Vegas Golden Knights fans have been extremely vocal about Adin Hill in the net this season. They've noticed the GAA of 3.04, the save percentage of .871, and the goals saved above expected of -14.2. That's not going to cut the mustard, especially when going up against playoff teams like the Edmonton Oilers and the Utah Mammoth.
Looking at who John Tortorella has started in Saturday's game, it seems he's heard the people's cries. Carter Hart got his fourth start in Tortorella's sixth game, signaling a change in the winds. Of course, that comes with good reason, too.
The former Flyers goaltender had a GAA of 1.67 and a save percentage of .923 in April entering Saturday's game. Of course, the Golden Knights' netminders have a save percentage of .918 since Tortorella came to town. But the biggest benefactor has been Hart, who's suddenly playing better.
Yet it goes beyond that. The newest Golden Knights netminder actually has some history with the new head coach. That gives him an unprecedented advantage over Hill, who was the preferred netminder for Bruce Cassidy's tenure. Let's take a history lesson and see why Hart is suddenly becoming the Golden Knights' de facto starter.
Looking at Carter Hart's past history with John Tortorella
John Tortorella was the Philadelphia Flyers' head coach from 2022 to 2025 and had Hart with him for two seasons. During that tenure, Hart had a GAA of 2.90, three shutouts, and a save percentage of .907. The GAA might jump out a bit for the Golden Knights netminder. However, you can't forget that Philadelphia didn't have the most stable defense during Tortorella's tenure.
That familiarity puts Hart at a significant advantage over Hill. The newer Golden Knights goaltender knows the system that Tortorella has in place, leaving him in a better position. With the new head coach's aggressive attacking tendencies, that should take the burden off of his old friend.
So far, the results have proved fruitful for the Golden Knights. Hart is playing good hockey in net, keeping Vegas afloat during the season (I mean, he just had a breathtaking glove save on Valeri Nichuskin upon typing this). That might just put enough momentum for him to start during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
But what about Adin Hill?
Well, here's the thing with Hill. He's locked into a six-year deal with the Golden Knights, meaning that he's likely not going anywhere. Who would want to take on a cap hit of $6.25 million for someone who has fallen off a cliff?
Therefore, it's likely that Hill will be here for a while. However, that doesn't mean that he still has the starting goaltender spot locked up. Hart's putting the burners on the position, giving Tortorella more reason to trust him in net.
That could mean another goaltender controversy in Las Vegas, too. Of course, this isn't the first rodeo for the Golden Knights, let alone Hill. Still, it seems that the new head coach has a preference for who he wants in net. For some Golden Knights fans, that's A-Okay.