George Richards, FHN Publisher
When last season started, Sasha Barkov said the Florida Panthers had a “a new team, a fresh start.” Carter Verhaeghe was one of the new guys who is coming back and says it’s time of the team to build on their success.
“Our team has had a lot of potential and I think last year really put us on the map,’’ Verhaeghe said. “We have a lot more to give, have the right pieces. We’re all at the same point in our career and this group can do something special.
“It’s really an exciting time to be a part of the Panthers.”
Verhagehe got a fresh start with the Panthers in 2021.
After struggling to find playing time on a deep Tampa Bay team, Verhaeghe was cut loose by the cap-crunched team and signed a low-risk, high-reward contract with the Panthers.
The two-year contract paying $1 million per season was one of the best deals in all of hockey.
The Panthers’ offseason has as much about keeping their own while adding to a team that was one of the best in the NHL last season.
Verhaeghe, who will be playing out the final year of that two-year deal this season, is now locked up for a few more after signing a three-year contract extension with the team on Wednesday.
He said the team came to him with the hopes of getting an extension done and he agreed with that sentiment.
“I wanted to be there and they wanted to be there too,” said Verhaeghe, who will get $4.3 million on average on his new contract which kicks in for the 2022-23 season.
“It’s the right fit. I love it there, the organization is second to none. We have great teammates there. It’s just awesome. I’m happy to get this done and it takes a little pressure off of next year.”
Of all the players the Panthers brought in last year, only a few — Alex Wennberg the most notable — won’t be back for the 2021-22 campaign.
General manager Bill Zito extended the contracts of Anthony Duclair, Sam Bennett, Gus Forsling, Brandon Montour and Juho Lammikko while also being able to keep the likes of Radko Gudas, Markus Nutivaara and Patric Hornqvist after the Seattle expansion draft.
Verhaeghe said knowing the Panthers were coming back basically intact (with Sam Reinhart picked up in a draft-day trade with the Sabres) was instrumental in his decision to get an extension done with the Panthers now.
He has seen firsthand how the Lightning has built up its team into a two-time champion and he feels the Panthers are on the same path to success.
“We’re trending in the right direction, that’s for sure,” said Verhaeghe, who scored 18 goals with 36 points in 43 games last season.
With the contract now finished, Verhaeghe said he plans on heading back to South Florida in the coming weeks to start preparing in earnest for training camp.
Florida is expected to kick off camp around Sept. 22 in Coral Springs with some players already in town and getting their skating in.
The Panthers’ quick start last season may have caught some by surprise but this Florida team won’t sneak up on anyone.
Florida is considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and Verhaeghe has echoed many of his teammates in expressing his excitement to run things back with the Panthers when the season starts in October.
“I don’t think there’s pressure on us but we’re a good group with a lot of good pieces, good players,” he said. “We’re going to build on what we did last year. Everyone is motivated, we have the right leadership in place. …
“We’re going to keep getting better and hopefully contend for a Cup in the next couple of years. We want to have success and want to win the Stanley Cup. Everyone is on the same page. We have a lot of guys coming back from last year, added some big pieces. We’re excited to get back at it.”