Golden Knights’ Carter Hart to start Game 1 against Mammoth
Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella has announced that Carter Hart will be the team’s starting goaltender for Game 1 of their first round series against the Utah Mammoth.
Tortorella confirms Carter Hart will start Game 1 for VGK. No other changes to the lineup (maybe the lines).
Hart had an inconsistent 2025-26 season, as he finished with an 11-3-3 record, an .891 save percentage and a -8.12 5v5 goals saved above expected in 18 games with the Golden Knights. However, what probably swung Tortorella in favour of Hart was his play down the stretch, as he went 6-0-0 with a .928 SV% and 1.47 5v5 GSAx after returning from injury in April.
Tortorella and Hart also have some history together, as Hart was the starting goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers for two of Tortorella’s three seasons as the head coach there.
However, it is slightly surprising that the Golden Knights didn’t at least start the series with Adin Hill given his role with the team over the years, notably his play in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on route to Vegas’ first Stanley Cup win. But Hill struggled significantly this season with a 10-9-6 record, an .871 SV% and -10.73 5v5 GSAx, coming in the first year of his six-year contract with a $6.25 million cap hit.
Hart did not start the season with the Golden Knights, as he had been suspended by the NHL while on trial for sexual assault. While he was found not guilty by the Ontario Supreme Court in July, he wasn’t eligible to sign a contract until October 15th, 2025, and could not play in the NHL until December 1st.
Upon becoming eligible for an NHL contract, the Golden Knights signed Hart to a two-year contract with a $2 million cap hit.
Despite their struggles in net, the Golden Knights finished the season first in the Pacific Division with a 39-26-17 record. They’ll look to start off the playoffs on a good note when they host the Mammoth for Game 1 of their first round series on Sunday at 7 p.m. PT.