Photo Credit: Our very own Jill Rice
Carter Hart was one of the best players for the Flyers this past season. The Flyers continue to fight through “Speed” bumps, as they are endured another up and down season. However, believe it or not Hart played well and on most nights gave his team a shot to win. Hart was decisive, as he made some nice 10 bell save after 10 bell save at times. He is exactly the player you center a rebuild around, and Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere said just that this past Saturday on 94.1 WIP on Saturday, “Most likely, Carter will be our goalie for the future, but I’m not in a position to turn down anything,” Briere said on 94.1 WIP. “I have to listen.”
It’s reassuring to hear that Briere knows how vital the goaltending position is, but in the same token any good GM will listen to offers. Hart will not be traded for a bag of pucks like a former Flyer and Stanley Cup Finalist Sergei Bobrovsky was (2nd round pick- Anthony Stolarz and Taylor Leier). The Flyers won’t make that same mistake again, and Briere stated such on Broad Street Hockey yesterday that Hart is the goaltender of the future. Defense wins championships, and building from the net out is the best way to do a proper rebuild.
It’s important to get these facts right. Many people have interpreted his words incorrectly this best weekend. Goaltenders usually don’t get traded for what they are worth, and with Hart being one of the best players on this team. He should be traded for a few first round picks, plus players/prospects. He’s still very young at the age of 24, and he’s well ahead of schedule to succeed. HarT hasn’t even entered his prime yet.
How many times did people hear Hart is standing on his head, “Hart stands on his head for us. Hartsy’s making some big saves,” from Scott Laughton or, “He was big for us tonight,” Laughton said following a game against the Devils earlier in the season.
Trading Sergei Bobrovsky just happens to be one of the worst trade in Flyers history. Carter Hart is the franchise goalie for the Flyers. Yes, Danny Briere should listen to offers for him, but it has to be one hell of an offer for him to pull the trigger on trading Hart. He should not be traded for a bag of pucks, and redo the worst trade in Flyers history. They have learned to be more patient with making these stupid colossal failures.
Hart got off to a great start to the season, with his Goals Against Average well under two, and his Save Percentage was well over a .920, as well. Then the orange and black and Hart started a trend of winning one and losing one, and none of that fault lies on Hart.
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Hart continues to move post to post well, track pucks well, and has a hot glove hand. He continues to peppered with shots, but his rebound control was quite exquisite last season. This is a young Flyers team, so hopefully this team continues to find their identity at some point next season.
“Hart was good,” Scott Laughton said following a game against the New Jersey Devils earlier in the season, while Carter Hart said, “I got to be ready for everything. Just got to do your job and stop the puck. It was a big win for us.” As mentioned above, this young Flyers team claws their way back into games, and continues to fight in large part to some timely saves by Hart. All with an inconsistent six man front in front of him.
The young 24-year-old in Hart deserves better. Yes, the team was decimated with injuries at one point, especially up front, however, they can play the right way. If the team played the right way and stopped with the self-inflicting wounds with turnovers, then this team may not be in the predicament they are now with a third season of missing the playoffs. It’s time to build a solid foundation defensively for Hart, and take it from there.
