Carter Verhaeghe
Forward
Miami Connection
As a star for the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Verhaeghe drives fan excitement and attendance at Amerant Bank Arena, boosting South Florida's sports culture with back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025. He hosted community skating sessions with the Stanley Cup at the Panthers' practice rink, inspiring local youth hockey groups. His record-setting playoff performances and ongoing scoring surges elevate the team's profile in the Miami metro area.
About
Born August 14, 1995, in Waterford, Ontario, Carter Verhaeghe rose through junior hockey with the Niagara IceDogs before being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He won his first Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 prior to signing with the Florida Panthers. With the Panthers, he set a franchise record with five points in a single playoff game in 2022 and won Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, becoming the first player to claim the Cup with both Florida teams. On October 8, 2024, he signed an eight-year contract extension with the Panthers. The team plays out of Sunrise in South Florida, anchoring his strong Miami-area connection. Currently, he continues as a top-line forward, recently scoring on a hot streak post the birth of his first child.