| Carter Verhaeghe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Verhaeghe with theFlorida Panthers in September 2023 | |||
| Born | (1995-08-14)August 14, 1995 (age 30) Waterdown, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams | Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning | ||
| NHL draft | 82nd overall,2013 Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| Playing career | 2014–present | ||
Carter Verhaeghe (/vərˈheɪɡiː/vər-HAY-ghee;[1] born August 14, 1995) is a Canadian professionalice hockey player for theFlorida Panthers of theNational Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the2013 NHL entry draft by theToronto Maple Leafs. He played for the minor league affiliates of the Maple Leafs andNew York Islanders, but did not play in the NHL until being traded to theTampa Bay Lightning. Verhaeghe won theStanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in2020, after which he signed as a free agent with the Panthers. Verhaeghe won a second Stanley Cup with Florida in2024, becoming the first player to win a Stanley Cup with both teams from the state of Florida. Verhaeghe won his third Stanley Cup and his second with the Panthers in2025.
Verhaeghe was born on August 14, 1995, inWaterdown, Ontario, Canada,[2] to parents Thomas and Karen. His father introduced him to the sport of ice hockey and he credits both sets of parents for being an influence on his career.[3] Once he began skating, Verhaeghe started playing organized hockey through the Flamborough Hockey Association before joining the Hamilton Junior Bulldogs and Halton Hurricanes.[4] After his family briefly lived in Toronto, Verhaeghe became a fan of theToronto Maple Leafs andMats Sundin.[5] Growing up, Verhaeghe and his sister Victoria played hockey, lacrosse, and soccer.[6]
In his high school years, Verhaeghe competed with theSt. Mary Catholic Secondary School Crusaders in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league alongside future NHLerMark Jankowski. Together, they helped the Crusaders clinch the 2010 Hamilton Junior Cup and Verhaeghe played with the senior team in grade 10.[7] Verhaeghe also spent the 2010–11 minor midget season with the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs of the South Central Triple-A Hockey League. Following that season, where he tallied 34 goals and 64 points through 45 games, Verhaeghe was drafted 38th overall in the 2011OHL Priority Selection by theNiagara IceDogs.[8]
Verhaeghe joined the IceDogs immediately following the draft and accumulated 16 points throughout the2011–12 season. As he was playing on a strong team that finished first in the Eastern Conference, Verhaeghe saw limited playing time.[8] He began the season with a scoring drought and he tallied his first career OHL goal in his 18th game of the season.[9]
Following his second season with the IceDogs in2012–13, posting 44 points in 67 games, Verhaeghe was selected in the third round, 82nd overall in the2013 NHL entry draft by theToronto Maple Leafs. At the conclusion of the2013–14 season with the Ice Dogs, Verhaeghe was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs on April 2, 2014.[10] He immediately joined AHL affiliate, theToronto Marlies, signing an amateur tryout contract to play out the remainder of their campaign.
Matching his scoring totals from his previous season with the IceDogs, Verhaeghe scored 82 points as captain in his final season of junior in the2014–15 season.
Prior to his first professional season, Verhaeghe was included in a multi-player trade prior to training camp by the Maple Leafs to theNew York Islanders in exchange forMichael Grabner on September 18, 2015.[11] He split the following two seasons between the Islanders affiliates' theBridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL andMissouri Mavericks of theECHL.
With one year remaining on his entry-level contract, Verhaeghe was traded by the Islanders to theTampa Bay Lightning in exchange forKristers Gudļevskis on July 1, 2017.[12] In the2017–18 season with the Syracuse Crunch, Verhaeghe in his first full year in the AHL, secured a top six scoring role scoring a breakout 48 points in 58 games.
In the following2018–19 season, Verhaeghe captured the first AHL scoring title ever by a Crunch skater, claiming theJohn B. Sollenberger Trophy with 82 points in 76 games. His 34 goals tied Crunch teammateAlex Barré-Boulet in league scoring to share theWillie Marshall Award.[13] Verhaeghe holds the Crunch's single-season total point record with 82 points.[14]
On July 5, 2019, Verhaeghe was signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Lightning.[15] On September 30, the Lightning announced that Verhaeghe had made the team's opening night roster.[16] On October 3, Verhaeghe appeared in his first career NHL game, which came in a 5–2 Lightning win over the visitingFlorida Panthers atAmalie Arena.[17][18] October 5, Verhaeghe recorded his first career NHL assist and point in a 4–3 loss to the Panthers atBB&T Center.[19][20] On December 7, Verhaeghe recorded his first career NHL goal and first career multi-point game in a 7–1 Lightning win over the visitingSan Jose Sharks at Amalie Arena.[21][22] He scored his first NHL hat trick on January 7, 2020, in a 9–2 win over theVancouver Canucks.[23]
On August 15, 2020, Verhaeghe skated in his first career NHL playoff game. In that game Verhaeghe recorded his first career playoff assist and point.[24] Tampa would go on to win theStanley Cup, defeating theDallas Stars in six games,[25] and Verhaeghe became the second Sound Tigers player to win the Stanley Cup.[26]
Shortly after claiming the Stanley Cup, as an impending restricted free agent with arbitration rights and due to salary cap constraints, Verhaeghe was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Lightning and was released to explore free agency.[27] On October 9, 2020, Verhaeghe remained in Florida, agreeing to a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers.[28]
In the shortened2020–21 season, Verhaeghe had a breakout year, scoring 36 points in 43 games with a plus-24 rating. He signed a three-year contract extension with the Panthers on July 31, 2021.[29]
Verhaeghe earned a reputation as a clutch player for the Panthers. He has scored 5 playoff overtime goals, tied for third all-time in NHL history, and 13 playoff game-winning goals in his career, which is second all-time among active players.[30] During the2022 playoffs, Verhaeghe scored a team-leading 12 points, including an overtime goal in game 6 of the first round series against theWashington Capitals to give the Panthers their first playoff series win since1996.[31] The following year, Verhaeghe scored the series-winning goal in overtime of game 7 in their first round series against thePresidents' Trophy–winningBoston Bruins.[32]
Verhaeghe won his second Stanley Cup when the Panthers defeated theEdmonton Oilers in the2024 Stanley Cup Final.[33]
On October 8, 2024, Verhaeghe signed an eight-year contract extension with the Panthers.[34] In the2024–25 season, he recorded 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points during regular season and helped the Panthers win the Stanley Cup for the second straight year in the2025 Stanley Cup Final where Florida once again played against and defeated the Edmonton Oilers.[35]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2011–12 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | 62 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | 67 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | 65 | 28 | 54 | 82 | 60 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | 68 | 33 | 49 | 82 | 38 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 30 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Missouri Mavericks | ECHL | 20 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 45 | 16 | 13 | 29 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Missouri Mavericks | ECHL | 16 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 58 | 17 | 31 | 48 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 76 | 34 | 48 | 82 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 52 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 43 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 78 | 24 | 31 | 55 | 48 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 81 | 42 | 31 | 73 | 46 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | ||
| 2023–24 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 76 | 34 | 38 | 72 | 36 | 24 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 20 | ||
| 2024–25 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 81 | 20 | 33 | 53 | 46 | 23 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 6 | ||
| NHL totals | 411 | 147 | 155 | 302 | 215 | 92 | 33 | 43 | 78 | 42 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Canada | U18 |  | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| AHL | ||
| First All-Star Team | 2019 | [36] |
| John B. Sollenberger Trophy | 2019 | [13] |
| Willie Marshall Award | 2019 | [13] |
| NHL | ||
| Stanley Cup champion | 2020,2024,2025 | [25][33][35] |