Pat Verbeek Just Locked In His Future With the Ducks, and Anaheim Is About to End Seven Years of Pain

The Anaheim Ducks are one win away from the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and Friday they made sure the guy who built this thing isn't going anywhere. GM Pat Verbeek agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the franchise, the team announced. Mike Stapleton also got bumped up to senior vice president and associate general manager. This is what happens when you actually know what you're doing.

From Rebuild Mess to Playoff Contender in Four Years

Verbeek took over the Ducks' front office back in February 2022, three months after Bob Murray stepped down following workplace misconduct allegations. Since then, he's basically rebuilt this entire organization from the ground up. And it's actually working.

The Ducks are 42-32-5 and sitting third in the Pacific Division, but here's the kicker: they're only one point out of first place with three games left in the regular season. They could literally clinch a playoff spot this weekend. Seven years without the postseason ends this month, probably.

Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli weren't holding back in their statement: "Pat has done exactly as we hoped, having turned the Ducks into what we believe are perennial contenders for the next decade. We are beyond exited to see the team continue developing into what is already an exciting, winning team ready to take the next step."

Young Core and Smart Moves That Paid Off

The foundation Verbeek built is legit. You've got center Leo Carlsson, goal-scoring forward Cutter Gauthier, rookie Beckett Sennecke, and U.S. Olympic defenseman Jackson LaCombe leading the way. These guys represent years of smart drafting before and during Verbeek's tenure.

Not every move has been perfect. His trade for Cutter Gauthier from Philadelphia in January 2024 gets praised everywhere you look. But shipping center Trevor Zegras to the Flyers last summer still stings around town, especially since Zegras is thriving in Philly now. Verbeek also moved on from longtime Ducks Cam Fowler and John Gibson in recent years, clearing cap space and ice time for the young guys.

The deadline trade for Washington defenseman John Carlson though? That one worked out huge. Carlson has 12 points in 13 games during Anaheim's playoff push.

Quenneville Was the Missing Piece

Here's where Verbeek might have made his smartest call: convincing Samueli to hire first-year coach Joel Quenneville, Verbeek's former NHL teammate and a three-time Stanley Cup winner. Quenneville had been out of the league for nearly four years after being banned for his inaction in the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal in 2010. It was a risk. It paid off immediately.

Quenneville turned this young team into a playoff contender right now, and he became just the second coach in NHL history to win 1,000 games this season. That's elite level stuff.

Verbeek brings two Stanley Cup championships from his own 20-year playing career and executive experience at Tampa Bay and Detroit. Stapleton came up through the Ducks' scouting ranks and played 14 NHL seasons himself.

One point stands between Anaheim and the playoffs. Watch this space this weekend.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.