Carter Hart on NHL's COVID protocol: 'It has got to change'
Add Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart to the growing list of NHLers expressing their frustration with the league's COVID protocol. The Flyers took on the Ducks in Anaheim Tuesday night while missing captain Claude Giroux and defenceman Ivan Provorov. Hart says something's got to give.
"It's tough, for sure," said Hart. "Guys are testing positive with no symptoms or mild symptoms. I mean, the league's got to find a way to change that. We're either going to keep playing shorthanded all season long or games are going to keep getting postponed. I think it's a joke. It's got to change."
Hart previously tested positive for COVID-19 but says he had "pretty mild symptoms, if any at all."
For Provorov, it has to be especially frustrating. It was the first game he missed since entering the league at 19 years of age. His iron-man streak had reached 403 games.
"We're very, very aware and we all share concern for what's going on in the world," said Flyers interim coach Mike Yeo. "But you can understand why maybe some players would find it difficult, when you have guys that play with broken ribs, broken feet. And they feel completely fine."
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OCTOBER 27, 2025
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Drake Batherson | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Bryan Rust | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Tim Stutzle | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Sidney Crosby | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Erik Karlsson | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Jake Sanderson | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nick Bjugstad | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Fabian Zetterlund | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Justin Brazeau | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Viktor Arvidsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nick Cousins | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Morgan Geekie | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Claude Giroux | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mathieu Joseph | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Kyrou | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Anthony Mantha | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Parker Wotherspoon | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mike Amadio | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Thomas Chabot | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Canadiens | 10 | 7 | 3 | - | 14 | |
| Red Wings | 9 | 6 | 3 | - | 12 | |
| Panthers | 10 | 5 | 5 | - | 10 | |
| Sabres | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | |
| Senators | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | |
| Maple Leafs | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | |
| Lightning | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | |
| Bruins | 10 | 4 | 6 | - | 8 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Devils | 9 | 8 | 1 | - | 16 | |
| Penguins | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 13 | |
| Hurricanes | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 12 | |
| Capitals | 9 | 6 | 3 | - | 12 | |
| Islanders | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | |
| Flyers | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | |
| Blue Jackets | 8 | 4 | 4 | - | 8 | |
| Rangers | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 8 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Mammoth | 10 | 8 | 2 | - | 16 | |
| Avalanche | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | |
| Jets | 9 | 6 | 3 | - | 12 | |
| Stars | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 11 | |
| Blackhawks | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 10 | |
| Predators | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 | |
| Wild | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 8 | |
| Blues | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 13 | |
| Kraken | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | |
| Kings | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 11 | |
| Oilers | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 | |
| Canucks | 10 | 5 | 5 | - | 10 | |
| Ducks | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | |
| Sharks | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 6 | |
| Flames | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 5 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||