© Florida Panthers

Carter Verhaeghe and the town of Waterdown, Ont. may have felt some déjà vu on Monday when the Panthers forward stopped by.

Verhaeghe dedicated his day to celebrating with the Cup in his hometown, basking in the joy of his championship victory last season with the Panthers alongside his loved ones. He spent a similar day in Waterdown in 2020, following his Cup win with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

However, the days appeared somewhat altered. Due to the COVID pandemic in 2020, Verhaeghe’s activities with the Cup were somewhat restricted and wearing masks was the new normal for both friends and fans. This time, however, the smiles were free from masks.

“Seeing the kids’ reactions to the Cup was an incredible experience,” said Verhaeghe. “Some of them were so awestruck, they couldn’t even speak. It was an awesome moment. That’s what it’s all about, bringing it here.”

Verhaeghe also got to see his named engraved on the Cup twice this time around. Both of his names are on the bottom ring, which make them easy to find, he said.

Verhaeghe is only one of two Panthers who had their named engraved on the Cup a second time, along with forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who on the Cup in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.

Seeing your name on the Cup never gets old pic.twitter.com/L9BwRwVOsu

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) August 19, 2024

The engraving has occurred before the summer tour for the second time, with the previous instance being the 2022-23 Vegas Golden Knights. Before this, the engraving of names on the trophy typically took place in late September or early October.

Verhaeghe not only shared the trophy with his fans, but also spent some time with his family, including his grandma who recently celebrated her 92nd birthday.

“Her arrival was unexpected,” Verhaeghe commented, “It’s incredibly special that she’s here to share this day with us.”

Verhaeghe concluded the day by sharing a sweet treat with his family from the bowl, after a round of golf with the Cup.

An awesome way to end a great day for @FlaPanthers Carter Verhaeghe. Ice cream, anyone? (Waterdown, ON) #StanleyCup @NHL @HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/gHnx2QFN4e

— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) August 20, 2024

Another eventful day for Verhaeghe and Waterdown with the Cup, indeed.

Carter's day with the @StanleyCup is complete ☑️ pic.twitter.com/bmzRY0JiK2

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) August 20, 2024