NHL teams seeking goaltending depth for
the coming season are rumored to be turning to Carter Hart for help.
Hart, 27, was among the five members of
Canada’s 2018 world junior team who were acquitted in July of sexual
assault charges stemming from an incident in London, Ont., in
2018. They are eligible to have contracts registered with the NHL by Oct. 15, but they won’t be able to play until their suspensions end on Dec. 1.
It was rumored that the Philadelphia
Flyers might be interested in bringing back Hart, who played with
them from 2018 to 2024. However, GM Daniel Briere
indicated the goalie’s representative informed them that it would be better for his client to have a fresh start elsewhere.
The Edmonton Oilers were rumored to be
a potential destination for Hart, but GM Stan Bowman ruled out that
option. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas shrugged off a
rumor linking his club to Hart.
On Monday, Chris Johnston of The
Athletic reported Hart had narrowed down his choices to a handful of
teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights.
Johnston indicated that Hart wants to
find a destination where he can get playing time on a team built to
succeed. The Golden Knights have qualified for the playoffs in seven
of the last eight seasons, while the Hurricanes reached the Eastern
Conference final in two of the last three seasons.
The Utah Mammoth were also thought to
be a suitor for Hart, but Johnston reported they’re no longer in the
bidding.
Speaking of the Oilers, Kurt Leavins of
the Edmonton Journal reported some recent speculation tied
them to Yegor Chinakhov of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Chinakhov, 24, created a stir in July
when his agent requested a trade, citing “misunderstandings” with
Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason. The young forward is
participating in training camp but hasn’t rescinded his request.
Leavins observed that Chinakhov is in
the final season of his two-year contract with a cap hit of $2.1
million. However, the Oilers’ limited cap space and Chinakhov’s
injury history are among the reasons why he’s unlikely to land in
Edmonton.
The Hockey News’ Jason Newland recently reported Chinakhov seems open to staying with the Blue
Jackets. In a response to a question from The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, Chinakhov told reporters he and Evason have a better understanding
following a recent meeting between the two.
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