Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher had no comment when asked in a text message Thursday morning about the sex scandal involving players from the 2018 World Junior Canadian team, and Carter Hart’s potential connection, if any.
Hart, now the Flyers goalie, was a member of that championship Canadian team.
Many players from that team, including Hart (through his attorney), have said they weren’t involved in the alleged incident.
A woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by eight unidentified players at a hotel in London, Ontario, following a Hockey Canada gala and a golf event celebrating the team’s gold-medal victory at the 2018 tournament in Buffalo.
According to the lawsuit filed in April, the woman said Hockey Canada knew about the claims but did nothing about them. In a statement, Hockey Canada said it reported the claims to the police and hired a firm to do an investigation.
In May, the woman dropped the lawsuit against the players, Hockey Canada, and the CHL when a settlement was reached. The woman, now 24, had been asking for $3.55 million in damages.
Hockey Canada has reopened an investigation into the alleged incident.
NHL could act
The NHL, which called the behavior allegations “abhorrent and reprehensible,” is also investigating. The league said some of the players allegedly involved could now be in the NHL, and that it would determine what action, if any, would be appropriate.
Attorney Scott Fenton, representative Hart, told the Toronto Star, that the goalie did not engage in any wrongdoing, and that he was among the players who cooperated with the London (Ontario) Police Service investigation and was “cleared of any wrongdoing.”
Hart, who turns 24 next month, played 31 games for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018-19. He has been in the NHL for four seasons, and showed great promise in his first two years before slipping in the last two seasons.
After last season, Hart said he needs to improve. He missed the last nine games because of an undisclosed lower-body injury, and finished with a 3.16 GAA and .905 save percentage.
He made strides from a disastrous 2020-21 season (3.67. .877).
“I definitely felt better this year, mentally, from last year,” he said in a season-ending news conference. “But at the end of the day, I still need to be better. Lots of ups and downs in my season in consistency — for myself and our team.”
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