Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors pick the best Philly sports images from the last seven days. This week, the Flyers played the team with the NHL’s best record, Colorado, and came away with a narrow defeat. Two nights later, they manhandled the San Jose Sharks.
Villanova proved to be the top team on the women’s basketball scene by beating St. Joseph’s for the Big 5 championship.
And in Inglewood, Calif., the Eagles dropped their third straight game in a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Villanova’s Denae Carter (25) and Kelsey Joens guard St. Joseph’s Aleah Snead during the Big 5 championship at Finneran Pavilion on Sunday. Villanova won, 76-70.
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown can’t pull in a pass in overtime as Donte Jackson of the Chargers defends him. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley tosses the football to a fan after scoring on a 52-yard run against the Chargers. Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (top) and linebacker Zack Baun sack Justin Herbert in the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Dressed for the holidays, an Eagles fan watches the loss to the Chargers in the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith pulls in a catch as Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman tackles him. Embattled Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo talks into his play chart during the Monday night loss in Inglewood, Calif.An Eagles fan makes his feelings known with a sign during the team’s loss to the Chargers. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni absorbing the defeat at SoFi Stadium.
Four of the six defending PIAA state champions from last season were part of the Philadelphia Catholic League, which included West Catholic (Class 3A), Devon Prep (4A), Neumann Goretti (5A), and Father Judge (6A).
Those schools are still filled with basketball talent this season, and more public-school programs, like Imhotep Charter, Coatesville, and Plymouth-Whitemarsh, also have returning premier players who could be in contention for a PIAA Class 6A state title.
Here are some of the area’s top boys’ basketball players to watch during the 2025-26 season.
Chwastyk, the No. 2 ranked sophomore in the state, is a big defensive presence, and has great court awareness. He possesses unlimited growth coming off a great summer. He knows where to be on the court and how to set up his teammates. He needs to get stronger, but that will come in time as his body matures. He will be a factor in the Inter-Ac League this season.
At 6-4, 196 pounds, Francis is a strong downhill guard who is fast and physical. He plays through contact and can score driving the lane or with a mid-range jump shot. He has received scholarship offers from St. Joseph’s, Albany, Temple, Florida Gulf Coast, Hofstra, and East Carolina. In the Friars’ first two games this season, he is averaging 22 points and could arguably be the best guard in the Catholic League. He was a first-team all-Catholic selection as a sophomore, receiving a vote from every team in the league.
2027 PG Korey Francis of Bonner just caught a BODY at the RareFootage Tipoff‼️🔥 pic.twitter.com/drGxxDvYtv
Graham averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals as a sophomore. He can dribble-drive, pull up from the mid-range, and hit three-pointers consistently. He is a scoring threat that can tilt a defense. He actually started at Haverford School as an eighth-grader, which is permitted in the Inter-Ac League. He makes everyone around him better, and is receiving mid-major interest.
Considered one of the best players nationally and locally, Hiller played for the Team USA U16 team in the June FIBA AmeriCup tournament, won by Team USA against Puerto Rico. He finished with a team-high 23 points. In the first three games this season against District 1 Class 4A champion Bishop Shanahan, Catholic League contender St. Joe’s Prep, and traditional Central League powerhouse Lower Merion, Hiller is averaging 27 points.
He can score from anywhere, and has already received offers from Alabama, BYU, Louisville, Kansas State, and Maryland, but not yet Duke, his dream school. Hiller is rated by numerous recruiting services as the No. 3 sophomore in the country.
Colton Hiller is considered as one of the best players in the class of 2028.
Sammy Jackson
Roman Catholic, 6-7 senior guard
A Virginia Commonwealth pledge, Sammy is the son of former Roman Catholic and Temple star Marc Jackson. Sammy can score on all three levels, and averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists as a junior. He is a matchup problem as a guard, and is primarily a facilitator, which may change this season, considering Roman now has Imhotep Charter transfer point guard RJ Smith, who’s committed to La Salle.
Jaydn Jenkins
Archbishop Wood, 6-10 junior center
Jenkins has received offers from Georgia, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Old Dominion. Pittsburgh and Penn State have shown interest. Jenkins has added some weight, moving up to about 210 pounds. He can control the glass, block shots, and rebound. He’s coming off a sophomore season where he averaged 8 points, eight rebounds, and 4.5 blocks, shooting 52%. This season, he is projected to average a double-double.
Johnston, who’s heading to Marquette, is a dynamic player who has added an inch and 10 pounds since last season. He is a 1,000-point career scorer. His best attribute is his length, and possessing good vision as a passer. He can be selfless to a fault, and can score a triple-double at any time.
A Drexel pledge, Lorenzano-White is averaging 10 points, six rebounds, and two blocks so far this season. He can get to the rim, and is a shutdown defender, who is usually assigned by Imhotep coach Andre Noble to cover the opposing team’s best player.
Imhotep’s Latief Lorenzano-White (right) drives to the basket past Father Judge’s Rocco Westfield on Feb. 28.
Owen Kelly
Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy, 6-5 senior wing
Kelly, who will play at Lafayette next year, is a lefty shooter who can score on all three levels. He averaged 18 points and nine rebounds as a junior. He is coming off an elbow injury over the summer, and his length and wingspan make him a stout defender, one of the best in the Inter-Ac League.
Derrick Morton-Rivera
Father Judge, 6-3 senior guard
Morton-Rivera is committed to Temple, and he’s considered one of the better shooters, if not the best shooter, in the area. He averaged 17.7 points last season, reaching the 1,000-point career plateau, and led the Crusaders to their first PIAA Class 6A state championship in school history and first Catholic League title since 1998. He can shoot over defenses or score driving to the basket.
Muhammad-Gray lost his sophomore year in the second game of last season to a torn ACL. He has come back this season at 220 pounds, almost 30 pounds heavier than he was last year, and is making up for lost time. He’s averaging a team-high 15 points, eight rebounds, and 3.5 assists so far this season.
He is a strong rim protector, and what makes him unique is his constant energy. Colleges backed off due to the injury, but interest is starting to grow again.
2027 F Zaahir Muhammad-Gray ‘ZMG’ (@_ZMG10) should be receiving a lot of attention this season. Shot the lights out, got to the rim against a seven footer at will, and was only slowed up because Imhotep was working on their offense.
Newson is an electric, above-the-rim finisher with the ability to dominate games. He joins the Saints this season, transferring in from Academy of the New Church, where he helped lead the team to a Friends’ League championship.
This is his third school in three years, after originally playing as a freshman at Sanford School in Delaware. He has received offers from Arizona State, Virginia Tech, St. Joes, and Penn State.
Rowan Phillips
Westtown, 6-6 sophomore guard
A transfer from Archbishop Wood, Phillips came off the bench and was among the Vikings’ leaders in scoring, averaging 19 points in 25 minutes of action. He is a three-level scorer, up there with Hiller in his ability to knock down shots from anywhere on the court.
Sajid, a Towson pledge, averaged 19 points last season, and is an exceptional shooter, with an explosive first step. Though listed at 6-4, his length and wingspan enable him to play more like he is 6-7. He can get shots off anywhere on the court, and against taller players. A natural scorer, his three-point shot is becoming more consistent.
Smith transferred into Roman this season. He carries a poised, steady hand that comes from experience starting as a freshman at Imhotep. He has an uncanny ability to play much larger than his size. He’s quick on his feet, and will handle the point for the Cahillites this season. Because of the transfer, Smith will not be eligible to play in the PIAA state playoffs.
RJ Smith (center) transferred from Imhotep into Roman Catholic this season.
The Eagles head into this week’s showdown with the Raiders eager to keep their momentum rolling and strengthen their standing in the NFC race. After battling through a challenging stretch, they’re looking to put together a complete performance and make a statement as the season heats up.Join Olivia Reiner & Jeff McLane on Gameday Central for expert analysis, insider perspectives, and live updates throughout Eagles–Raiders this week.
Brandon Graham is practically a rookie all over again in his 16th NFL season. He just has a few more gray hairs in his beard than he did in 2010 when he entered the league.
Graham, 37, played a season-high 30 snaps against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night, with over one-third of those plays coming at defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. That role on the interior isn’t new to Graham, but his snaps at the position in Week 14 exceeded the occasional allotment that had become typical for him throughout his career.
“I’m taking it all in,” Graham said on Thursday after practice. “Trying to learn the technique. Some stuff, I already knew. And some stuff that I’m just working it every day. Just like now, I was just out there just doing some extra and just trying to make sure that I’m just contributing and helping best way I can.”
The best way that Graham can help right now is on the interior in the absence of Jalen Carter, who underwent a procedure to both of his shoulders last week. With Carter sidelined on a week-to-week basis, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could use an extra body at defensive tackle, giving Graham a new job.
The early returns are promising. Even in the absence of Carter, the entire defensive front fared well against the Chargers, generating single-game season highs in sacks (seven) and quarterback pressure rate (68.3%), per Next Gen Stats. Graham contributed one of those pressures on 18 pass rush snaps.
The new position has also added a wrinkle to Graham’s relationship with his teammates. Instead of setting the example for the younger players, he’s watching youngsters like Jordan Davis in practice and emulating their technique in individual drills.
“When I’m watching him, man, I’m learning as I’m going,” Graham said. “Because they’re the ones running everything over there. They know what’s going on. So I’m just picking their brain and just asking them what they think when I go.“
The transition for Graham is going well so far, according to Moro Ojomo. Graham is getting the full experience of an Eagles defensive tackle, spending his time in their meetings instead of breaking off to join the outside linebackers. Ojomo, 24, said he was impressed by Graham’s ability to come out of retirement in late October, let alone make a position change.
Brandon Graham has ramped up his contributions since returning to the team at midseason.
Still, Graham is experiencing a learning curve, even though he’s taken snaps at defensive tackle before.
“It’d be similar to maybe someone writing with their right hand and then starting to write with their left hand,” Ojomo said. “It’s not as easy as you may think it is. There are similarities, but it takes some time and definitely, if anyone can do it the way he’s doing it, it would be him.”
Everything comes at defensive tackles quicker compared to defensive ends, given the DT’s close proximity to the opposing guard. In his relatively old age, though, Graham said he still feels spry.
“It feels good, man, ‘cause I feel quick in there,” Graham said. “It’s just don’t get caught with one foot in the ground. You’ve got to have both feet in the ground when you’re in there. I’m just trying to make sure, like I said, it’s the technique. It’s about getting your feet in the ground fast as you’re striking. As an outside linebacker, you can get off and figure out your little moves before. Now, it just comes at you a little quicker.”
He also says he felt fresh after the game. Graham’s 30 defensive snaps were the most he’s taken since Week 11 last season against the Washington Commanders (32 snaps).
“I thought I was going to be a little more sore,” Graham said. “But just taking care of my body, man. I think that it was nice just how we all rotated in the game. I think we just keep that rotation going and of course, I’ve got my massage and stuff like that, all that stuff set up. But it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I recovered pretty well.”
Graham initially retired following Super Bowl LIX, a game in which he re-injured the triceps that had sidelined him for nine weeks between the regular season and the postseason.
Five games into his career revival, Graham has put the triceps injury firmly in the past. His focus now remains on growing in his new gig while Carter recovers.
“My tricep, everything feel great,” Graham said. “Man, I just feel like just got to continue to keep working the technique. As you know, it’s just a daily walk with it.”
Injury report
Landon Dickerson (calf/rest) did not practice on Thursday. His rest designation was new on the injury report this week, but it wasn’t a new phenomenon for Dickerson. He took a rest day on Friday last week (the schedule was shifted up a day with the game on Monday) and still played against the Chargers.
Carter (shoulders) and Lane Johnson did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Fred Johnson (ankle) was an addition to the injury report as a limited participant, suggesting he may have injured himself in practice.
Zack Baun (hand), Charley Hughlett (abdomen/injured reserve), and Cameron Williams (shoulder/injured reserve) were full participants.
The Eagles will practice once more on Friday before Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kids heading in for hockey practice at Scanlon Recreation Center in Kensington on Wednesday were hit with a big holiday surprise.
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes were both on hand to gift $15,000 worth of hockey and basketball equipment, including new skates, helmets, and basketballs, through a partnership between the two teams and Bank of America. Gritty was also on-site in a Santa costume, of course.
“Sports is such a connector,” said Jim Dever, Bank of America Greater Philadelphia’s president. “No matter what your socio-economic level is, sports is just that. For us to make some dreams come through in an area that — certain sports are very expensive, so if we can help bridge that gap in some way, it’s just a great positive.”
After distributing the gear, Grimes joined the prepractice pizza party, and interacted with the kids before they started their skate.
“It’s the holiday season, I love giving back,” Grimes said. “I love being around the youth and to try to inspire them and give them some inspiration to always chase your dreams, and to give back for the holidays. It was really good, really fun.”
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim hopped on the ice to skate with some of the young athletes taking part in the Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education program at the rink on Wednesday.
Then, Sanheim hopped on the ice to skate with some of the young athletes taking part in the Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education program at the rink for a free skate.
“It’s an expensive sport, so it’s hard for kids to get into, and so for us to allow them to have the gear to do it, it makes it easier for them to take it up,” Sanheim said. “I really hope that they enjoy it just as much as we do. We love the sport, and we were at their age when we started and took it up. So I hope we create hockey players out of this.”
Wednesday’s donation was the first of a series of equipment donations across the Philadelphia area as part of the partnership between the Flyers, Sixers, and Bank of America, with equipment purchased from C&M Sporting Goods in Havertown.
For those hoping to get into a World Cup game in Philly, the assumption was that obtaining a ticket, even at face value, would be costly.
Well, that was correct, and on Thursday, fans interested in attending learned just how much.
FIFA’s random selection presale was the third in a four-part lottery phase in which interested buyers from around the world were able to select their match by venue or by the team they’d most like to see.
Among the 72 group stage matches scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer, five will take place at Lincoln Financial Field, with the Ivory Coast and Ecuador kicking off Philly’s slate of matches on June 14.
The least expensive seat for that match was $180 under Category 3 tiered pricing (which applies to upper-level seating and designated supporter sections). The most expensive ticket was $500 for a Category 1 seat (lower level, prime placement) or another section called a Supporter Premier Tier.
The cheapest ticket price was $180 for upper deck seats at Lincoln Financial Field for the World Cup opener between the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
The costliest tickets were for the June 19 match between Brazil and Haiti, with the cheapest seat coming in at $265 and the priciest Category 1 tickets at $700. Even Category 2 seats, which generally are still lower- to mid-level but have corner sightlines, were $500 per seat.
While it remains to be seen, prices for France’s game in Philly on June 22 could mimic the Brazil game as both are high-powered nations in the top 10 of the latest FIFA World Rankings, complete with rosters expected to draw a crowd. France awaits whom it will play at the Linc, as a FIFA playoff in March will determine whether it will be Iraq, Suriname, or Bolivia.
The least expensive game in Philly as of Thursday’s presale was the June 25 match, which features Ivory Coast against Curaçao. Lower-level tickets were $450 for Category 1 and $380 for Category 2 seats. For those who don’t mind sitting in the 200-level section, the price is $140 each.
The game between Ivory Coast and Curaçao on June 25 looked to offer the most affordable path to securing World Cup seats.
It’s believed that with fan bases not as large as some of the other matches coming to Philly, this might be the best chance for people looking to obtain tickets, not just in the presale but perhaps when tickets officially hit the resale market.
The final group stage match at the Linc, Croatia against Ghana on June 27, offers a live look at Croatian midfield legend Luka Modric, who at age 40, will be playing in his final World Cup. Although Ghana has consistently been a strong nation in past World Cups and enters as one of the better nations throughout Confederation of African Football (CAF) qualifying, the draw is Modric — and FIFA knows that.
Tickets for that match in the presale start at $500 for Category 1, and the least expensive ticket is $180 for a Category 3 seat.
Croatia-Ghana on June 27 offers fans a live look at probably the last time Croatian midfield legend Luka Modric will chase World Cup glory.
So how does it all work?
Interested fans must create a FIFA ID. Creating one is quick, and once you do, you’ll be able to enter the lottery, which runs through 11 a.m. on Jan. 13. FIFA says it will alert people who have won by Feb. 5 if they’ve earned the right to purchase tickets.
Still, you could find out sooner by checking your bank or credit card statement and noticing a balance decrease of hundreds or thousands of dollars.
In the process, fans are entered into a queue to buy, which on Thursday had potential purchasers experiencing wait times of up to 30 minutes. Once there, fans can access two ticket portals: the random selection draw, which allows them to choose one game or preferred venue, and another in which fans can select a preferred team and choose from that nation’s three matches throughout the group stage.
From there, a debit or credit card goes on file, from which, if selected, FIFA will automatically pull funds from the account beginning on Feb. 9. Incidentally, there’s no guarantee that fans will receive their full allocation, as there are options for ticket sales to be “completely successful” or “partially successful.”
What does the latter mean? Here’s is FIFA’s explanation:
“‘Partially successful’ means you received some, but not all, of the tickets you applied for. For example, if you requested tickets for three different matches but were allocated tickets for only one or two of them, your application is considered partially successful. If you are allocated tickets for any match, you will always receive the full quantity you requested for that match; you will never receive fewer than requested.”
The random selection draw is the last presale before FIFA will release remaining tickets in what’s sure to be a first-come, first-served frenzy. This late sales phase is expected to launch closer to the start of the tournament.
Villanova football is riding a 10-game winning streak — its longest since the 1997 season — and will travel to Stephenville, Texas to take on fourth-seeded Tarleton State in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN).
Villanova (11-2), the No. 12 seed in the bracket, is coming off a 14-7 upset against then-undefeated Lehigh (the No. 5 seed) on the road. The Wildcats scored 14 points in the second half, including a 28-yard Braden Reed touchdown reception with just over three minutes remaining, to pull off the victory.
Pat McQuaide led Villanova’s passing attack, throwing for 208 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The touchdown pass was the 50th of McQuaide’s career and 23rd as a Wildcat, meaning he has thrown almost half of his career touchdowns in his single season in blue and white.
It was also his eighth game of the season with 200 or more passing yards. McQuaide isaveraging 211.1 yards per game, which is 29th in the FCS.
Tarelton (12-1) had a first-round bye and is coming off a dominant 31-13 win over North Dakota in the second round last weekend.
Who is Tarleton State?
Some schools in the FCS playoffs are not the most recognizable.
Tarleton State is located in Stephenville, about a two-hour drive from Dallas.
The Texans are part of the United Athletic Conference. They were formerly in the Western Athletic Conference since 2021, before it merged with the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2022.
It became an FCS football program in 2020, when the program switched from Division II to Division I.
YOUR TARLETON STATE TEXANS ARE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 🔥
Tarleton State has made it to the FCS playoffs in consecutive seasons, just five years after becoming a Division I program. Last season, the Texans won their first FCS playoff game against Drake, but fell to No. 4 South Dakota in the second round. Eagles rookie wide receiver Darius Cooper starred for Tarleton State from 2020-24.
Limit the turnovers
Villanova has prided itself on winning the turnover battle, and it has done so consistently this season. Its five total turnovers are currently an FCS low.
McQuaide has thrown just two interceptions, and only one in FCS play, this season. He has thrown 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions over his last five games.
Villanova has only lost three fumbles. Over the course of its 10-game win streak, Villanova has won the turnover battle, 16-2.
Defense needs to be near perfect
Villanova’s defense has shut down efficient offensive teams of late. The unit held Lehigh to one touchdown and its second-lowest offensive output this season (339 total yards).
The week before, the Wildcats held Harvard to a season-low 213 total yards.
Tarleton State is averaging an FCS-high 44.1 points. The Texans recorded a 61-0 blowout win against North Alabama on Nov. 15 and have scored 30 or more points in each win this season.
Wildcats linebacker Shane Hartzell has a team-high eight sacks for a loss of 49 yards this season.
The Texans scored a season-low 28 points in their only loss against then- No. 24 Abilene Christian in early November.
Villanova has held opponents to an average of eight points in its last three games.
Graduate linebacker Shane Hartzell leads the Wildcats’ defense by a wide margin, with 87 total tackles (50 solo). Hartzell scooped up his first fumble recovery of the season against Lehigh and recorded six total tackles (five solo). This season, Hartzell has a team-high eight sacks.
Villanova needs to run the football
Villanova has some of the best running back depth in the FCS. Even with standout David Avit missing the last four games, Ja’briel Mace and Isaiah Ragland have stepped up.
Mace and Ragland have rushed for career-high games during Avit’s absence due to a knee injury. Mace even broke Brian Westbrook’s 21-year-old single-game rushing record on Nov. 8 with 291 yards against Towson.
Tarelton currently allows 163.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks 69th in the FCS.
Villanova has leaned on its rushing game all season. It averages 177.8 rushing yards per contest, which is 32nd nationally. Despite rushing for a season-low 27 rushing yards last weekend, Villanova has averaged 194.4 rushing yards over the last three. Ragland rushed for a career-high 152 rushing yards against Harvard two weeks ago, when Villanova finished with a season-high 48 carries.
Following their third consecutive loss, the Eagles return home to face the Raiders on Sunday in what will be Philadelphia’s first 1 p.m. start since October 26th.
The Birds are looking for a bounceback performance from Jalen Hurts and the offense after Hurts threw four interceptions against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. Over the last five games, the Eagles (8-5) have averaged just over 16 points, down from the 26 they averaged during the season’s first eight games. The Raiders (2-11) rank 24th in points allowed per game (25.5 points).
The Birds are a double-digit favorite in Sunday’s game, and will likely not have to face Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, who suffered a shoulder injury last week. If the 35 year old is unable to play, former Eagles backup Kenny Pickett would likely get the start.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has thrown for over 200 yards in each of his last three games.
Passing yards props
Hurts has thrown for over 200 yards in each of his last three games. The Birds quarterback’s passing line is set just above that number for Sunday’s game.
Pickett, on the other hand, has not yet started a game this season. Pickett’s last start was for the Eagles last year. In that game, the Eagles dominated the Cowboys 41-7, though Pickett only threw for 143 yards.
During the Eagles’ last five games, Hurts has only thrown four total touchdowns. Last season, Pickett threw a touchdown pass in each of the two games in which he played the majority.
Running back Saquon Barkley turned a fake Tush Push into a 52-yard touchdown run against the Chargers.
Rushing yards
Saquon Barkley had one of his strongest games against the Chargers. He rushed for 122 yards, including a 52-yard score to put the Eagles ahead at the start of the fourth quarter. Barkley had averaged just 55 rushing yards in the Birds’ four previous games.
On the other side, Ashton Jeanty has struggled recently. The sixth overall pick in the 2025 draft ran for just 30 yards last week. Jeanty has averaged under 2.5 yards per carry over his last four games, and hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown since Nov. 6.
Only DraftKings has posted rushing props for the Eagles due to the Raiders’ uncertain quarterback status.
A.J. Brown recorded his third straight 100-yard game on Monday. Dallas Goedert also recorded eight catches for 78 yards, his most yards in a game since Oct. 26.
For the Raiders, tight end Brock Bowers has led the way with 619 receiving yards, despite missing three games.
Just like the rushing props, only DraftKings has receiving props listed for Eagles players.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has scored three touchdowns over his last two games.
Touchdown scorers
Barkley was the only Eagle to find the end zone against the Chargers on Monday. In the three weeks prior, Hurts and Brown were the only touchdown scorers.
For the Raiders, Bowers has caught three touchdowns in the last two games.
The Flyers host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, and Carter Hart will not be in goal against his former team.
Instead, Akira Schmid, who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2018 and shut them out on Dec. 5, will start. Despite being the backup on Thursday, Hart was not made available to speak to the media.
“No, Carter wants to play every game; that’s one thing, he’s a very competitive guy,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked if Hart not starting was because of the regular rotation or if they did not want him to play in Philadelphia.
“[Hart] had played two out of three this week, and coming out of the Ranger game, he wanted to get right back in the net. So that led to the decision on Long Island. We discussed it, obviously, with him, but that was more of us making the decision that Akira had to get back in pretty soon, coming off the shutout.
“So that’s how we landed on it.”
Hart and his 2018 Canadian World Junior teammates Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Michael McLeod were acquitted on sexual assault charges in Canada this summer and were suspended through Dec. 1.
“The events that transpired after the 2018 Hockey Canada Foundation Gala in London, Ontario, prior to these players’ arrival in the NHL, were deeply troubling and unacceptable,” the NHL said in a September statement regarding the suspensions.
“The league expects everyone connected with the game to conduct themselves with the highest level of moral integrity. And, in this case, while found not to have been criminal, the conduct of the players involved certainly did not meet that standard.”
Hart, 27, joined the Golden Knights on Oct. 16, one day after the league-imposed start date for these five players to sign with an NHL team. He inked a two-year, $4 million contract 10 days later.
Carter Hart compiled a 96-93-29 record and .906 save percentage in six seasons with the Flyers.
“Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization,” the team’s statement on Oct. 16 said.
“The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.”
Hart added: “It’s been a long road to get back to this point, to get back to playing the game of hockey, a game that I love, and I’ve been out of the game for a year and a half now. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve grown a lot. I’m just excited to move forward.”
Hart is 2-0-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .889 save percentage with the Golden Knights. He returned to the NHL on Dec. 2, allowing three goals on 30 shots against the Chicago Blackhawks.
It was his first game since Jan. 20, 2024, three days before he took “an indefinite leave of absence citing personal reasons” from the Flyers.
The day after his announcement, the Globe and Mail in Toronto reported that the then-unnamed Hockey Canada players allegedly involved in a sexual assault in Ontario in June 2018 had been ordered to turn themselves in to police. A week later, Hart was charged, according to his lawyers. The defendants were acquitted in July.
A second-round draft pick in 2016, Hart was viewed as a cornerstone piece for the Flyers. He went 96-93-29 with a 2.94 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 227 games across six seasons. In his last NHL season, the native of Sherwood Park, Alberta, was 12-9-3 with a .906 save percentage. Hart was the first of the five players who were acquitted in the London sexual assault case to return to NHL action.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart last played in South Philly on Jan. 20, 2024.
Dubé, a forward who previously played for the Calgary Flames, signed a professional tryout agreement with the St. Louis Blues’ American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield on Wednesday. He played the 2024-25 season with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Foote, a defenseman and the son of Vancouver Canucks coach Adam Foote, signed an AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves on Dec. 1. Formenton has returned to HC Ambrì-Piotta of the Swiss National League, where the forward has played since 2022.
McLeod signed a three-year deal with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk in October. He played last season with the team after starting the season with Kazakhstan-based Barys Astana.
The Flyers may be getting a few presents for the holidays.
Defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York, who have been practicing in regular jerseys, are inching closer and closer to returning.
York has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 3 against the Buffalo Sabres. The exact moment when he suffered the injury is unknown, but he did not return after being involved in a scrum following Trevor Zegras being boarded by Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left in the second period.
It’s also possible that the high hit by Buffalo forward Jason Zucker behind the Flyers’ net with 13:50 left in the period is what coach Rick Tocchet referred to postgame. The hit was a little late as the blueliner skated back for the puck.
“He’s going to have a really hard practice today,” Tocchet said about York at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday in advance of the Flyers’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights (7 p.m., ESPN). “Not hitting, but like a lot of pushing and shoving on the ice, and see how he reacts off it. I think this is the day we’ll know how close he is to playing.”
Ristolainen’s return is coming, but it may still be a little way away. On Oct. 27, Flyers general manager Danny Brière said that “in about a four-to-six-week range, hopefully he’s back with the team.”
Technically, he was with the team at around the six-week mark, but only for practice. Now the question is, when will he be game-ready?
Ristolainen underwent surgery on a right triceps tendon rupture on March 26. In 2024, Ristolainen underwent two surgeries, including a repair to a ruptured triceps tendon. Brière said last April that the injury was similar, although he wouldn’t confirm whether he tore the tendon again.
The Flyers are being cautious and are taking their time to ensure that he is 100%. Tocchet didn’t want to marry the blueliner’s return to a specific date, hinting that he needs to see Ristolaien stack heavy days together.
When pressed, he said, “I think I’d be shocked if he didn’t play before Christmas, to be honest. But I never say never.”
Rasmus Ristolainen has not played since March since undergoing triceps surgery.
York is not on injured reserve, so the Flyers do not have to make a move when he is ready to return to the lineup. When Ristolainen is good to go, they will have to make a transaction.
Currently, only four players are waiver-exempt — forwards Matvei Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin and defensemen Emil Andrae and Tyler Murchison — and it’s obvious here who is not getting sent down. Murchison looked impressive and steady in his NHL debut on Tuesday and will get a second game on the blue line on Thursday against Vegas.
Forward Carl Grundström is also someone who can be sent down without needing to clear waivers. He cleared waivers when the Flyers acquired him, and he has not hit the 30-day mark or 10 games played in the NHL.
The NHL also has a 10-day roster freeze beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 19 and running through 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 28. Players cannot be waived, traded, or loaned during that period.
The Flyers play Dec. 20 against the New York Rangers, Dec. 22 against Tocchet’s old team, the Vancouver Canucks, and Dec. 23 at the Chicago Blackhawks before the NHL’s three-day holiday break. They return to game action at the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 28.
