Philadelphia Flyers Must Qualify Carter Hart to Retain NHL Rights
In a recent report by Thomas Williams, it has been highlighted that the Philadelphia Flyers must extend a qualifying offer to goaltender Carter Hart to maintain his NHL rights. This requirement, despite ongoing discussions between the NHL and NHLPA regarding the status of players involved in legal issues, remains unchanged as of late Saturday night.
Carter Hart, a prominent figure in the Flyers’ goaltending roster, is approaching restricted free agency as of July 1. For NHL teams to secure the rights of their restricted free agents, they are mandated to submit a qualifying offer by June 30, the day before the commencement of free agency. Failure to do so would render the player an unrestricted free agent, free to negotiate and sign with any NHL team.
Chris Johnston from The Athletic reported on the NHL’s decision not to alter the standard protocol concerning players like Hart, who have been implicated in legal matters, specifically related to a 2018 incident during a Hockey Canada event. Despite discussions within the league and with the players’ association about potential modifications to how such cases are handled during legal proceedings, no changes were implemented.
In Hart’s case, if the Flyers extend a qualifying offer, he would be eligible to accept it, resulting in a one-year contract valued at $4.479 million. This contractual arrangement would allow Hart to remain affiliated with the Flyers, albeit not actively participating due to his legal circumstances.
Notably, during periods when a player like Hart is away from the team due to legal issues, his salary cap hit does not count against the team’s total salary cap, per an exception made by the NHL. Therefore, if the Flyers proceed with offering Hart a contract and he accepts, his salary would not impact the team’s financial cap structure.
As of Saturday afternoon following the conclusion of the 2024 NHL Draft, the Flyers’ management, including General Manager Danny Briere, awaited official guidance from the league regarding Hart’s contractual status amidst the legal proceedings. With less than 24 hours remaining until the qualifying offer deadline, Briere emphasized the lack of clarity from the league on how to proceed with Hart’s contract and NHL rights.
The decision not to make exceptions to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) means that NHL teams, including the Flyers, must adhere to the standard procedures for qualifying offers. This places the onus on the Flyers to determine their course of action by Sunday.
despite ongoing legal challenges involving Carter Hart, the Philadelphia Flyers are obligated to issue a qualifying offer to ensure they retain his NHL rights. The NHL’s stance, as communicated through various reports, underscores the league’s adherence to existing protocols governing the contractual status of players amidst legal disputes. As the deadline looms, the Flyers face a critical decision regarding their commitment to Hart, balancing legal complexities with the operational needs of their roster.
