Carter Hart joins Vegas, 1st of acquitted world junior players to land NHL contract
Goaltender Carter Hart, one of five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team recently acquitted following a sexual assault trial, is joining the Vegas Golden Knights.
The NHL team announced the move in a statement Thursday. Details of the arrangement were not disclosed, but multiple media reports said Carter signed a professional tryout agreement.
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Hart remains suspended by the NHL until Dec. 1, but was able to sign with a team starting Wednesday while waiting for reinstatement.
Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with one count of sexual assault stemming from an encounter with a woman after a 2018 gala celebrating the Canadian world junior team’s gold medal. McLeod was also charged with one count of being a party to the offence.
The five players were acquitted July 24 in a trial in London, Ont.
McLeod has since signed with a team in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, while Formenton is playing in Switzerland.
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