Carter Hart is signing a 2-year, $4 million contract with the Golden Knights

Philadelphia Flyers' goaltender Carter Hart guards the net during an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Jan. 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, File)

LAS VEGAS — Carter Hart is signing a two-year, $4 million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Hart agreed to the deal last week, becoming the first of the five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players to land an NHL contract since they were acquitted of sexual assault in a high-profile case.

Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton are not eligible to play in games until Dec. 1 as part of the league’s reinstatement process.

Hart is resuming his career at age 27 after spending his first six seasons in Philadelphia. The Flyers last month ruled out bringing back Hart, whose camp communicated to general manager Danny Briere that a fresh start was a better option.

That turned out to be Vegas, where Adin Hill and Akira Schmid serve as the goalies.

Hart went 96-93-29 with the Flyers, posting a 2.94 goals-against average.

Hart and the others were charged in 2024 in connection with an incident in London, Ontario, in 2018. The judge overseeing the trial said the prosecution could not meet the onus of proof to convict them and that the complainant’s allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges.

The league conducted its own investigation beginning in 2022 when the allegations came to light.

The Associated Press