Carter Verhaeghe was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was traded to the New York Islanders before he made the NHL.  He never played for the Isles either, as he was dealt to Tampa, where he won an AHL scoring title, and made it to the Lightning roster in 2019/20, where he played a small role in their Stanley Cup win.  As the Bolts were loaded at Center, they allowed him to leave for Free Agency, in a move that they might have regretted.  Verhaeghe stayed in state, signing with Florida, and he proved that he could be a scorer at hockey’s elite level.

Verhaeghe’s ice time doubles with the Panthers and in his first season (the COVID-shortened 2020/21) with the club he scored 36 Points in 43 Games, and had 55 Points last year.  He took it to another level last season, lighting the lamp 42 times which placed him ninth overall.

Verhaeghe enters this season as one of Florida’s top players and has the skill set to have another good offensive campaign