© 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 devoted his day to celebrating with the Cup in his hometown, showcasing the trophy to his friends and family. This was after clinching the championship in the previous season with the Panthers. Following his Cup victory with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020, Verhaeghe similarly spent his day in Waterdown.

However, the days appeared slightly altered. Due to the COVID pandemic in 2020, Verhaeghe’s activities with the Cup were somewhat restricted, and wearing masks became standard for both friends and fans. This time, the smiles were visible without masks.

Verhaeghe expressed, “It was incredible to witness. The reactions of the kids when we brought it here were priceless… Some of them were so awestruck by the Cup that they couldn’t even speak. It’s simply amazing. That’s the essence of it all.”

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 precedent being the 2022-23 Vegas Golden Knights. Typically, the names were inscribed on the trophy 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 presence was unexpected,” said Verhaeghe. “The fact that she gets to celebrate this day with us is incredibly special.”

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

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

Verhaeghe and Waterdown had another eventful day overall with the Cup.

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

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) August 20, 2024