Warning: The following story deals with sexual assault, and may be triggering for some readers.
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After nearly two years away from the league, Carter Hart is set to return to the NHL as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hart was among five NHL players involved in the Hockey Canada scandal, which came to light in April 2022 before legal charges were filed in January 2024. As a result, Hart effectively served a lengthy suspension as legal proceedings played out over 18 months.
Now, nearly two years after charges were filed, Hart is making his first step toward a return to the ice. When will he play again? Here is what you need to know about Hart's situation, the verdict, and the discipline handed down from the NHL.
What happened to Carter Hart?
Hart was one of five players from the 2018 Canada World Juniors hockey team who were charged with sexual assault.
He took an indefinite leave from the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 23, 2024 — one week before he and three others were ordered to surrender to police in London, Ontario. Hart was charged days later, and at the end of the season, the Flyers allowed Hart to become a free agent as they did not tender a qualifying contract offer.
Hart was found not guilty of sexual assault on July 24, 2025.
Hockey Canada scandal
In April 2022, a woman filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and eight unnamed players from the CHL. The suit alleges that she was sexually assaulted in a London, Ontario, hotel room in June 2018 following a Hockey Canada event.
No players were named in the initial lawsuit, which claimed it was eight "players for, and members of the CHL and Hockey Canada, including but not limited to members of the Canada U20 Men’s Junior Hockey Team."
Within the lawsuit, the woman says she met the players at a bar in London, Ontario, as they were in town for the Hockey Canada Foundation Gala & Golf event on June 18, 2018. She claims one player, John Doe 1, bought her alcoholic beverages, and she was separated from her friend group as she became more inebriated.
The woman left with John Doe 1 and "engaged in sexual acts" in his hotel room and said that after this, "John Doe 1 invited the remainder of the John Doe defendants into the room without the knowledge or consent of the Plaintiff."
Within her claim, he woman stated that she could not give consent to any of the actions because of how intoxicated she was. She also claimed that Hockey Canada knew of the allegations and did nothing. According to a statement by Hockey Canada, the organization claimed it reported the allegations to the police and also hired a third-party firm, Henein Hutchison LLP, to conduct an independent investigation.
Hockey Canada quietly settled the lawsuit in May 2024. The case then went to trial in April 2025, lasting approximately two months.
Carter Hart suspension
Hart was effectively out of the league for 22 months, as time missed during legal proceedings was considered when the NHL decided his punishment.
Within an official statement, the league explained that "Given their conduct, we carefully evaluated the players’ acquittal in court and the time spent away from the game."
As such, Hart and the other four players became eligible to sign an NHL contract on Oct. 15, 2025, and will become eligible to return to the ice no sooner than Dec. 1, 2025, "bringing their total time out of the League to nearly two years."
Carter Hart verdict
Hart, along with four others, was found not guilty of sexual assault through "a lengthy and thorough opinion by Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia on July 24, 2025.
Within her reasoning, Caroccia explained that the complainant had a "tendency to blame others" for inconsistencies in her allegations, adding that the woman took "great lengths" to describe her state of intoxication, though that was not supported by surveillance video or others' testimonies.