Golden Knights sign Carter Hart following acquittal in 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case

The Vegas Golden Knights are signing goaltender Carter Hart following his acquittal in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case, the team announced on Thursday. Hart has signed a professional tryout agreement (PTO), which is expected to become an NHL contract at some point in the near future, per TSN's Darren Dreger.

"Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization," the Golden Knights said in a statement. "The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. 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."

Hart -- along with Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote and Dillon Dube -- were charged with sexual assault stemming from an incident in a London, Onatrio, hotel in July of 2018. The five players were accused of assaulting a woman in a hotel room following a gala honoring Canada's 2018 World Junior Championship team.

However, all five players charged in the case were found not guilty back in July. The NHL recently reinstated them, saying they could sign with teams beginning on Oct. 15. However, the league also suspended all five until Dec. 1, and the players will not be able to train with a team until Nov. 15.

The Philadelphia Flyers selected Hart with the No. 48 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, and he spent the first six seasons of his career with the organization. In 227 appearances, Hart has a 2.94 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Hart last played on Jan. 20, 2024 in a 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

To this point, Hart is the only one of the five players to sign with an NHL team. McLeod recently signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL.