Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltender Carter Hart is stepping away from the team indefinitely for personal reasons, as announced by General Manager Daniel Briere on Tuesday. Briere stated that Hart had requested and received approval for the leave, and the Flyers will not provide further comments on the matter.
Messages seeking comments or additional clarification from Hart’s agent, Judd Moldaver, and lawyer, Scott K. Fenton, have not been immediately returned.
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Hart, at 25, is coming off a challenging performance last Saturday, where he allowed five goals on 15 shots against the Colorado Avalanche before being pulled. Despite this setback, he has had a solid season, holding a record of 12-9-3 in his sixth NHL season, the final year of his three-year contract valued at $11.9 million.
A native of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Hart is slated to become a restricted free agent next summer. The Flyers, who have been a positive surprise this season and currently hold a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, are set to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night before the All-Star break.
Hart joins a growing list of NHL players taking leaves from their teams for various reasons. On Sunday, the Calgary Flames announced that forward Dillon Dube would be taking an indefinite leave to address his mental health under the care of professionals.
