Carter Hart talks WHL awards, Lehigh Valley experience

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 3, 2017

It was a pretty good haul for the Everett Silvertips Wednesday as Carter Hart and Brian King each earned WHL awards at the annual ceremony in Calgary.

King was named the Scholastic Athlete of the Year while Hart won his second straight WHL Goaltender of the Year Award.

I spoke to both players Friday afternoon for this story and also asked Hart about his experience with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last week as they fell in four games to the Hershey Bears in the first round of the AHL playoffs. Hart didn’t play, but he did dress as the backup for Game 3.

“I sort of knew going into that situation that I wasn’t going to play,” Hart said. “They had just started up their playoff run so obviously they’re going to give it to their starter for the year. But I just went up there to learn and just take it all in and it was a great experience overall.”

It was yet another opportunity for Hart to adjust to the professional level that he’s likely to reach after one more season with the Silvertips.

“You don’t get a chance very often to go down there and get a first-hand look at what it’s like to be a pro,” Hart said. “I think that’s good if you’re trying to make that transition to the pro level to see what it’s like so you can use those resources and translate them into what you do in your daily routine and daily life.”

Hart will now compete for the CHL Goaltender of the Year award. If he wins he will be the first goalie ever to win back-to-back honors.

-In other news, the WHL bantam draft begins at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in Calgary. The Tips will select 20th overall in the first round and have five picks among the first 86 selections.

There are numerous previews and projections including this from the WHL, while Annie Fowler from the Tri-City Herald looks at the Americans’ position.

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