Carter Hart, one of five ice hockey players acquitted of sexual assault charges in Canada, has inked a new contract with the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). The players, all members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championship gold-medal team, were accused of assaulting a woman, referred to as EM, in a hotel room in Ontario. Following an eight-week trial that garnered significant public attention, the players were cleared of all charges in July. Hart, 27, is the first among the acquitted players to secure an NHL contract since the league ruled that they could not join teams before October 15 or participate in games until December as part of a reinstatement process. Speaking at a press conference, Hart expressed his excitement to return to the sport, stating, ‘It’s been a long road to get back to this point, to get back to playing the game of hockey, a game that I love.’ He added that he had ‘learned a lot’ during his time away from the game. The Vegas Golden Knights emphasized their commitment to organizational values in a statement on X, affirming their expectations for players to uphold these standards. Meanwhile, Michael McLeod, another acquitted player, signed a three-year deal with Avangard Omsk of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League last week, while the remaining three players remain unsigned. The trial centered on whether EM, who was 20 at the time, had consented to all sexual acts that occurred in the hotel room. While EM testified that she was intoxicated and fearful, the judge ruled that her evidence was not credible or reliable, leading to the acquittals. The case has sparked significant scrutiny of Hockey Canada, which faced a parliamentary probe, lost sponsors, and had its federal funding frozen after it was revealed that the organization had quietly settled with the alleged victim in 2022. The NHL also condemned the players’ conduct, stating that it ‘did not meet the highest level of moral integrity.’
Ice hockey player Carter Hart to join Golden Knights after sexual assault acquittal
