PuckSleuth
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Florida Panthers · Center · Shoots L

Carter Verhaeghe

Age 31 · 6'2" · 183 lb · Born in Toronto, CAN

Cap hit

$7M

6.7% of $104M cap

Term

7 yrs

Through 2032-33, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$608K

vs. $7.608M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

0

0.0% shooting

Assists

1

1 primary

Points

1

0.50 per game

TOI/GP

18:06

PP 3:41 · PK 0:00

xGF%

73.5

5v5, +22 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.09

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

0 W · 1 L

Plus/minus

+1

Blocks 1 · Hits 1

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 1
@ SJS · OTL 4-3
0001017:142:520:00—67000-0.08
Sep 29
@ CAR · W 1-0
0110118:584:290:000-15000+1+0.26
Apr 9
@ OTT · L 5-1
0011018:152:000:001-85000-2-0.31
Apr 7
@ MTL · OTL 4-3
1031121:543:450:561-157230+0.77
Apr 5
@ PIT · L 5-2
1051022:439:201:101-2—310+0.72

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,073 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%51.5%

68th percentile

Relative xGF%+1.8

69th percentile

HDCF%47.9%

42nd percentile

CF%54.5%

88th percentile

Relative CF%+3.8

88th percentile

FF%52.2%

75th percentile

GF%49.5%

51st percentile

CF/6065.8

90th percentile

CA/6055.0

71st percentile

ixG/601.26

74th percentile

Goals above expected+2.5

82nd percentile

IPP73.1%

78th percentile

PDO99.3

44th percentile

OZS%57.8%

68th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleSkilled offensive center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Verhaeghe plays a shoot-first game with excellent volume and speed, generating chances from inside the slot and mid-range. He struggles getting into dangerous positions off the rush and lacks the physical presence or defensive responsibility typical of his position.

High-volume shooterSlot threatOffensive minded
Shooting volume
87
Playmaking
67
Zone entries(est.)
26
Forechecking
56
Physicality
25
Defensive impact
13
Puck management
58
Speed
71

Where he shoots from

Slot 41% · Mid-range 44% · Perimeter 15%(275 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Shoots frequently from all distances, ranking 87th in volume among centers
  • Generates chances from prime scoring areas, 41% of shots from the slot
  • Above-average speed helps him skate into opportunities, 71st percentile

Watch-outs

  • Poor defensive impact at 13th percentile limits his two-way value
  • Minimal physicality, 25th percentile, makes him vulnerable in tight spaces
  • Struggles creating rush chances, 26th percentile, limits transition offense

Similar style: Tage Thompson (BUF), Sam Bennett (FLA)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 77 GP · goals above average

Season total +3.5 goals, or +0.05 per game.

Even strength offense
+1.2
Even strength defense
-0.6
Power play
+0.7
Penalty kill
+0.1
Finishing
+2.6
Playmaking
+0.1
Penalties
-0.2
Faceoffs
-0.4

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-SOGTOI/GPFO%GS/GP
2026-27FLA2011+1118:06—+0.09
2025-26FLA77253055-1418717:3734.2%+0.05
2024-25FLA81203353-1424217:52—-0.07
2023-24FLA76343872+1724617:5844.0%+0.16
2022-23FLA81423173+1027517:30—+0.15

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 31, forwards typically produce 80% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 37, when the typical level is 41%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
20.2 mph
32nd pct
20+ mph bursts
1
Hardest shot
64.1 mph
38th pct
Distance
3.2 mi
OZ time
40.1%
41st pct
DZ time
40.1%