According to TSN’s and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the Florida Panthers will sign Carter Verhaeghe to a three-year extension. The deal starts in the 2022-23 season with the cap hit just north of $4 million. Verhaeghe is on the last year of his current contract this season.
Hearing that Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe, such a great story this past season, is signing a three-year extension later today worth just north of $4M AAV per season. Has another year next season at $1M. So signing one year out. @TSNHockey @TheAthletic
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 28, 2021
Carter Verhaeghe to Sign Extension
Verhaeghe has played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers in his two-year NHL career. The Waterdown, Ontario native had a breakout season with 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points in 43 games with the Panthers. He also added a pair of goals in Florida’s six Stanley Cup playoff games this season.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old has a career total of 27 goals and 22 assists for 49 points in 95 games between the two Sunshine State teams. The Toronto Maple Leafs originally drafted him in the third round, 82nd overall of the 2013 NHL Draft.
Verhaeghe put up 34 goals as a member of Tampa’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse in the 2018-19 season. He’s also represented Canada at the international level at the World Under-18 championships. He was part of the gold medal-winning Team Canada squad in 2013.
What This Means for the Future
The young forward bet on himself and came up big last season. He looks like he’ll cash in on a good-money deal that will give him some term and security.
Verhaeghe seemed to be squeezed out of Tampa’s system thanks to their salary cap issues, but showed to have plenty of game last season. The Panthers will likely reap the benefits of Verhaeghe’s strong play for the next few seasons.
Florida general manager Bill Zito has seemingly turned the team around and they should be a threat in the Atlantic Division next season when the team’s get back together. The Panthers have some solid players and they’re coming in at a reasonable price with the lone exception of Sergei Bobrovsky‘s $10 million deal.
