Pat Verbeek was hired as the Anaheim Ducks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks] general manager on Feb. 3, 2022. He’s now helmed four trade deadlines, four drafts, four free agency periods, and has hired two head coaches. The Ducks have missed the playoffs and have selected in the top ten of each of the drafts Verbeek has overseen from 2022 through 2025. Although the details are unclear, it has been reported that Verbeek’s contract is nearing an end, speculatively in the next two years. In addition to regular season records and playoff success, NHL general managers are typically evaluated on four key aspects of their job: trades, free agency, drafts, and coaching hires. Poll: How Would You Grade the Anaheim Ducks Rebrand? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-how-would-you-grade-the-anaheim-ducks-rebrand-1] Ducks Sign Colangelo, Washe to Two-Year Contracts [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-sign-colangelo-washe-to-two-year-contracts] With the 2025-26 season still two months from puck drop and scarce news league-wide, August seems like a good time for evaluation by highlighting some of his most impactful moves in each department. TRADES As the GM of a rebuilding team for most of his tenure, Verbeek has acted in the role of the “seller” for most of the significant trades he’s made in the last four and a half years. He’s moved on from pieces once considered to be part of the core or future core, receiving fair-market returns in exchange. In the last year, he’s made two “buyer” moves in an effort to take the next steps in the team’s rebuild, and his defining trade to this point came in the form of pouncing on the quiet availability of Cutter Gauthier. NOTABLE TRADES 2022 Ducks trade Josh Manson to the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche] in exchange for Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick (Carey Terrance) Ducks trade Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran to the Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins] in exchange for Urho Vaakanainen, John Moore, 2022 first-round pick (Nathan Gaucher), 2023 second-round pick (Damian Clara), and a 2024 second-round pick (traded) Ducks trade Rickard Rakell to the Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins] in exchange for Calle Clang, Zach Aston-Reese, Dominik Simon, and a 2022 second-round pick (Tristan Luneau) 2023 Ducks trade John Klingberg to the Minnesota Wild [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild] in exchange for Nikita Nesterenko, Andrej Sustr, and a 2025 fourth-round pick (traded) 2024 Ducks trade Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick (Jack Murtagh) to the Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers] in exchange for Cutter Gauthier Sergei Belski-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/64fcc31d-4ffe-4010-8736-3c68298e623e.jpeg] Sergei Belski-Imagn Images Ducks trade Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers] in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick (traded) and a 2025 fifth-round pick (Emile Guite) Ducks trade Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers] in exchange for Jacob Trouba Ducks trade Cam Fowler and a 2027 fourth-round pick to the St. Louis Blues [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues] in exchange for Jeremie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-round pick 2025 Ducks trade Brian Dumoulin to the New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils] in exchange for Herman Traff and a 2025 second-round pick (Lasse Boelius) Ducks trade Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick (Artyom Gonchar) to the New York Rangers in exchange for Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick (Elijah Neuenschwander) Ducks trade Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick (Eric Nilson), and a 2026 fourth-round pick Ducks trade John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] in exchange for Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick FREE AGENCY UFA Verbeek has entered every summer with ample cap space and has deployed a similar strategy in all four free agency periods he’s overseen as the Ducks general manager: sign insulating talent to aid in elevating the future core of the roster and build a culture of winning work ethic. He placed the team in prime situations to take home run swings in each of the last two summers, but either due to rejection or a barren market, he’s been unable to make bona fide needle-moving signings. NOTABLE SIGNINGS 2022 Frank Vatrano: 3 years, $3.65 million AAV (extended 3 years, $4.57 million AAV) Ryan Strome: 5 years, $5 million AAV John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e2b7ecfd-ff02-4962-9cd6-831dd615ffb3.jpeg] John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images 2023 Radko Gudas: 3 years, $4 million AAV Alex Killorn: 4 years, $6.25 million AAV 2025 Mikael Granlund: 3 years, $7 million AAV RFA Verbeek has dealt (or is dealing) with five players who, at one point or another, were perceived to be future core pieces of the franchise at the time of negotiations: Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Lukas Dostal, and Mason McTavish. He’s operated somewhat consistently in each scenario, where he prefers signing players to bridge deals coming off of their ELCs and is willing to play “hardball” to get AAVs down to numbers he’s comfortable with. He also took Terry down to the wire on the day of his arbitration hearing before signing him to a long-term deal, but inked Dostal weeks before an arbitration date was set. 2023 Troy Terry: 7 years, $7 million AAV Trevor Zegras: 3 years, $5.75 million AAV Jamie Drysdale: 3 years, $2.3 million AAV 2024 Jackson LaCombe: 2 years, $925K AAV Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1c4a441f-d105-4c2e-81d3-3ad29de2679c.jpeg] Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images 2025 Lukas Dostal: 5 years, $6.5 million AAV Mason McTavish: N/A DRAFTS Verbeek has four drafts under his belt, and some patterns have emerged when it comes to aspects he values in draft-eligible players. He takes high upside swings with his top picks, even if they go against public consensus, and drafts more projectable depth players with his picks late first and beyond, with a smattering of home run swings sprinkled in the later rounds. NOTABLE PICKS 2022 Pavel Mintyukov (10th overall) Nathan Gaucher (22nd overall) Tristan Luneau (53rd overall) 2023 Leo Carlsson (2nd overall) Nico Myatovic (33rd overall) Yegor Sidorov (85th overall) 2024 Beckett Sennecke (3rd overall) Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/51c73b4c-3784-4e62-be70-feee292026ee.jpeg] Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stian Solberg (23rd overall) Lucas Pettersson (35th overall) Tarin Smith (79th overall) 2025 Roger McQueen (10th overall) Eric Nilson (45th overall) Lasse Boelius (60th overall) COACHING HIRES When Verbeek took over as Ducks GM, Dallas Eakins was in the last year of his contract (2021-22), but had a club option for the 2022-23 season. Verbeek was unfamiliar with Eakins and felt he deserved a full year of evaluation, so he picked up Eakins’ fourth year. The 2022-23 season was the single worst in franchise history, and Eakins was replaced by Greg Cronin for the following year. The 2023-24 season was the second-worst season in franchise history, but the club improved in the standings from 59 points to 80 points in 2024-25. Cronin was let go, nonetheless, after his second season behind the bench. Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/aa4cb483-f548-4677-b692-2a5381f10053.jpeg] Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Verbeek hired Joel Quenneville in the 2025 offseason, the second-winningest coach in NHL history, but one who hasn’t coached since early in the 2021-22 season, and comes with some baggage in the form of a controversial past. Report: Ducks Prospect Roger McQueen to Commit to Providence College, NCAA for 2025-26 Season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/report-ducks-prospect-roger-mcqueen-to-commit-to-providence-college-ncaa-for-2025-26-season] THN Anaheim Ducks Mailbag (08/02/25) [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/thn-anaheim-ducks-mailbag-08-02-25] Can ‘Rangers West’ Help Get the Ducks Back Into the Playoffs? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/can-rangers-west-help-get-the-ducks-back-into-the-playoffs]
