Pat Verbeek
The 'Little Ball of Hate' who scored 500 goals and won a Stanley Cup.
Patrick Martin Verbeek (born May 24, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). From 1982 to 2002, Verbeek played 20 seasons in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Detroit Red Wings as a right winger.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Right Wing
Lore & Background
A dependable presence for over 1,400 games, Verbeek is the only player to have recorded three 40-goal seasons with over 200 penalty minutes each. He recorded thirteen 20-goal seasons in his career, which saw him become one of only three players with 500 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes. He won his first and only Stanley Cup as a player in 1999. His nickname, the 'Little Ball of Hate', was given to him in 1995 by Glenn Healy after fellow New York Rangers teammate Ray Ferraro was tagged as the 'Big Ball of Hate'. In 2000, he became the 28th player to score 500 career goals. He is one of four 500-goal players who are eligible but not a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Reader's Guide
After his playing career ended, he became a broadcaster for the Red Wings before becoming a scout for the team in 2006. He was hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning as director of professional scouting in 2010 and rose to assistant general manager in 2012; he was hired by the Red Wings to serve the same position in 2019. In 2022, he was hired as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks.
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