Latest on Carter Hart: Two Frontrunners Emerge, Multi-Year Contract Expected

This NHL off-season has been a quiet one, and as of late, much of the talk has been about former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, who is set to return to the league this season after being officially cleared.

Given the baggage that comes with Hart, it's no surprise that many teams are already out on the 27-year old net minder, but with the talent he showed before an 18-month layoff from the league, there are teams with significant interest.

Already, we can rule out at least 10 teams from signing Hart, but with 32 teams in the league, it appears to be a matter of when, not if Hart will get his latest deal in the National Hockey League.

In his latest report for The Athletic, Chris Johnston has revealed the latest on Hart, noting that Vegas and Carolina make the most sense for him, with Utah joining Philadelphia, Edmonton and Columbus among other teams to officially rule themselves out of the free agency chase for Hart.

On top of that, Johnston notes that the expectation around the league, contrary to initial thought is that Hart is likely to get a multi-year deal in free agency, with teams believing that the talent far outweighs the baggage that comes along with the 27-year old goaltender.

Ultimately, it's likely that other teams may express interest in Hart, especially if injuries strike at some point, but for now, it appears to be Vegas and Carolina as the front runners as Hart's return is a matter of when, not if anymore.