Former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, who last appeared in an NHL game on January 20, 2024, is not expected to be a target for the goalie-needy Edmonton Oilers, according to a new report.
Although Hart, 26, was recently acquitted in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case, he remains an unrestricted free agent. However, the NHL has ruled that Hart and the four other players involved are currently ineligible to return, pending further review.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported during a B/R Open Ice livestream that Hart is not under consideration by the Oilers — or by any team — at this time.
Carter Hart is a "non-starter" for the Edmonton Oilers as the five former Hockey Canada players acquitted of sexual assault remain ineligible to play in the NHL (w/ @frank_seravalli) pic.twitter.com/4FNDVaYRAA
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) July 29, 2025
“I was told that Carter Hart is a non-starter for the Edmonton Oilers, and, beyond that, he's a non-starter for everyone right now,” Seravalli said. “Even though he was acquitted, the NHL is still reviewing the case, and the players remain ineligible. Until the league clears them to return, it's not a discussion worth having, despite strong opposition from the NHLPA.”
The timeline for a final decision from the league remains uncertain. The NHLPA has voiced strong objections to the NHL's continued stance, but the league has not yet indicated when a resolution will come.
Meanwhile, in the KHL, Avangard Omsk general manager Alexey Sopin, who signed Michael McLeod last season, suggested that a decision from the NHL may come soon.
“We expect something within a week or two,” Sopin said in an interview with Championat. “The NHL will either allow them to play, not allow them, or give permission with the caveat that clubs should avoid signing them. But it looks like a decision won’t be delayed for long.”
With training camp and the preseason approaching, both the NHL and the NHLPA would benefit from resolving the issue promptly. Until then, Carter Hart remains off-limits not only to the Oilers but to every NHL team.
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