White Monster Energy drinks will remain stocked in Honda Center for the foreseeable future.
The Anaheim Ducks announced they have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with general manager Pat Verbeek while on the brink of their first playoff berth in eight years.
Verbeek took over the reins as general manager in February of 2022. At the time, the Ducks were in a "re-tool" phase coined by the previous general manager, Bob Murray. Verbeek swiftly began a full-scale rebuild by trading high-profile players in forward Rickard Rakell and defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson leading up to that trade deadline.
All four of the Ducks' top draft picks in the Verbeek era have come in the top ten, where they nabbed defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, forward Leo Carlsson, forward Beckett Senecke and forward Roger McQueen. Verbeek has taken big swings in the draft, going against public perception in drafting Carlsson and Sennecke earlier than expected, but both seem to be home run picks.
He also made the blockbuster trade of acquiring forward Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick back in 2024. Gauthier has 38 goals and 65 points in his second full season this year.
In the last few seasons, Verbeek has added veteran players to pair with the rich young talent. Forward Alex Killorn signed a four-year contract at a $6.25 million average value in the summer of 2023, and he's provided a steady presence and has been defensively responsible for a team that lacks defensive prowess.
In the last year, Verbeek brought in forwards Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund, who both have had positive impacts in the Ducks' top six, and forward Ryan Poehling, who has been the best forward in the bottom six of the lineup. At this past trade deadline, Verbeek made a splash and acquired 17-year veteran defenseman John Carlson, who has made an immediate impact by scoring 12 points in 13 games as a Duck, including his first-career hat trick on Thursday night.
The biggest knock on Verbeek's resume is trading forward Trevor Zegras in the Poehling trade. Zegras has returned to form from early in his career, scoring 25 goals and 66 points this year as a Flyer.
The Ducks also announced that Mike Stapleton will be named senior vice president and associate general manager. He was previously the assistant general manager.