While former Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland appears headed out of town, new general manager Steve Yzerman has started to assemble his staff with the club.
Yzerman, who stepped down as general manager in Tampa Bay to return to his former club, hired former Red Wing forward Pat Verbeek as the team’s assistant general manager on Monday.
“Pat Verbeek is one of the brightest minds and hardest workers in the game and has been a trusted and valued resource to me throughout my management career,” Yzerman said.
The 54-year-old Verbeek began his post-playing career as a professional scout for the Red Wings and worked for four seasons in the position from 2006-10.
Verbeek joined the Lightning shortly after Yzerman was hired in Tampa Bay, originally as director of professional scouting, a position he held for two seasons prior to being promoted to assistant general manager and director of player personnel.
“He played a pivotal role in helping build the Lightning into a Stanley Cup contender throughout his tenure with the organization,” Yzerman said. “I’m very excited to have Pat on board in Detroit and look forward to continuing to work alongside him.”
A native of Sarnia, Verbeek will serve alongside current assistant general manager Ryan Martin in the Red Wings’ front office and will focus on player personnel decisions. Martin will continue to serve as general manager of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
“I’m very excited to return to the Red Wings,” Verbeek said in a release. “I want to thank the Ilitch family, Jimmy Devellano, Ken Holland and Steve Yzerman for giving me a start in scouting after my playing career and providing a strong foundation for my managerial career.
“I’d also like to thank the Tampa Bay Lightning for nine tremendous years. I believe there is an exciting young core here in Detroit, and I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the hockey operations staff to get this team back into contention.”
Aside from his work in the NHL, Verbeek also worked as director of player personnel for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and previously had international management experience for Hockey Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Championship where Canada won the gold medal.
As a player, Verbeek produced 521 goals and 1,063 points along with 2,905 penalty minutes over 1,424 NHL games spent with the New Jersey Devils (1982-89), Hartford Whalers (1989-95), New York Rangers (1994-96), Dallas Stars (1996-99; 01-02) and Red Wings (1999-01). He made two appearances at the NHL All-Star Game (1991 and1996), won gold (1994) and silver (1989) medals for Canada at the IIHF World Championship and a Stanley Cup championship with Dallas in 1999.
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