Date Published: 11-11-2022
Photo Credit: Matt Slocum/AP
At times it’s hard to believe that Carter Hart is only 24-years-old. He really acts mature on and off the ice, and it happened again last weekend against the Ottawa Senators. The Flyers will play Claude Giroux and the Senators tomorrow at 1pm, and it will be a reunion for Giroux. A beloved Giroux finally makes his much anticipated return to Philly for the first time since being traded last season.
Last weekend in Ottawa, Carter Hart lost his stick in the corner, to which Giroux kicked it back to him nonchalantly as the puck departed the Flyers zone. Giroux didn’t have to do that, but he did it for his old pal in Hart. Hart and Giroux always had a good friendship as Hart exclaims, “He’s a great guy, a great teammate. I loved playing with him,” Hart said to reporters on Wednesday after practice.
“He texted me the other night, in the third period, my stick was in the corner there, and he kicked it to me. Like I said, ‘I didn’t think you meant to do it’, he said ‘I’m just a nice guy’. ” – Carter Hart
Here is the play below:
Hart is really maturing into a special player. He is a great goalie and his numbers speak for itself, but becoming a pro off the ice is just as important, “He’s maturing, he made some big saves,” John Tortorella said of Hart’s game earlier in the season. Tortorella said on Wednesday after practice that becoming a Pro off the ice is just as important as learning to become a Pro on the ice.
Carter Hart and Giroux’s friendship is everlasting, and both have a lot of respect and friendliness towards one another. It’s great to see as Giroux heads back to Philadelphia on Saturday, while donning a Senators sweater. The objective remains the same with Hart “Just win”.
Hart is enduring quite a season. He has bailed the Flyers out time and time again early this season, saved their bacon. Moreover, on most occasions he is the sole reason the Flyers are in many games. He’s just full of confidence as he moves well laterally from post to post well, and with the way he is tracking the puck.
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
Yes, this very well maybe the best defense Carter Hart has seen from the orange and black, and he’s thriving. For his efforts, he sits with the third best Save Percentage in the league at a rate of .941, and the fifth best GAA at a rate of 2.09. I believe Hart will continue to play well this season, but that’s all null and void if the Flyers aren’t winning games, to which Hart’s numbers will be unfairly scrutinized in the event this transpires. At the end of the day, most hockey fans and pundits look at the win-loss column and numbers, however, that doesn’t always tell the entire story like last season for example with Hart and Martin Jones. Both goalies had a solid season, but if you looked at their numbers one may not think so if they don’t follow the team on the daily basis.
In a season clearly highlighting the Flyers non-successes, Hart is a bright spot for the Flyers, a season that is full of injuries once again. It’s unfortunate the Flyers received quality goaltending for the most part last season, and they finished with historically one of the worst seasons in Flyers history. However, that’s in the past now, as Hart is really doing something truly remarkable for this franchise.
