Carter Hart Returns to NHL with Golden Knights Start

Carter Hart will make his long-awaited return to the National Hockey League on Tuesday night, starting in goal for the Vegas Golden Knights against the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The 27-year-old goaltender's debut marks his first NHL appearance since January 20, 2024, following his acquittal earlier this year on sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018.

Hart was among five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team—Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton—charged in connection with an alleged assault on a woman after a gala celebrating the team's gold medal. The players were found not guilty on July 24, 2024, by an Ontario judge in London, Ontario, after a trial that included a mistrial declaration in April due to a publication ban on details. The judge cited inconsistencies in the complainant's account and lack of supporting evidence for her claims.

The NHL investigated the matter starting in 2022 but paused it upon the criminal charges. In a September statement, the league noted that while the players were not found criminally liable, their conduct fell short of expected standards. After in-person meetings...