A potential career season for Carter Hart?

Depending on the team's situation, whether it's in a rebuilding phase like the Philadelphia Flyers are currently or in a win-now mode like the Edmonton Oilers or the Toronto Maple Leafs, players in a contract year hope to thrive under this pressure and demonstrate their capabilities.

Even though Carter Hart's numbers were not outstanding on paper last year, he has been the backbone of the Flyers' organization for a few years now. Finding a player like Hart, who can consistently start in goal, is exceptionally challenging to come by. During the 2022-2023 season, he played 54 games, boasting a record of 22-23-10, a goals-against average of 2.94, and a save percentage of .907, with two shutouts.

Hart has proven his worth to the Flyers in terms of his skill level and determination to win hockey games. Currently 25 years old and eligible for arbitration-based free agency, if he has a stellar year with the Flyers, it is expected that he will command a substantial salary moving forward, whether it's with the Flyers or another team altogether.

In my opinion, letting go of Hart, even if the Flyers receive a decent return in a trade, would be a mistake. I believe the Flyers could rebuild their defence to complement Hart, as he would provide them with the goaltending needed for long-term success.

If his performance continues at this level, I anticipate he could secure a contract worth five to six million dollars per season.