NHL star goaltender sidelined indefinitely following scary illness

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Sam Walker
December 21, 2023 (3:53 PM)

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In a surprising turn of events, the Philadelphia Flyers sent goaltender Cal Petersen to the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms yesterday, hinting at the return of the team's injured or ill goaltender, Carter Hart. However, today's developments have thrown a curveball, as the Flyers have officially recalled Petersen from the AHL. Petersen is now set to serve as the backup for Sam Ersson in the upcoming game against the Nashville Predators.

Flyers insider Charlie O'Connor sheds light on the situation, revealing that Carter Hart, 25, has been battling an undisclosed illness throughout the season, causing frustration for the talented goaltender.

Hart spoke about the ongoing issue earlier this week, saying, "It has been going on for a while. I used to never get sick, and now I think I've been sick three times in the last month, so something is going on. It's good that we got to the bottom of it and figured it out. Now I can take the right steps to treat it and fix it and feel better going forward."

Though Hart didn't reveal the specific illness, he expressed optimism about overcoming it.

"Just kind of something that has been going on for a little while," Hart shared. "Just kind of comes on and off periodically. Finally got to the bottom of it and taking care of it, addressing and fixing the issue. Knowing what has been going on makes sense. Now that we know, we can fix it. Feeling better today and doing the right things collectively as a group here with the medical staff to fix it and feel better."

Concerns about Hart's physical condition have surfaced, with Flyers insider Jordan Hall noting his noticeable thinness in recent weeks. Despite these challenges, when Hart has played this season, he has performed admirably, boasting nine wins in 17 starts with a career-best 2.42 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.