Carter Verhaeghe: A Closer Look
By Steve Dangle
10 years ago
The Leafs signed a young prospect who will report to the Toronto Marlies and likely take away another AHL player’s job. I can’t wait to see Don Cherry’s Twitter rant about it! What’s that? Carter Verhaeghe isn’t a college player? Oh. Never mind.
Jeffler wrote a little bit about Verhaeghe’s signing earlier today. Months ago, Justin Fisher wrote about Verhaeghe when the Leafs selected him in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Let’s take a deeper look though.
I have seen Verhaeghe play in person while he played for the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs. I could pretend like I know his game top to bottom but that wouldn’t be fair and it wouldn’t be true. Rather than BS you all, I reached out to Mark Edwards, the Founder & Director of Scouting for HockeyProspect.com and analyst on The Prospect Show on NHL Network Radio & TSN Radio. He knows his stuff and he knows a thing or two about this Leafs prospect.
“[He] wasn’t overly skilled as a minor hockey player but has developed his scoring abilities. Always had a good work ethic. Was great with Brendan Perlini.”
Verhaeghe’s chemistry with Perlini, who is eligible for this summer’s 2014 NHL Entry Draft, is undeniable. This particular video of the duo lighting up Owen Sound for five points each is a great demonstration of that. Pardon the video quality.
There’s also this beauty against London.
More from Edwards…
“Not a flashy kid. Built on solid U18 last year which helped his draft stock and kept it going this year. I’m a bigger fan now than I was 12 months ago.”
Edwards’ comment that he’s a bigger fan of Verhaeghe now than he was when he was drafted makes sense. As Justin mentioned in his draft day post, Verhaeghe was an “off the board” pick. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 102nd among North American skaters. Not all skaters – just North Americans. With a ranking that high, it would have been reasonable to expect Verhaeghe to go in the fifth round or potentially not at all.
The Leafs have had some recent success in the third round of the draft. Nothing mind-blowing yet, but generally speaking, most third-rounders don’t become regular NHL players. A lot of them don’t even make it to 100 games or even 50. While they aren’t regular NHL players, Joshua Leivo (2011) played seven games this season and looks like he could be a player. Greg McKegg (2010) and Jamie Devane (2009) both played their first NHL games this season. Maybe Verhaeghe is next in a year or two.
As always, Jeffler has a press pass for the Toronto Marlies. Follow him for updates on Verhaeghe and other Leafs prospects.
Here come’s the next Wendel Clark! For realzies this time!
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