Pat Verbeek

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 several 500-goal players who are eligible but not a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The ice at the Raleigh Arena is cold under the floodlights, the kind of cold that fogs your eyelashes on a faceoff. Verbeek drops his stick, scrapes the blade flat against the surface, and feels the familiar bite of the rink. It is the third period, the score is tied, and the opposing winger is skating with that easy, arrogant glide that makes the bench lean forward. Verbeek doesn't need to talk. He just needs to be there at the boards when the next rush comes, shoulders squared, and let the other man learn that Carolina does not hand out free skating lanes. The hit lands clean, the puck pops loose, and the crowd noise swells into a single sustained roar. He skates back to the bench, breathes hard, and the captain taps his helmet. No words needed. That is the whole language of the game, and Verbeek speaks it fluently.

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.

Did You Know?

• Verbeek is the only player to have recorded three 40-goal seasons with over 200 penalty minutes each.
• He won his only Stanley Cup as a player with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
• His thumb was cut off in a farming accident in 1985 but was saved after extensive rehabilitation.
• He was the first player in Hartford Whalers franchise history to lead the team in goals and penalty minutes in consecutive seasons.