Rewarding the coaching staff for their trust in him, Verhaeghe went on to register 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) and an outstanding +24 rating over 43 games during his sophomore season in the NHL while primarily lining up alongside Selke Trophy-winning center Aleksander Barkov.
After averaging 9:22 minutes per game last season, he nearly doubled that number to 17:44.
"Coming in here was a really easy transition," said Verhaeghe, who inked a two-year deal with Florida after helping Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup. "It starts with the leadership. All the guys that have been here for a while have been great. They made me feel comfortable right away."
Widely considered one of the top free-agent steals of the offseason, Verhaeghe started to turn heads right from the get-go. After notching an assist in his Panthers debut, he then scored goals in each of his next three games, including a two-goal performance against Chicago on Jan. 19.
Flourishing in his expanded role, he never went more than three games without a point.
"I have definitely gotten a ton of opportunity here," Verhaeghe said. "It seems like they trust me."
Doing most of his damage at 5-on-5, 16 of his 18 goals came at even-strength. That number put him in a tie with Frank Vatrano for second-most on the team, with both trailing only Barkov's 18.
A relentless forechecker with a nose for the puck, Verhaeghe's contributions were also key to the Panthers becoming one of the top possession teams in the NHL. When he was on the ice at 5-on-5, Florida led opposing teams in shots attempts (717-504) and scoring chances (290-204).
Overall Verhaeghe's 58.72 CF% trailed on Barkov's mark of 58.90%.
"I didn't think we'd be getting that type of production, to be totally honest," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said in February. "At the same time, we liked the ingredients that he did bring to our team with quickness and perseverance. It's almost like he's got a relentless attitude around the puck."
Held out of the lineup for 13 games toward the end of the season due to an upper-body injury, Verhaeghe looked no worse for wear in his return to action while scoring a goal during a 4-0 win over the Lightning in the final tune-up before the two rivals were slated to meet in the playoffs.
Cracking the scoresheet in three of six games against his former club in the postseason, he finished tied for second on the Panthers with two goals during the hard-fought, in-state series.
No longer a secret, Verhaeghe will head into next season as a known commodity in the NHL.
"He's been unbelievable, scoring those big goals for us," Panthers forward Noel Acciari said of Verhaeghe in April. "He's flying up and down the ice. When he gets the puck on his stick, you just know something good is going to happen."
