Philadelphia Flyers: Top 5 most clutch players of the 2019-20 season

2. Carter Hart

Carter Hart successfully avoided the dreaded sophomore slump in his second NHL season. After a rookie campaign that had Flyers fans hopeful for the future, Hart has followed that up with a season of consistency, promise and professionalism. With Hart guarding the twine, the Flyers seem to have finally found their netminder of the future.

During the 2019-20 season, Hart has more than proved himself able to go toe-to-toe with some of the league’s best goaltenders, including a 40-save win in a 2-1 goalie duel against John Gibson of the Ducks and an early season test of wills over Carey Price and the Canadiens.

The young goalie also has a Henrik Lundqvist-esque nature that allows him to move past a bad game or goal and answer back in his next opportunity. This was best displayed when he overcame a disastrous run through Western Canada earlier this season, not allowing it to taint the rest of the year.

However, the biggest reason Hart nabs the number two spot on this list is due to his tremendous ability to make outrageous, momentum swinging saves.

Hart has shown a sixth-sense when it comes to reading and anticipating 2-on-1 plays and one-timers. Fans and players alike witnessed this just two games into the season when Hart made what is arguably the save of the season against Taylor Hall and the New Jersey Devils.

Nursing a 1-0 lead late in the second period, the Flyers were tasked with killing off a two-man advantage against the Devils. With just two minutes left on the clock, rookie Jack Hughes made a seem pass to Taylor Hall who rifled a one-timer towards the open cage. In one explosive move, Hart turned and flashed out his glove, stopping the Hall mere inches from reaching the net.

The Wells Fargo Center erupted on the play and the Flyers used the energy in the building to make it into intermission with their lead in-tact. Just 32 seconds into the final frame, Kevin Hayes scored to increase the lead to two and Hart shut the door.

Though this save is just one of many examples of Hart’s excellence, it serves as a reminder of the hockey adage that “a big save at one end of the ice leads to a big goal down the other.”

Throughout the season, Hart’s mental strength has allowed the Flyers to find their rhythm and settle into games early, and when called upon, he’s more than able to come up with ten-bell saves that act as a springboard for the skaters in front of him.