Carter Hart hurt at skate, Adin Hill starts for Vegas

Morning skate was supposed to be routine. The lines came out, the pairs came out, and then the Golden Knights' starting goalie was heading for the locker room.

Jesse Granger

@JesseGranger_

Carter Hart went down awkwardly, then limped off the ice here at morning skate.

That is not what you want to see from the guy who has been carrying most of the load. Hart is 4-3-1 through 8 appearances this season with a 2.76 GAA and a.889 save percentage. Those numbers aren't spectacular, but he's been the guy. He's also playing on the 2-year, $4 million deal Vegas gave him in October 2025, which runs out after this season. Hart is 28, and a healthy, productive year was supposed to set up his next contract. A leg injury in October doesn't help with that.

The bigger worry is what's behind Hill. If this turns into anything more than a precaution, Vegas doesn't have a seasoned 3rd goalie to call up.

Jesse Granger

@JesseGranger_

Vegas’ third goalie, Carl Lindbom was injured recently in the AHL, which means if they needed to call up a goalie it would likely be Cameron Whitehead, who has never played in the NHL.

Whitehead is 23 and has never played an NHL game. Most teams can live with a kid as the backup for a week or 2. Vegas would be doing it with its normal 3rd-stringer already hurt, so 1 more goalie injury and an untested rookie is the guy between the pipes, not just the guy on the bench.

About 30 minutes after Hart limped off, Craig gave the only update anyone is getting today, and it wasn't much of one.

Jesse Granger

@JesseGranger_

Ryan Craig says Hart is being evaluated and they have a plan either way, if he’s available or not. He said Adin Hill plays tonight.

"A plan either way" sounds like a coach who doesn't know yet either. Craig said publicly that there was no update, that Hart was being evaluated, and that he's in good hands. For tonight the answer is Hill, and he's been fine in his own right: the 30-year-old is 4-1 in 5 games with a 2.96 GAA and a.882 save percentage. The Cup-winning goalie has already shown he can run the crease for a stretch, so the Senators game isn't the problem. The problem comes if Hart's evaluation comes back as anything worse than day-to-day. Watch for a Whitehead recall. If one gets announced, Hart is going to miss time.