Grading, Reviewing Pat Verbeek’s Fourth Year as Ducks GM
February 5, 2026
Grading, Reviewing Pat Verbeek’s Fourth Year as Ducks GM
6 comments
I would like to know how much of the draft is controlled by Pat Verbeek and how much is controlled by Martin Madden. Because, I like the job Verbeek has done, but a lot of that is because of the players he has drafted.
If all PVB does is allow Madden to take the lead at the draft, then that’s an A+ for drafting. For contact negotiations and asset management, his grade slips a bit. His biggest fumble so far has been letting Z go, IMO.
Every GM makes mistakes or bad bets/trades. But all in all I think Verbeek has done an amazing job. What looked like a fireable offence by some in the Zegras trade, in hindsight it looks not that bad considering.
Drafting lead by Madden has been great since forever it seems, but I would be curious to who pulled the trigger in the end on the Carlsson over Fantilli and taking a leap for Sennecke at 3OA.
There is one metric that will determine Verbeek’s performance: getting to the playoffs.
He’s had a decent year. Even if his biggest move was doing nothing, there’s value in seeing the current team for what it is and playing the long game.
Whether he controls the draft or Madden does, the buck stops with him. He hires or retains the staff; he keeps the final say on who they draft; he provides the room for them to earn roster spots, etc.
I think he’s a very middle-of-the-road manager and think he comes across as a tremendous dickhead. But the ducks have done what we hoped they would this season, and they’ve done it in a way that hasn’t handcuffed them for the future. I think he gets a B grade pretty comfortably.
I would give him a B as of right now. Ive like the additions of Kreider and Poehling, but I do feel he held onto Zegras & Gibson a season too long and missed out of some better returns but that’s just beating a dead horse.
It’s obvious Q is a big attraction and a more competitive team will open more possibilities to bring in impact players moving forward. (We never stood a chance with Marner, he was already scouting Vegas real-estate last season).
My main concern is his stubborn approach & his ability to get all those contracts extensions done without pushing talks into training camp & potentially souring relationships with the players. He’s already mentioned he did not want to have those conversations during the season (which appears to be his MO & is fine as I think they’d played into his favor) but McT, Drysdale, & Z were obviously ugly negotiations and he just avoided arbitration with Terry & Dosty.
6 comments
I would like to know how much of the draft is controlled by Pat Verbeek and how much is controlled by Martin Madden. Because, I like the job Verbeek has done, but a lot of that is because of the players he has drafted.
If all PVB does is allow Madden to take the lead at the draft, then that’s an A+ for drafting. For contact negotiations and asset management, his grade slips a bit. His biggest fumble so far has been letting Z go, IMO.
Every GM makes mistakes or bad bets/trades. But all in all I think Verbeek has done an amazing job. What looked like a fireable offence by some in the Zegras trade, in hindsight it looks not that bad considering.
Drafting lead by Madden has been great since forever it seems, but I would be curious to who pulled the trigger in the end on the Carlsson over Fantilli and taking a leap for Sennecke at 3OA.
There is one metric that will determine Verbeek’s performance: getting to the playoffs.
He’s had a decent year. Even if his biggest move was doing nothing, there’s value in seeing the current team for what it is and playing the long game.
Whether he controls the draft or Madden does, the buck stops with him. He hires or retains the staff; he keeps the final say on who they draft; he provides the room for them to earn roster spots, etc.
I think he’s a very middle-of-the-road manager and think he comes across as a tremendous dickhead. But the ducks have done what we hoped they would this season, and they’ve done it in a way that hasn’t handcuffed them for the future. I think he gets a B grade pretty comfortably.
I would give him a B as of right now. Ive like the additions of Kreider and Poehling, but I do feel he held onto Zegras & Gibson a season too long and missed out of some better returns but that’s just beating a dead horse.
It’s obvious Q is a big attraction and a more competitive team will open more possibilities to bring in impact players moving forward. (We never stood a chance with Marner, he was already scouting Vegas real-estate last season).
My main concern is his stubborn approach & his ability to get all those contracts extensions done without pushing talks into training camp & potentially souring relationships with the players. He’s already mentioned he did not want to have those conversations during the season (which appears to be his MO & is fine as I think they’d played into his favor) but McT, Drysdale, & Z were obviously ugly negotiations and he just avoided arbitration with Terry & Dosty.