Panthers and 2-time Cup winner Carter Verhaeghe agree on 8-year contract extension

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe is no longer a free-agent-in-waiting. He’s going to be with the Florida Panthers for years to come.

Verhaeghe and the Panthers have agreed on an eight-year, $56 million contract extension, the deal getting announced shortly after the Stanley Cup champions opened their season by beating the Boston Bruins 6-4 on Tuesday night.

“This guy’s a Florida Panther,” general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. “We’re very blessed to have him.”

The two-time Cup winner — he also won one with Tampa Bay — is entering his fifth season with the Panthers. He had 42 goals and 73 points in the 2022-23 season, then 34 goals and 72 points last season to help Florida’s title run.

“To be a Florida Panther for this long already is a huge honor for me,” Verhaeghe said. “To even extend it longer, I’m just so grateful to the organization.”

Verhaeghe also had 11 goals in the playoffs last season, the last of those coming in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final when Florida topped Edmonton 2-1 for the franchise’s first title.

There were hints that a deal was close, the best of those coming on Monday night at the Panthers’ championship ring ceremony. Panthers owner Vincent Viola handed the rings to players one by one, and when it was Verhaeghe’s turn there was an extra message — a promise from the owner that he would remain with the team.

A day later, the deal was done — officially getting sealed before Tuesday’s game, just like Viola indicated.

“It’s what I wanted,” Verhaeghe said. “It was cool. He said some really nice things to everyone. It was awesome.”

Verhaeghe joins the core of Panthers who are under contract through at least 2030, a list that includes Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Gustav Forsling.

“It feels so good,” Verhaeghe said. “They’re like brothers to me. Last year, it felt so good to be able to win with this core. … The friendships I’ve made here are lifelong and I’m just so proud to be a Panther.”

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