It took six years and a couple of trades to get Verhaeghe, a center from Toronto, from being selected by the hometown Maple Leafs in the third round (No. 82) of the 2013 NHL Draft to his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 3, 2019.

Verhaeghe never got to play with the Maple Leafs. He was still with Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League when Toronto traded him to the New York Islanders on Sept. 17, 2015. He turned pro after a 33-goal, 82-point season with Niagara and played two seasons in the Islanders' farm system before being traded again, this time to the Lightning on July 1, 2017.

The Lightning sent Verhaeghe to Syracuse of the American Hockey League. He blossomed into an offensive force in his second season, scoring 34 goals and 82 points.

Verhaeghe made the Lightning at training camp in 2019 and was in the opening-night lineup against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 3, 2019. He earned his first point, an assist, against the Panthers two nights later and scored his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 7. On Jan. 7, 2020, Verhaeghe scored three goals against the Vancouver Canucks for his first NHL hat trick. He finished with nine goals and 13 points in 52 games, then had two assists in eight playoff games during the Lightning's run to the Stanley Cup.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• AHL First All-Star Team (2019)
• John P. Sollenberger Trophy (AHL Top Scorer) (2019)
• Willie Marshall Award (AHL Top Goal-scorer) (2019)
• Traded to NY Islanders by Toronto with Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson, Taylor Beck and Matt Finn for Michael Grabner, September 17, 2015.
• Traded to Tampa Bay by NY Islanders for Kristers Gudlevskis, July 1, 2017.
• Signed as a free agent by Florida, October 9, 2020.