Carter Verhaeghe Signs Contract Extension

SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers have signed Carter Verhaeghe to an eight-year contract extension. 

Panthers general manager came into the postgame interview room to deliver the surprise news. 

The 29-year-old forward was in the middle of getting dressed prior to Florida’s 6-4 opening night victory against the Boston Bruins when he was told the deal was done. 

“I was happy to get it done before, that way I could kind of focus on the game and not have that go through my head the whole team,” said Verhaeghe, barely able to hold back a smile.

Verhaeghe is now the sixth Panthers player to be signed through at least 2030, joining Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, and Gustav Forsling. 

“It feels so good,” Verhaeghe said. “They’re like brothers to me. Honestly it felt so good last year to win with this core. We’ve been at it for a while. We just keep building, getting stronger. The friendships I’ve made here are lifelong. I’m just so proud to be a Panther.”

Verhaeghe has been one of the most prolific scorers for the Panthers since he arrived in 2020, notching 118 goals and 118 assists since then. 

Verhaeghe has also become a playoff hero in the clutchest of moments since arriving in Sunrise. In 2021-22, he scored six goals in Florida’s first-round matchup with the Washington Capitals, including two overtime goals. His overtime-winning slapshot in game six of that series clinched the first series win for the franchise since the 1996 Stanley Cup run.

The following year, it was Verhaeghe who notched the overtime winner against the Boston Bruins to win game seven of the first round in one of the most improbable upsets in NHL history. He also scored the game-winning goal in overtime a few weeks later against the Vegas Golden Knights to capture Florida’s first win in a Stanley Cup Final.

Verhaeghe is also tied for third in NHL history with five postseason overtime goals. He trails only hall-of-famers Joe Sakic (8) and Maurice Richard (6). Sakic accomplished the feat in 172 games and Richard did it in 132. Verhaeghe, at 28 years old, has done it in 69 games.

“This guy is a Florida Panther,” Zito said. “I think he defines what we just went through. All the superlatives we used about our team, Carter lives them every day. We are very blessed to have him.”

Verhaeghe is in the final year of his current contract, so his extension runs through 2032-33, when he will be 37.