SUNRISE, Fla. -Switching sides can often be a little bit tricky.
But in moving from the Lightning to the cross-state rival Panthers, Carter Verhaeghe said his former Tampa Bay teammates only had one request for when they run into each other again.
"They told me to take it easy on them a little bit," Verhaeghe laughed.
Verhaeghe Looking Forward to New Opportunity with Panthers
Taking his talents from one coast of Florida to another, the 25-year-old forward is excited to begin the next chapter of his career with the Panthers after putting pen to paper on a two-year, one-way contract shortly after the NHL's free agency period officially opened back on Oct. 9.
"I think it's just a great team, a great young team," Verhaeghe said of joining the Cats. "They need players, right? I think I'm going to get a lot more opportunity than I would have in Tampa. Pretty much [they] liked my game and wanted to bring me in. It seemed like a really good fit."
Fresh off an unforgettable season that began with his NHL debut on Oct. 3, 2019 and ended with him hoisting the Stanley Cup on Sept. 28, 2020, Verhaeghe said he considers joining the Panthers as somewhat of a cherry on top, but also possibly the start of something even better.
"From achieving my childhood dream and then a week later signing with a different team, it's been pretty crazy," said Verhaeghe, who toured both BB&T Center and the Panthers IceDen earlier this month. "I'm so excited to be a part of the Florida Panthers. It's just been awesome."
Originally selected by Toronto in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Verhaeghe was traded twice before landing with the Lightning in 2017. Finding his game with Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate, he notched 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 58 games with Syracuse in 2017-18.
From there, he continued to develop into one of the most-efficient scorers in the minors, earning a coveted spot on the AHL First All-Star Team after leading the league in both goals (34) and points (82), while also pacing the Crunch in assists (48) during a breakout 2018-19 campaign.
Parlaying that season into a spot with the Lightning in 2019-20, Verhaeghe managed to do a lot with limited minutes during his rookie season. Earning his first-career point in just his second NHL game - oddly enough, a contest against the Panthers - he went on to register nine goals and four assists while playing a bottom-six role and averaging 9:22 of ice time over 52 games.
A driver of possession, he also had a 55.39 CF% at 5-on-5, according to NautralStatTrick.com.
"I think this year it was a little different for me," said Verhaeghe, who stands 6-foot-1 and 181 pounds. "I was kind of coming onto a stacked team and playing a little bit of a different role than I had been in the past. I think with me it's about just every year kind of getting better and using my skills and stuff. I think it's great because I'm going to get more of an opportunity [with Florida], but it's up to me what I do with it. I'm just really excited and ready to get going."
In the postseason, Verhaeghe recorded two assists in eight games. Garnering the trust of Tampa Bay's coaching staff in a short period of time, he competed in three games during the Stanley Cup Final against Dallas, with the Lightning coming out on top in two of those games.
Verhaeghe said playing in those high-pressure situations was "huge" for his confidence.
"It was such a learning experience, playing in my first playoffs and winning the Cup," Verhaeghe said. "It was really special. You take those experiences and then use them wherever you go."
When asked about the organization's decision to pursue Verhaeghe in free agency, Panthers general manager Bill Zito said the up-and-coming forward is someone that scouts believe could potentially do a lot more damage if given more responsibility and greater opportunities on the ice.
In Florida, Verhaeghe is expected to receive both of those things.
"He's a guy now with a Stanley Cup pedigree who can play up and down the lineup with some upside," Zito said. "That was something that we targeted. Our scouts worked very hard and spent a lot of hours together looking for sort of younger talent that have upside and might be buried, might be behind opportunities in the clubs that they were on. He's a guy we're really excited about to see exactly what he can do providing some opportunities here."
While some players haven't played competitively since March, Verhaeghe is only a few weeks into the offseason. With that in mind - and with the NHL and NHLPA tentatively targeting Jan. 1 as a start date for the 2019-20 - he plans to take a quick break before getting back on the ice.
And when it's time to get back to work, he's happy that his new home is only a few hours away.
"At least a couple weeks recharge," Verhaeghe said. "It's nice doing it in this weather. Back [in Toronto] it's getting pretty cold. I can just relax by the pool here. I'll take a couple weeks off and then get everything moved to Fort Lauderdale, get settled in and then start training with the new team."
