Detroit Red Wings

Verbeek Latest Product Of Red Wings GM Pipeline

Published

2 years ago

February 3, 2022

Bob Duff

Hired Thursday as GM of the Anaheim Ducks, Pat Verbeek is the fifth current NHL GM who comes from a background in the Red Wings' front office.

It’s official – Pat Verbeek is leaving the Detroit Red Wings to become the new GM of the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks made the announcement on Thursday.

Thus, Verbeek is the fifth current NHL GM whose front office timeline can be traced back to Detroit.

🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL: We have hired Pat Verbeek as our General Manager.

Verbeek is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion who has spent 35 years in the NHL, the last 16 as an executive.https://t.co/V6zWiJMuzQ

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) February 3, 2022

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with Pat for the last 12-plus years,” Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said in a statement. “He’s worked hard and is deserving of his new role with the Ducks.”

Verbeek Hired By Yzerman

A former Red Wings player from 1999-2001, Verbeek is the only player in NHL history to score 500 career goals while collecting 2,000 penalty minutes. Post playing career, Verbeek became a Detroit scout.

When Yzerman left the Wings front office to become GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, he brought along Verbeek. His first role was as director of professional scouting. In 2011, he was given a promotion to assistant GM in Tampa Bay.

Verbeek ended up serving eight years as assistant GM with the Lightning before following Yzerman to Detroit and filling a similar role.

As was announced as the Ducks’ new GM, Verbeek suggested that “diligence and patience” are the qualities he’s learned from working with Yzerman.

Yzerman Learned Ropes In Detroit

Following his retirement as a player in 2006, Yzerman transitioned into a front office role with the Wings. Learning from the likes of GM Ken Holland, senior vice-president Jimmy Devellano and assistant GM Jim Nill, Yzerman branched out on his own to run the Lightning.

After building Tampa Bay into an NHL power, he returned to Detroit to help rebuild the flagging fortunes of the Red Wings.

Holland Moving To Oilers

Originally a goaltender with the Wings, Holland became the club’s western amateur scout. Advancing to assistant GM, he was promoted to GM in 1997. Holland was the GM for Detroit’s last three Stanley Cup winners.

With Yzerman returning to become GM of the Wings in 2019, Holland took the option to become GM of the Edmonton Oilers.

Nill Served Long Detroit Apprenticeship

A Red Wings forward from 1987-90, Nill started as a scout with the Ottawa Senators.

He joined the Red Wings’ scouting staff in 1994. Advancing up the front office ladder, Nill became director of amateur scouting and assistant GM.

In 2013, his acceptance of the GM position with the Dallas Stars ended his long tenure with Detroit. “The Red Wings are the team that everybody follows,” Nill said at the time. “We all want to become them.”

In 2020, the Stars reached the Stanley Cup final before succumbing to the Lightning.

Waddell Was Briefly With Red Wings

After Holland’s promotion to GM in 1997, much like now, the club was missing an assistant GM. The solution to that dilemmas was the hiring of Don Waddell. At the time, Waddell was serving as GM and president of the IHL’s Orlando Solar Bears.

After just one season – a Stanley Cup-winning campaign, mind you – Waddell departed to become the first GM of the expansion Atlanta Thrashers. In was in 2018 that Waddell was assuming his current role, president and GM of the Carolina Hurricanes.