Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period in game three of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesThe 2024-25 season wasn't poor from Carter Verhaeghe, but his 20 goals and 53 points were far lower than what the Florida Panthers have come to expect from him.
The 29-year-old finished the season with a career-worst 8.3 shooting percentage and his lowest average shots on goal in the past three seasons. Despite that, the season was still quite productive for Verhaeghe.
The two seasons prior, Verhaeghe scored 42 and 36 goals, on 275 and 246 shots with a 15.3 and a 13.8 shooting percentage. The playoffs saw Verhaeghe's shooting percentage rise back to where it tends to be, although he finished the postseason with just 52 shots in 23 games.
At his best, Verhaeghe is firing pucks on goal from high-danger areas. He's the highest volume shooter on the team after Matthew Tkachuk and needs to get back to his usual self for the Panthers to remain dominant.
With Tkachuk expected to be out for several months to start the season, Verhaeghe could get a run on the top power play unit, but he'll likely have to compete with Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett. If Verhaeghe does find his way onto the top unit, it should help his shooting percentage improve.
The volume shooting should improve playing alongside Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart at even strength, giving Verhaeghe all the tools to get back to the 35-goal scorer he's become accustomed to being.
Known as a clutch scorer with a shooter's mindset, Verhaeghe is a vital part of the Panthers' offensive core.
"I always see him talking to himself on the bench," said teammate Aaron Ekblad. "It's in his DNA. It's something he thinks about morning, noon and night, is scoring goals. He's got the iPad in between shifts, seeing what he can do differently."