Understanding Carter Verhaeghe’s offensive production ahead of the Panthers’ homestand
Wednesday marks the beginning of a five-game homestand for the Florida Panthers, who have only played four of their 13 games at FLA Live Arena so far this season.
The Panthers will look to the reliable offensive prowess of Carter Verhaeghe to help set the tone for the next week-and-a-half. On Florida’s four-game road trip to the West Coast, he had four goals and two assists and recorded at least one point in six of the Panthers’ past seven games.
Florida will play the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, then Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers, Nov. 15 against the Washington Capitals, Nov. 17 against the Dallas Stars and Nov. 19 against the Calgary Flames.
With Matthew Tkachuk still suspended for poking his stick into Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick’s mask, Verhaeghe will assume even more responsibility, particularly in the midweek competition.
Verhaeghe’s eight goals (which lead Florida and are tied for sixth in the NHL) come off 35 shot attempts for a team-leading shooting percentage of 22.9 percent. He most recently found the back of the net in the first period and assisted Sam Reinhart’s empty-net goal in the third period of Florida’s 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Five of Verhaeghe’s eight goals have opened scoring in a game (Oct. 19 versus Philly; Oct. 29 against Ottawa, Sunday at Anaheim) or tied the game (Thursday against San Jose, Saturday at Los Angeles).
“It’s elite and it’s highly unusual,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said of Verhaeghe’s shot. “... It comes off his stick before you think it’s going to.”
Maurice compared Verhaeghe to Kyle Connor, who had 47 goals last season and four 30-plus goal seasons under Maurice in Winnipeg with the Jets.
Verhaeghe scored a career-high 24 goals in the 2021-2022 season. But through 13 games this year, he’s on pace to more than double his personal best. His 13 points sit only behind Tkachuk’s 17 on the Panthers.
“We have strived for him to understand that he’s a shooter and to embrace that,” Maurice said when asked what seems to be the driving force in Verhaeghe’s uptick in production this season. “…He has to have a primary driver for what he does for a living when he shoots the puck. So he shoots the puck a little bit more. And he scores. So that just gets more shots, right? Well, it’s OK. The guys don’t mind if I shoot, and I’m scoring. It’s OK if I shoot then.”
Before Tkachuk’s suspension, he, Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov occupied Florida’s top line. They played 65 1/2 minutes together in 5-on-5 play through 12 games and have outscored opponents 8-1 when all three are on the ice together — far exceeding their expected goals for (5.56) and expected goals against (2.09), according to the advanced hockey statistics website Natural Stat Trick. When Barkov and Verhaeghe have been on the ice together without Tkachuk, they have been outscored 4-2 over 86:24, despite their expected goal rates being nearly equal (3.6 expected goals for compared to 3.69 expected goals against).
“It feels like every time we’re on the ice, we’re playing in the offensive zone and making plays and getting chances,” Verhaeghe said of the line’s chemistry before Tkachuk’s suspension. “Those two are a lot of fun to play with.
“[Tkachuk] brings such a different element to the game. He makes plays. He’s gritty. He gets to the front of the net. He opens up a ton of space. Both guys I’m playing with are great. I’m lucky.”
Colin White took Tkachuk’s spot on the right wing of Florida’s top line Sunday, while Verhaeghe assumed Tkachuk’s role in the top power-play unit.
Injury updates
Right winger Patric Hornqvist (upper body) and defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) participated in Panthers practice Tuesday morning. Maurice said Ekblad should be back in the lineup Saturday for Florida’s game against Edmonton
