Verhaeghe takes Cup home for 2nd time, shares time with fans, family

Carter Verhaeghe and the town of Waterdown, Ont. may have felt some déjà vu on Monday when the Panthers forward stopped by.

Verhaeghe spent his day with the Cup in his hometown, sharing the trophy with his friends and family after earning the championship last season with the Panthers. Back in 2020, after winning the Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Verhaeghe also spent his day in Waterdown.

But the days looked a bit different. With the COVID pandemic in 2020, Verhaeghe was a bit limited with what he could do with the Cup, and masks were the norm for friends and fans alike. This time around, the smiles were mask-free.

“It was awesome to see,” Verhaeghe said. “Bringing it here and seeing all the kids’ reactions … some of them can’t speak because they’re so starstruck from the Cup. It’s awesome. That’s what it’s all about.”

Verhaeghe also got to see his named engraved on the Cup twice this time around. Both of his names are on the bottom ring, which make them easy to find, he said.

Verhaeghe is only one of two Panthers who had their named engraved on the Cup a second time, along with forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who on the Cup in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.

This is the second time the engraving has taken place before the summer tour, following the 2022-23 Vegas Golden Knights. Prior to that, the names were usually engraved on the trophy in late September or early October.

Along with sharing the trophy with fans, Verhaeghe got to spend some time with his family, including his grandma who just turned 92-years-old.

“I wasn’t expecting her to come,” Verhaeghe said. “It’s so special that she gets to share this day with us.”

After a round of golf with the Cup, Verhaeghe ended the day by eating a sweet treat out of the bowl with his family.

Overall an eventful day with the Cup for Verhaeghe and Waterdown. Another eventful day, that is.