The Hockey Canada disciplinary board has handed down a sweeping suspension that will keep Carter Hart and four of his former junior teammates out of national programs until late 2027, a decision that comes despite the players’ recent criminal acquittals.
The Legal Backdrop
All five athletes were charged in 2018 over an incident at a London, Ontario, hotel during the World Junior Championships, but a July 2025 court ruling cleared them of all criminal allegations. The acquittals did not shield them from Hockey Canada’s internal disciplinary process, which operates independently of the criminal courts.
Hart, who signed a two‑year, $4 million deal with the Vegas Golden Knights in October 2023, emerged as a surprise starter in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, posting a .909 save percentage and a 2.56 goals‑against average that outpaced every other Canadian net‑minder in the series. The NHL cleared the entire cohort to resume their professional careers in July 2025, allowing them to sign contracts without league‑level penalties.
Hockey Canada, meanwhile, has announced a suite of reforms to its safe‑sport framework, including mandatory background checks for any player under consideration for national rosters. The organization says the new policies are designed to prevent the kind of allegations that have dominated headlines for the past eight years.
The ripple effects extend to the upcoming 2028 World Cup of Hockey, where selectors are weighing whether Hart’s recent playoff performance warrants a return to Team Canada’s roster. While his statistical edge is clear, the lingering suspension casts a long shadow over any potential call‑up.