Las Vegas Golden Knights Goalie Akira Schmid makes a save
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 10: Las Vegas Golden Knights Goalie Akira Schmid (40) makes a save in warm ups of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Edmonton Oilers game versus the Las Vegas Golden Knights on May 10, 2025 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswear)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Carter Hart is day-to-day with a lower-body injury
  • Akira Schmid will start, with Jesper Vikman backing him up
  • Read below for details on Hart’s status and Vegas’s goalie rotation

Carter Hart lasted exactly one game.

The Vegas Golden Knights announced Thursday that their newly signed goaltender is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

This couldn’t have come at a worse time for Vegas, who already have Adin Hill sidelined. Hart went the full 65 minutes in Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout win over Chicago, so he either got banged up during that game or sometime after.

Akira Schmid takes over starting duties while Hart’s out. He’s been carrying most of the workload anyway with Adin missing the last 19 games with his own lower-body issue.

Schmid’s been decent this season at 9-2-4, though his .896 save percentage isn’t exactly shutting the door. The Golden Knights recalled Jesper Vikman from AHL Henderson to back him up.

Hart only recently returned to the NHL after signing a two-year, $2 million-per-season deal in July. He wasn’t eligible to play until December 1st and made his season debut on December 2nd against the Blackhawks. That debut turned out to be his only appearance so far.

His return stirred up plenty of debate given the circumstances surrounding his year away from hockey. Hart was one of five players from the 2018 Canadian World Junior team charged with sexual assault. He was acquitted in July and became the first of the group to sign an NHL contract.

The numbers haven’t been pretty so far. Hart posted a .900 save percentage in his NHL appearance and had an even rougher time in three AHL games before that, going 1-2-0 with an .839 save percentage.

There is no word yet on how long Hart will be out. Day-to-day usually means a short-term situation, but the Golden Knights aren’t providing a specific timeline.

Vegas needs to figure out its goalie situation fast. The Knights are in the thick of the Pacific Division race and can’t keep rotating goalies every week.

At the moment, it’s Schmid’s net until either Hart or Hill can get back on the ice.