Ever since I got to South Florida, I knew that I wanted to be a Panther.

Now that I know I’m going to get to keep being one for a long time, it’s an amazing feeling.

In the week leading up to the season, there were ongoing talks about getting a new deal done. We were just waiting to agree on a number, but we all knew it was going to happen. By the time the morning of the Home Opener, it was basically just down to paperwork.

At that point it was just reviewing everything and waiting for the go-ahead. I really wanted to get it done before the game started. It would have been fine regardless, but I just wanted to be able to focus on the game and not have to think about it. I wanted to get it off my mind.

Even though I was waiting, I knew couldn’t actually stop what I was doing. I still had to go through my usual pre-game workout and stick to my routine. Of course, I was still checking my phone a bit in the hours before puck drop. Suddenly, I got a text from my agent. He said, ‘I reviewed the contract. It’s good to sign. Go find Bill.’ Right away, I went looking for him.

When Bill and I sat down, I was already half-dressed for the game.

I felt a lot of things when I signed that eight-year extension. I think that having a deal like this takes a lot of distractions out of everything. It lets me just focus on playing hockey, having fun and living life. I think that mental security is going to help me on the ice, too.

After that, we raised the banner, won the game and started a new season.

It was just a really special night.

Looking back at when I signed my first contract here in 2020, I’ll always remember the great opportunity that I was given. I’ve always been grateful for it. The Panthers gave me a chance to show what I could do. When I got here, all I had on my mind was taking that next step.

I already knew how it felt to win the Stanley Cup with the Lightning, but I didn’t feel like I was that big of a part of it. I mean, I was, but I wasn’t. I played eight games during those playoffs. Coming here, I wanted to do it here and be a bigger part of the reason why.

I think that was a lot of my motivation back then. I wanted to come in and try to be that player, a big piece of a contender. I always knew that I had the potential to be able to do it. I just needed someone to give me an opportunity and to keep working hard every single day.

This organization believed in me and I’m so thankful they did.

I think it paid off.

To be a part of something from the beginning was really special. I remember when I first came here, guys like Barky and Ekky were so welcoming. Over time, we just kept adding more and more great guys until we built this incredible group. We all learned together.

Even the years we didn’t reach our ultimate goal, we always took a step. It was about growing. Just keep growing. We knew we’d eventually get it done. My first year, we finished first in the division. The second year, we went to the second round and won the Presidents’ Trophy. After that we made the Stanley Cup Final, and then last season we finished the job.

We just kept taking steps and it’s been amazing to build something with this group.

A lot of what I love about playing here starts with those guys.

It’s awesome just to come to work every day. The atmosphere, the guys, the culture, it’s all just so good. Everyone comes here to work. We work on our game and try to get better every day, but we also have fun doing it. That’s the biggest thing that we all try and do.

I can honestly say that no one has any ego here. Everyone comes to work and just does their job. We all try to be the best we can be. But we also joke around a lot. We keep things light and always remember to have fun. I think every guy brings something to our big table.

We’ve got a bunch of different personalities and characters. Some guys are hilarious, some are pranksters, and everyone has a good time being around each other. We just have a lot of good people here. I think it all starts with Barky. He’s so humble, nice and so welcoming. For me, it felt like I was part of a family right away, and we’ve only grown tighter since then.

I also have to give a shoutout to the fans.

It’s crazy how much hockey has grown even just over the time that I’ve been here. Obviously, we love our old fans that have been here since the beginning, but to just see so many new fans coming in and to have the community get behind us, it’s special.

Hockey is a great game that everyone deserves to play and deserves to love like we do.

This is definitely a hockey town.

I know I’ve said it a few times already, but everything about this place and this team is just so special. To know I’m going to be here for a long time, I couldn’t have dreamed for a better organization to be a part of or a better group of guys to play with. This was an easy decision.

It just feels like the Panthers is me, you know what I mean? I don’t know how to put it into words, but I don’t think that I’d feel the same if I was in another jersey. This is who I am.

I’m a Panther.

– Carter Verhaeghe

*As told to FloridaPanthers.com’s Jameson Olive