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Sport
Dave Hyde

Dave Hyde: Carter Verhaeghe had a long journey to his big Florida Panthers moment

Carter Verhaeghe Aleksander Barkov Washington Aaron Ekblad Patric Hornqvist Andrew Brunette NHL Fla Florida Panrs Sunrise

SUNRISE, Fla. — Carter Verhaeghe is the same 26 years old as Aleksander Barkov, but made his minor-league debut seven years ago when Barkov was on his third stellar season with the Florida Panthers.

He’s the same age as Aaron Ekblad. But Ekblad was a rising star in his second Panthers season six years ago, when Verhaeghe had such trouble getting ice time with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers he split time with another lower-level minor-league team, the Missouri Mavericks.

This is important to understand the smile Verhaeghe was trying mightily to turn off Wednesday night after the Panthers beat Washington in Game 5 of their playoff series 5-3. Verhaeghe was traded, ignored, doubted, demoted and forgotten for years in the manner careers often stall out and dreams die.

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