Carter Hart entered the 2021 season with high expectations. High expectations for the Flyers, and for his own self. Hart is seen by some as the savior of the franchise in terms of goaltending. For his efforts, the Flyers haven’t had this type of goaltending in some time, as Hart went 9-5 in the playoffs coupled with a 2.23 GAA, and a .926 Save Percentage. The future looked bright, and guess what folks it still does.
Hart has had his fair share of downs, however, he has had some ups, as well. Some observations I see from Hart right now are: He is playing deeper in the net, thus making himself smaller. In addition, Hart is getting beat over his glove. It appears that teams are focusing on shooting on his glove hand side, and it appears to be working for the opposition. Hart is a perfectionist and he will work tirelessly with Kim Dillabaugh to correct these problems.
That’s just it folks, these problems are correctable. He has done a good job at cutting down angles, and his rebound control has been good for the most part. However, Hart needs practice, he really does. Unfortunately, with this condensed schedule that most teams are going through it becomes hard at times for a young netminder to stay sharp or fix problems without practice. Brian Elliott has been great, and he will mentor the young Hart, “I’m just trying to stop the puck and right now I’m not,” Hart said last night following the victory. “Plain and simple. I just need to find a way to get back on track because I’m not playing well. I know it. Everyone knows it. It’s hard right now. But the boys battled back and that’s all that matters.”
He is battling, and Hart is a perfectionist. Hart prides himself on his work ethic and dedication to the game. If he is not at his best it affects him, this has been seen in his play as of late. However, the team still has his back, “Tonight, it wasn’t Hartsy’s night, but he’s a great goalie and he is already on for us,” Joel Farabee said following the game last night. “We can’t really blame him at all.”
Carter…Philly believes in you. They always will, and Philly will always have your back.
This young man in Hart has electrified the fan base, and has cemented himself as the guy between the pipes for the orange and black for the foreseeable future. Most fans knew he was special, but it’s times like these that people should rally behind a young man struggling at his craft. Hart knows he has stay focused, but have fun in the same token. He is the real deal, and he takes all the blame for a loss. That’s just what good players do. Hart will continue to have a lot of highs, but some lows, as well. We as people just have to remember, he is just 22-years-old with just so much potential.
