Carter Hart made his long-awaited return to professional hockey on Sunday night. Hart, whose last NHL appearance was with the Philadelphia Flyers in January 2024, started for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, stopping 12 of 14 shots in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Wranglers.Hart said he felt a little rusty but began to get a feel for the proceedings as the game progressed."I haven't played a game in a long time, so everything kind of felt different," Hart said. "But then once I started going a little bit, I started to get back into some certain routines that I haven't done for a long time. It’s just like riding a bike."Carter Hart was assigned to Henderson on a conditioning loan as he works toward NHL eligibility on Dec. 1. Vegas signed him on Oct. 24 after the league cleared him to return following his acquittal in the 2018 Hockey Canada case. The NHL, while reinstating him, ruled that the players’ conduct “fell woefully short” of its standards, delaying their eligibility until December.The 27-year-old is the only one of the five players involved who has signed an NHL contract. While he rebuilds his career, Vegas is navigating a difficult stretch, having lost five of its last six games and dealt with injuries to its No. 1 goaltender, Adin Hill. With Akira Schmid struggling and Carl Lindbom still developing, Hart could become part of the NHL conversation once he’s eligible.The Silver Knights allowed just 14 shots in Hart’s return, easing him into his first AHL game since January 2019. If conditioning progresses as planned, Hart could make his Golden Knights debut as early as Dec. 2 against Chicago.