Carter Hart testifies in Hockey Canada Scandal, future in the NHL remains unclear

There hasn’t been much chatter in Philly about it, but the big story in hockey right now is the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial — and former Flyers goalie Carter Hart took the stand last week to testify in his own defense.

Hart is one of several players charged in the case involving alleged sexual assault during a 2018 Team Canada event. On Thursday, he testified that any contact he had with the alleged victim, known as “E.M.” in court, was consensual.

Carter Hart Testimony

According to TSN’s Rick Westhead, Hart told the court that teammate Michael McLeod called him that night, saying there was a girl at the hotel who wanted to hook up with some of the players. Carter Hart admitted that he was open to the idea, saying, “As a single guy, I was having a good time that weekend. I was open to it.”

Hart then testified that when he entered the room, E.M. was already performing sexual acts in front of several players and appeared to be willingly engaging with them. He said that E.M. later invited players to have sex with her.

Carter Hart said he received oral sex briefly but wasn’t able to fully perform due to alcohol consumption. He also texted teammate Dante Fabbro to come up to the room, though Fabbro didn’t end up going.

The core of the case hinges on the players’ claim that everything was consensual, while E.M. alleges she had consensual sex with McLeod but was then assaulted by others.

Prosecutors rested their case Thursday, so we’re getting closer to a verdict. And that brings up the big question in Philly: even if Carter Hart is found not guilty, is there any path for him to return to the Flyers?

You can already see the early comparisons floating around — Duke lacrosse, Matt Araiza — but it’s premature to go there yet. There’s been no ruling. Even if Hart is cleared, plenty of fans and media will point to his judgment in putting himself in that situation in the first place.

Does the Flyers organization want that kind of baggage hanging over their locker room? Would they be willing to face the inevitable backlash if Hart returned? And would Hart even want to come back to Philly? He was a restricted free agent last summer and didn’t receive a qualifying offer, so technically he’s unattached.

Right now, there are way more questions than answers. The legal side is still playing out. The PR side will be a whole different battle.

For now, that’s where things stand. The players say it was consensual. The alleged victim says it wasn’t. The court will decide soon enough — but in Philly, it’s hard to see how the Flyers bridge this gap with Carter Hart, no matter the outcome.

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