reinstatement timeline in
September, the NHL called the events that transpired "deeply troubling and
unacceptable" and that while they were not found to be criminal, said the
players' conduct did not meet the standard of moral integrity.
The NHLPA at the time said the players cooperated with every investigation and
considers the matter closed.
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AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson and freelance writer W.G. Ramirez in Las Vegas
contributed to this report.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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