Carter Verhaeghe

{{Infobox ice hockey biography

| name = Carter Verhaeghe

| image = Carterverhaeghe2023.png

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Verhaeghe with the Florida Panthers in September 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|8|14}}

| birth_place = Waterdown, Ontario, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 183

| position = Forward

| shoots = Left

| league = NHL

| team = Florida Panthers

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league = AHL

| former_teams = Tampa Bay Lightning

| draft = 82nd overall

| draft_year = 2013

| draft_team = Toronto Maple Leafs

| career_start = 2014

| career_end =

}}

Carter Verhaeghe ({{IPAc-en|v|ər|ˈ|h|eɪ|g|iː}} {{respell|vər|HAY|ghee}};[https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2020-21/2020-21Pronunciations.pdf 2020–21 National Hockey League Pronunciations.] Retrieved October 16, 2021 born August 14, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played for the minor league affiliates of the Maple Leafs and New York Islanders, but did not play in the NHL until being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Verhaeghe won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in 2020, after which he signed as a free agent with the Panthers. Verhaeghe won a second Stanley Cup with Florida in 2024, becoming the first player to win a Stanley Cup with both teams from the state of Florida.

Early life

Verhaeghe was born on August 14, 1995, in Waterdown, Ontario, Canada,{{cite web |title=Carter Verhaeghe |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/116967/carter-verhaeghe |publisher=Elite Prospects |access-date=May 5, 2022}} to parents Thomas and Karen. He is of Dutch descent. His father introduced him to the sport of ice hockey and he credits both sets of parents for being an influence on his career.{{cite web |last1=Verhaeghe |first1=Carter |title=Stanley Cup Final blog: Carter Verhaeghe |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/lightning-carter-verhaeghe-stanley-cup-final-blog/c-319155134 |publisher=National Hockey League |access-date=May 5, 2022 |date=September 27, 2020}} Once he began skating, Verhaeghe started playing organized hockey through the Flamborough Hockey Association before joining the Hamilton Junior Bulldogs and Halton Hurricanes.{{cite web |last1=Cornish |first1=Dianne |title=Verhaeghe drafted |url=https://www.flamboroughreview.com/community-story/5400414-verhaeghe-drafted/ |publisher=Flamborough Review |access-date=May 5, 2022 |date=July 10, 2013}} After his family briefly lived in Toronto, Verhaeghe became a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mats Sundin.{{cite web |last1=Wheeler |first1=Scott |title=Inside the new normal for the NHL's Toronto-born players and their families |url=https://theathletic.com/2011012/2020/08/26/inside-the-new-normal-for-the-nhls-toronto-born-players-and-their-families/?source=emp_shared_article |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220506021509/https://theathletic.com/2011012/2020/08/26/inside-the-new-normal-for-the-nhls-toronto-born-players-and-their-families/?source=emp_shared_article |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |date=August 26, 2020}} Growing up, Verhaeghe and his sister Victoria played hockey, lacrosse, and soccer.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Joe |title='There's no quit in Carter': Behind Carter Verhaeghe's 'long, hard road' to the Lightning roster |url=https://theathletic.com/1283114/2019/10/10/theres-no-quit-in-carter-behind-carter-verhaeghes-long-hard-road-to-the-lightning-roster/ |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=May 5, 2022 |date=October 10, 2019}}

Playing career

=Junior=

In his high school years, Verhaeghe competed with the St. Mary Catholic Secondary School Crusaders in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league alongside future NHLer Mark Jankowski. Together, they helped the Crusaders clinch the 2010 Hamilton Junior Cup and Verhaeghe played with the senior team in grade 10.{{cite web |last1=Moko |first1=Larry |title=St. Mary boys' hockey spawns future NHLers |url=https://www.hwcdsb.ca/308421--St-Mary-boys-hockey-spawns-future-NHLers |publisher=Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board |access-date=May 5, 2022|date=2019}} 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 2011 OHL Priority Selection by the Niagara IceDogs.{{cite web |title=Decade of 'Dogs – Carter Verhaeghe |url=https://niagaraicedogs.net/article/decade-of-dogs-carter-verhaeghe |publisher=Niagara Ice Dogs |access-date=May 5, 2022 |date=August 11, 2016}}

Verhaeghe joined the IceDogs immediately following the draft and accumulated 16 points throughout the 2011–12 season. As he was playing on a strong team that finished first in the Eastern Conference, Verhaeghe saw limited playing time. He began the season with a scoring drought and he tallied his first career OHL goal in his 18th game of the season.{{cite news |title=Ice Dog rookie steps into a new world |url=https://www.thespec.com/sports/hamilton-region/2012/03/21/ice-dog-rookie-steps-into-a-new-world.html |access-date=May 5, 2022 |publisher=The Hamilton Spectator |date=March 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220506025029/https://www.thespec.com/sports/hamilton-region/2012/03/21/ice-dog-rookie-steps-into-a-new-world.html |archive-date=May 6, 2022}}

Following his second season with the IceDogs in 2012–13, posting 44 points in 67 games, Verhaeghe was selected in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. At the conclusion of the 2013–14 season with the Ice Dogs, Verhaeghe was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs on April 2, 2014.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/leafs-sign-verhaeghe-to-entry-level-contract/c-712555 | title = Leafs sign Verhaeghe to entry-level contract | publisher = Toronto Maple Leafs | date = 2014-04-02 | access-date = 2014-04-02}} He immediately joined AHL affiliate, the Toronto 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 the 2014–15 season.

=Professional=

==Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders organizations==

Prior to his first professional season, Verhaeghe was included in a multi-player trade prior to training camp by the Maple Leafs to the New York Islanders in exchange for Michael Grabner on September 18, 2015.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/islanders-acquire-five-players-for-grabner/c-779463 | title = Islanders acquire five players for Grabner | publisher = New York Islanders | date = 2015-09-18 | access-date = 2015-09-18}} He split the following two seasons between the Islanders affiliates' the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL and Missouri Mavericks of the ECHL.

==Tampa Bay Lightning==

With one year remaining on his entry-level contract, Verhaeghe was traded by the Islanders to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Kristers Gudļevskis on July 1, 2017.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/lightning-acquire-forward-carter-verhaeghe-from-islanders/c-290251420 | title = Lightning acquire forward Carter Verhaeghe from Islanders | publisher = Tampa Bay Lightning | date = 2017-07-01 | access-date = 2017-07-01}} In the 2017–18 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 following 2018–19 season, Verhaeghe captured the first AHL scoring title ever by a Crunch skater, claiming the John B. Sollenberger Trophy with 82 points in 76 games. His 34 goals tied Crunch teammate Alex Barré-Boulet in league scoring to share the Willie Marshall Award. Verhaeghe holds the Crunch's single-season total point record with 82 points.{{cite web|url=https://www.rawcharge.com/2019/4/15/18311159/quick-strikes-carter-verhaeghe-wins-ahl-scoring-title-for-syracuse-crunch-tampa-bay-lightning|title=Quick Strikes: Carter Verhaeghe wins AHL scoring title for Syracuse Crunch|website=rawcharge.com|access-date=2019-04-23|date=2019-04-15|archive-date=April 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416133327/https://www.rawcharge.com/2019/4/15/18311159/quick-strikes-carter-verhaeghe-wins-ahl-scoring-title-for-syracuse-crunch-tampa-bay-lightning|url-status=dead}}

On July 5, 2019, Verhaeghe was signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Lightning.{{cite web | url = https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/tampa-bay-lightning-re-sign-forward-carter-verhaeghe-to-one-year-contract/c-308192986 | title = Lightning re-sign forward Carter Verhaeghe to a one-year contract | publisher = Tampa Bay Lightning | date = July 5, 2019 | access-date = July 5, 2019}} On September 30, the Lightning announced that Verhaeghe had made the team's opening night roster.{{Cite tweet |user=JoeSmithTB |number = 1178716142925488128 |date = 30 September 2019 |title=Carter Verhaeghe said Jon Cooper told him yesterday he made team and will make #NHL debut Thursday.}} On October 3, Verhaeghe appeared in his first career NHL game, which came in a 5–2 Lightning win over the visiting Florida Panthers at Amalie Arena.{{cite web| url = https://news.yahoo.com/lightning-open-season-victory-over-022930686.html | title = Lightning open season with victory over Panthers | publisher = Yahoo Sports | date = 2019-10-03 | access-date = 2019-10-03}}{{Cite tweet |user=TBLightning |number = 1179899979705520128 |date = 3 October 2019 |title=Congrats, Carter! Welcome to the show.}} October 5, Verhaeghe recorded his first career NHL assist and point in a 4–3 loss to the Panthers at BB&T Center.{{Cite tweet |user=TBLightning |number = 1180663015072583681 |date = 5 October 2019 |title=first point of his NHL career for Carter Verhaeghe}}{{cite web| url = https://www.tampabay.com/sports/lightning/2019/10/06/lightning-just-a-bit-out-of-sorts-in-4-3-loss-to-panthers/ | title = Lightning just a bit out of sorts in 4-3 loss to Panthers | publisher = Tampa Bay Times | date = 2019-10-05 | access-date = 2019-10-06}} On December 7, Verhaeghe recorded his first career NHL goal and first career multi-point game in a 7–1 Lightning win over the visiting San Jose Sharks at Amalie Arena.{{Cite tweet |user=BBurnsNHL |number = 1203503390724104192 |date = 8 December 2019 |title=Carter Verhaeghe scores his first career NHL goal with 24.6 seconds to go. What a night for the rookie, who has 3 points, his first career goal and first career multi-point game.}}{{cite web| url = https://www.reuters.com/article/icehockey-nhl-tbl-sjs/lightning-pour-it-on-hammer-sharks-idUSMTZXEFC86AS6AY | title = Lightning pour it on, hammer Sharks | publisher = Reuters | date = 2019-12-07 | access-date = 2019-12-08}} He scored his first NHL hat trick on January 7, 2020, in a 9–2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.{{cite web |title=Verhaeghe's hat trick helps Lightning rout Canucks 9-2 |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/401145704 |website=ESPN |access-date=October 21, 2024 |date=January 7, 2020}}

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.{{cite web| url = https://www.tampabay.com/sports/lightning/2020/08/15/lightnings-carter-verhaeghe-in-lineup-mitchell-stephens-scratched/ | title = Lightning's Carter Verhaeghe notches first postseason assist | publisher = Tampa Bay Times | date = 2020-08-15 | access-date = 2020-08-20}} Tampa would go on to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Dallas Stars in six games, and Verhaeghe would become the second Sound Tigers player to win the Stanley Cup.{{cite tweet|user=thesoundtigers|number=1310919471264157698|title=Carter Verhaeghe became the second former #SoundTigers player to hoist the Stanley Cup last night. Eric Godard was the first 2009.|date=September 29, 2020}}

==Florida Panthers==

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.{{cite web|url= https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/carter-verhaeghe-not-qualified-by-lightning/ |title= Carter Verhaeghe: Not qualified by Lightning |work= CBS Sports |date= October 7, 2020}} On October 9, 2020, Verhaeghe remained in Florida, agreeing to a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/florida-panthers-agree-to-terms-with-forward-carter-verhaeghe-on-a-two-year-contract/c-319401864 | title = Panthers agree to terms with Carter Verhaeghe | publisher = Florida Panthers | date = October 10, 2020 | access-date = October 10, 2020}}

In the shortened 2020–21 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.{{cite web|url= https://www.nhl.com/news/carter-verhaeghe-signs-3-year-deal-with-florida/c-325841322 |title= Verhaeghe signs three-year contract extension with Panthers |publisher= NHL.com |date= July 31, 2021}}

During the 2022 playoffs, Verhaeghe scored a team-leading 12 points, including an overtime goal in game 6 of the first round series against the Washington Capitals to give the Panthers their first playoff series win since 1996 playoffs.{{cite web|url= https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/news/florida-panthers-nhl-playoff-series-carter-verhaeghe/e5mw62j8nf2ryuhuavq64al9 |title= Carter Verhaeghe, new generation of Panthers end team's NHL playoff series win drought |publisher= Sporting News |date= May 13, 2022}} The following year, Verhaeghe scored the series-winning goal in overtime of game 7 in their first round series against the Presidents' Trophy–winning Boston Bruins.{{Cite web |title=Panthers stun Bruins in Game 7 in OT, win Eastern 1st-Round series |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/florida-panthers-boston-bruins-game-7-recap/c-343600192 |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=NHL.com}}

Verhaeghe won his second Stanley Cup when the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.{{cite web |title=NHL star Carter Verhaeghe brings the Stanley Cup home to Waterdown on Monday |url=https://www.thespec.com/news/nhl-star-carter-verhaeghe-brings-the-stanley-cup-home-to-waterdown-on-monday/article_e93c8314-2937-558f-9c35-747f02bc3a0f.html |website=The Hamilton Spectator |access-date=October 21, 2024 |date=August 16, 2024}}

On October 8, 2024, Verhaeghe signed an eight-year contract extension with the Panthers.{{cite web |title=Florida Panthers Agree to Terms with Forward Carter Verhaeghe on Eight-Year Contract Extension |url=https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/florida-panthers-agree-to-terms-with-forward-carter-verhaeghe-on-eight-year-contract-extension |website=NHL.com |access-date=October 22, 2024 |date=October 8, 2024}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! 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

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Niagara IceDogs

| OHL

| 67

| 18

| 26

| 44

| 22

| 5

| 2

| 4

| 6

2013–14

| Niagara IceDogs

| OHL

| 65

| 28

| 54

| 82

| 60

| 6

| 2

| 4

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| Toronto Marlies

| AHL

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 0

| —

2014–15

| Niagara IceDogs

| OHL

| 68

| 33

| 49

| 82

| 38

| 11

| 6

| 8

| 14

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 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

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Bridgeport Sound Tigers

| AHL

| 45

| 16

| 13

| 29

| 20

| —

2016–17

| Missouri Mavericks

| ECHL

| 16

| 12

| 20

| 32

| 4

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 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

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Tampa Bay Lightning

| NHL

| 52

| 9

| 4

| 13

| 8

| 0

| 2

2020–21

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 43

| 18

| 36

| 31

| 6

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 78

| 24

| 31

| 55

| 48

| 10

| 6

| 12

| 4

2022–23

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 81

| 42

| 31

| 73

| 46

| 21

| 7

| 10

| 17

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2023–24

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 76

| 34

| 38

| 72

| 36

| 24

| 11

| 10

| 21

| 20

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3"|NHL totals

! 330

! 127

! 122

! 249

! 169

! 69

! 26

! 29

! 55

! 36

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em;"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2013

| Canada

| U18

| {{gold1}}

| 7

| 0

| 4

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4"|Junior totals

! 7

! 0

! 4

Awards and honours

class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year !
colspan="3"\|AHL
First All-Star Team \| 2019 \| {{cite web \|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/2018-19-american-hockey-league-first-and-second-all-star-teams-named/n-5470254 \|title=2018-19 American Hockey League First and Second All-Star Teams Named \|publisher=OurSports Central \|date=April 11, 2019}}
John B. Sollenberger Trophy \| 2019 \| {{cite web \|url=https://theahl.com/crunch-teammates-scoring-titles \|title=Crunch teammates claim AHL top scoring awards \| publisher= American Hockey League \| access-date = April 14, 2019 \|date=April 14, 2019}}
Willie Marshall Award \| 2019 \|
colspan="3"\|NHL
Stanley Cup champion \| 2020, 2024 \| {{Cite web\| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/sports/hockey/tampa-bay-lightning-win-stanley-cup.html \| title = Tampa Bay Lightning win Stanley Cup in Pandemic Bubble \| work = New York Times \| date = September 28, 2020 \| access-date = September 28, 2020}}

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

colspan="3"|AHL

First All-Star Team

| 2019

| {{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/2018-19-american-hockey-league-first-and-second-all-star-teams-named/n-5470254 |title=2018-19 American Hockey League First and Second All-Star Teams Named |publisher=OurSports Central |date=April 11, 2019}}

John B. Sollenberger Trophy

| 2019

| {{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/crunch-teammates-scoring-titles |title=Crunch teammates claim AHL top scoring awards | publisher= American Hockey League | access-date = April 14, 2019 |date=April 14, 2019}}

Willie Marshall Award

| 2019

colspan="3"|NHL

Stanley Cup champion

| 2020, 2024

| {{Cite web| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/sports/hockey/tampa-bay-lightning-win-stanley-cup.html | title = Tampa Bay Lightning win Stanley Cup in Pandemic Bubble | work = New York Times | date = September 28, 2020 | access-date = September 28, 2020}}