Carter Verhaeghe signs eight-year extension with Panthers

SUNRISE — While getting dressed for Tuesday’s home opener, Carter Verhaeghe found out his contract extension was finalized with the Florida Panthers.

After Tuesday’s win, Panthers GM Bill Zito — with Verhaeghe next to him — told media that the team and Verhaeghe agreed to an eight-year contract extension.

“I was halfway dressed,” Verhaeghe said when asked about when he learned the news. “I went in and he [Zito] told me it was done. I was happy to get it done before the game.”

The 29-year-old was entering the final season of his three-year contract, where he was making $4.16M a season. 

Verhaeghe was one of the first acquisitions Zito made when he took over the helm ahead of the 2020-21 season. At that time, Verhaeghe was signed to a two-year, $2M contract — after the Tampa Bay Lightning elected to not bring him back following their 2020 Stanley Cup win.

Four years later, Verhaeghe is now a two-time Stanley Cup champion — and was one of the key contributors for the Panthers’ run.

When Verhaeghe signed on a near minimum contract with the Panthers back in 2020, he didn’t think he’d be signing an eight-year extension, or be a a big player en route to his second Stanley Cup.

“No, not a chance,” Verhaeghe responded to the question. “I think coming here I just took it day by day. Obviously you want to win the Stanley Cup, that’s the goal. It was kind of my goal to come here and build it but you never know if it’s going to come true or what happens. It’s crazy that it came true and to do it with this group of guys, this organization.”

In the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Verhaeghe led all Panthers skaters in goals (11) and was third on the team in scoring with 21 points.

“I’m so proud to be able to wear the Panther logo for a long time,” Verhaeghe added. “It wouldn’t be right wearing any other sweater.”

After just four seasons, Verhaeghe has proven to be one of the most important players in franchise history.

He is is the Panthers all-time playoff leader in goals (26), even-strength goals (21), even-strength points (46), overtime goals (5) and game-winning goals (10). He also owns the club record for points in a postseason series with 12 (6-6-12) in six games over the Capitals in 2022.

In his first four seasons with the Panthers, Verhaeghe put up 118 goals and 118 points for 236 points in 278 regular season games.

All the superlatives that we used about our team, Carter lives them everyday,” Zito said when announcing Verhaeghe’s extension. “We’re very blessed to have him.”