New dad Carter Verhaeghe is on fire. Clutch goals, big points, and a 'dad bump' propelled the Panthers forward to Third Star of the Week status.
New papa Carter Verhaeghe is having quite a start to his month of December.
After he and his wife Casey welcomed their first child, Rory, into the world last week, an extremely special occasion for anyone but especially for a first-time father.
On the ice, things have been going just a well for Verhaeghe.
Last week, he racked up four goals and five points in the three games he played for the Panthers after missing a game Rory’s birth.
Florida went 2-0-1 in those three games, and Verhaeghe scored in each of them.
For his effort, the NHL named Verhaeghe the Third Star of the Week, along with First Star Ilya Sorokin and Second Star Jake Oettinger.
It’s been more than just a week that Verhaeghe has seen his game turn a corner.
Since Florida’s 8-3 win over Nashville on Nov. 24, Verhaeghe has accumulated six goals and 11 points in a six-game span.
Perhaps it’s a coincidence that Verhaeghe has caught fire right around the time he became a dad, and maybe it’s not.
There have been many players who have come before him that have felt the influence of the ‘dad bump.’
Either way, it’s a big boost for the Panthers to have ‘Swaggy’ back producing at his usual, torrid pace.
With both Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett joining Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart as regular contributors to the scoresheet, it will go a long way toward helping the team remain afloat in the standings while its several injured players continue working their way to health.
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Photo caption: Nov 26, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates after scoring against the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)