Flyers

Vegas Fans Create Petition Asking Team Not to Sign Carter Hart

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Oct 2nd, 2025 · 3:22 PM EDT

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There’s some chatter on the Internet that Carter Hart will sign for the Vegas Golden Knights, who have Adin Hill as their top goaltender going into the new season.

In response, there’s a fan petition titled “Urge the Vegas Golden Knights to not sign Carter Hart,” with the blurb reading like this:

As a massive Golden Knights fan, hockey fan, and advocate for victims of sexual violence, I am deeply concerned at the rumors that the Vegas Golden Knights may be signing disgraced former goaltender Carter Hart. This is about more than just hockey, this is about taking a stand and changing a damaging culture within the NHL. The NHL and Golden Knights organization should reject all attempts of his of trying to get back into the league. Letting Hart on to this team would not only cause mass controversy and cause potential fans to turn against the team, but also it would be a permanent stain on the teams history – a stain they would never be able to get rid of.

We owe it to the survivors of sexual assault to ensure that they know their voices matter and that they are heard. By signing a player facing such allegations, the Vegas Golden Knights would be sending a damaging and cruel message to victims. Despite being found not guilty, Carter Hart does not represent the values and morals that the Golden Knights organization proudly stands by, and makes sexual violence victims feel like this is an environment they cannot be apart of. Hockey should strive to be an environment for everyone and choose upstanding people to represent the teams. By choosing not to sign Carter Hart, the Vegas Golden Knights can take a powerful stance that affirms their commitment to a safe environment for all hockey fans.

I urge all fans of hockey, not just the Golden Knights or NHL, to stand up for what’s right and encourage all teams to reject the 5 men involved in the World Juniors team Canada assault case from signing to any team. Please sign and share this petition!! 

Hart was acquitted in the Hockey Canada scandal in July, and is eligible for NHL reinstatement on December 1st. That judgment was passed down by the NHL, which noted the five players’ legal win while determining that their behavior fell short of expected standards. Hart, you’re recall, testified that he had a sexual encounter with the anonymous woman at the center of the case, but said that the act was consensual.

As of publication, there are 435 signatures on this thing. Unsurprisingly, the feedback section has turned into a battleground of competing factions, with a set of comments looking like this:

• “EM the accuser is a LIAR. She falsely accused Carter Hart. Vegas as real fans, We urge you to sign any of these five INNOCENT men.“
• “he wasn’t even a good goalie to begin with, he doesn’t deserve a second chance“
• “FUCK CARTER HART“
• “EM is a proven liar. Read the 90 page document written by the judge. She tried to ruin five innocent men, including Carter Hart, with her false story. The judge herself exposed her testimony as unreliable, contradictory, and not credible. She manipulated, twisted, and weaponized a lie. But the truth won. The five men were acquitted, cleared, and their innocence affirmed. She will never erase that. They are innocent. She is not.“

So on and so forth. You see a lot of female names on the signature list, which is to be expected. You have to figure that any team signing Hart or any of the other four players is taking a risk here, so they’ll have to weigh fan reaction against the net positive of getting, in this case, a goaltender who hasn’t played an NHL game in almost two full years.