Goaltender Carter Hart has had some decent success with the Philadelphia Flyers this season, but a concerning message from the team stated that he was granted a leave of absence from the club after requesting so. At this moment, the details nor the length of absence will be given.
In Hart’s place, the Flyers called up American Hockey League (AHL) netminder Cal Petersen to take his place, and he will serve as the backup to Sam Ersson for the time being. What does this all mean for Philadelphia?
Who Is Carter Hart?
Just 25 years of age, Hart has been a staple to the Flyers’ net since 2018-19. He’s had many ups and downs in his career, with a .906 save percentage (SV%) and 2.94 goals-against average (GAA). And he has essentially matched that this season with a .906 SV% and 2.80 GAA as well. Coming off a 10-save on 15-shot performance against the Colorado Avalanche, those numbers have been skewed recently in the wrong direction. But overall, he’s been decent in goal.
Hart has been battling illness all season long, with him missing large stretches during November and December due to them. Even though he is the Flyers’ typical starting netminder, he has only played in 26 of their 47 games — just 55 percent. Since nothing about his absence is clear at this time, he could be gone for just a few matches or, potentially, the entire season. The Flyers have to hope the latter isn’t true, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. Hopefully, he is in good hands and it won’t be a long-term issue.
Who Is Cal Petersen?
As for the netminder who’s set to be replacing Hart, he has only played in two games with the Orange and Black after being included in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings to send off his $5 million annual salary to help them spend their money elsewhere. Petersen’s two contests were both ironically against his former club, posting a .833 SV% and a 5.00 GAA in the first but completely turning it around with a .946 SV% and a 2.00 in the second. With a 1-1-0 record in those games, he’s decent for a backup.
Since Petersen spent most of his time in the AHL, it’s important to highlight what he has done there. It’s been up and down for the most part, as he boasts a 5-8-2 record, a .890 SV%, and a 3.26 GAA there this season. Perhaps getting another chance in the NHL will be both good for his confidence and his numbers.
If Hart is out for a long time, that’d be bad news for the Flyers, but at least Petersen could get a chance to flourish and turn around his season. In any case, the health of all parties involved in the situation is essential, and the hope is that Hart makes out okay.
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