Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
On December 18, 2018, then 20-year-old Carter Hart made his NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers. Since that victory, his career has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. His record has grown to 46-30-7, and he has proven himself to be the answer to the Flyers’ goaltending problem.
When he was called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in late 2018, it was on an emergency basis after goalie Anthony Stolarz was placed on Injured Reserve. Being one of eight goalies played by the Flyers that season, it wasn’t expected that Hart would be here to stay. He quickly proved doubters wrong and earned a position on a goalie tandem with another very talented player, Brian Elliott.
Hart has deservingly become a fan favorite.
Speaking on terms of the 2020-2021 shortened season, Hart has been having some trouble finding his footing, though it’s nothing to worry about. His 6-4-3 record with a goals against average of 3.49 isn’t ideal, but it could be worse. He has countless more seasons ahead of him with plenty of opportunities to show just how great he is.
In a blowout by the Boston Bruins on February 21, Hart allowed six goals on 23 shots. No one wants to see this happen, except maybe to their rival team. Despite the amount of goals he let in and the fact that he only played two of the three periods, he kept his confidence up into the next game and recorded a road shutout against the Buffalo Sabres.
Clearly, Hart is the real deal and hopefully will be with the Flyers for a long time.
This Sunday, after almost 365 days without fans allowed in the beloved Wells Fargo Center, Hart will get the start between the pipes in front of around 3,000 spectators.
It will be nothing short of a thrill for everyone, and stakes will be high as they face the Washington Capitals. It will certainly be a game to remember. See you there, Flyers fans!
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Team Store!
