The Philadelphia Flyers had planned to have Carter Hart spend 2018-19, his first pro season, with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League after being named the Western Hockey League Player of the Year and Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the year in 2017-18. But injuries and inconsistency forced them to bring him up in mid-December, after 17 AHL games, and he wasted no time showing why he the Flyers took him in the second round (No. 48) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Hart won his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 18, 2018, then defeated the Nashville Predators two nights later. He won six consecutive starts from Jan. 14-Feb. 2, becoming the first goalie in Flyers history to win four straight starts before turning 21.
The Philadelphia Flyers had planned to have Carter Hart spend 2018-19, his first pro season, with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League after being named the Western Hockey League Player of the Year and Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the year in 2017-18. But injuries and inconsistency forced them to bring him up in mid-December, after 17 AHL games, and he wasted no time showing why he the Flyers took him in the second round (No. 48) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Hart won his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 18, 2018, then defeated the Nashville Predators two nights later. He won six consecutive starts from Jan. 14-Feb. 2, becoming the first goalie in Flyers history to win four straight starts before turning 21.
His gifts, including the ability to minimize soft goals, were evident in juniors and in the AHL. The unknown was how he would handle the jump to the NHL at age 20.
"The first couple of games my nerves were just crazy," he said. "I just realized it's another game. The boards are the same. The ice is the same. Just go out and play."
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- WHL West First All-Star Team (2016, 2017, 2018)
- WHL Player of the Year (2018)
- CHL Goaltender of the Year (2017, 2018)
