@OldNYIfan @Lenny7 @GeneralLandro

Not sure if you guys have access to the Athletic but Pierre LeBrun just had an interview with Verbeek so I figured I would share

LeBrun: Pat Verbeek’s first trade deadline as Ducks GM will not be boring
Welcome to the GM chair, Mr. Verbeek.

“Yeah, in all honesty though, with both Detroit and Tampa, I’ve been at this a long time, going back to when I was involved with Kenny Holland, so I’ve been doing it for 16-17 years,’’ Verbeek told The Athletic. “So it’s not like it’s the first time. It’s the first time me overseeing it.

“Steve (Yzerman) was always the guy making the calls, so was Kenny. But as far as being involved and having input and all that stuff, that’s not new. I do feel comfortable in the situation. The only thing is, at the end of it you’re the one pulling the trigger or not pulling the trigger.’’

Verbeek’s experience alongside Holland (Detroit) and Yzerman (Tampa Bay/Detroit) has pretty much exposed him to every trade deadline scenario.

“I’ve been a part of both buying and selling,’’ Verbeek said.

The Ducks are in a playoff race in the Western Conference although certainly not sure to get in. Factor in that Verbeek has inherited a roster that already had begun to rebuild, it’s pretty clear that buying isn’t in the cards.

The only question is how much selling is going to occur.

Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson and Rickard Rakell are all pending UFAs, and all three would fetch sizeable interest on the trade market.

As I reported last week on TSN’s Insider Trading, Verbeek has approached the Lindholm camp and started talks on a potential extension. Whether it gets done or not remains to be seen.

But there doesn’t appear to be any grey area as far as what to do if the Ducks can’t get their top pending UFAs signed before the 3 p.m. ET March 21 trade deadline.

“I think going into this, I’m looking at it like we could make the playoffs, we could miss the playoffs,’’ Verbeek said. “At the end of the day, there’s no guarantee I can get those three free agents back. I’m going to attempt to sign them, if it doesn’t happen, I just can’t let them walk out the door free.’’

That’s as clear as it gets. Either Lindholm, Manson and Rakell are signed to extensions before the deadline or they’re getting dealt for assets.

Which honestly is the way to go for this franchise at this juncture. Even if Anaheim squeezes into the playoffs as the last wild-card, are the Ducks really going to beat Colorado? The big picture has to trump the momentary allure of a wild-card race.

So yes, re-signing a No. 1 blueliner like Lindholm would be great, and it’s the goal right now, but if it doesn’t happen, the kind of haul the Ducks can get back for him cannot be ignored at this point of the Ducks’ organizational construction.

“If there’s a chance to add some more (assets), and that’s what I need to do,’’ Verbeek said.

The Ducks are ready for every possible scenario. Verbeek held their pro meetings to prepare for the deadline almost right away after getting hired as GM. No time to waste.

“We’ve got a game plan, and we’ll see if we can execute it over the next three weeks and in the next four months leading to free agency,’’ Verbeek said.

The deadline for a team like Anaheim can’t be viewed in a vacuum. The offseason is going to be just as important. And who knows if the deadline can’t help in moving up some potential offseason opportunities as far as potential hockey deals presenting themselves.

For example, Verbeek was part of a pretty sizeable hockey deal at the deadline last year which caught everyone by surprise, the Detroit-Washington trade which involved Anthony Mantha and Jakub Vrana and other assets in a move that also helped the Capitals’ cap situation.

So while Verbeek’s top priority is to figure out his hat trick of key pending UFAs (sign or trade), there could be other opportunities from teams in cap trouble.

He’s all ears.

“My goal is to improve the team as best I can and as fast as I can,’’ Verbeek said. “So I’m not saying ‘No’ to anything, I’m open to anything.’’

The Ducks GM also has to keep in mind that he’s got young players who will be up for new deals in no time, the likes of Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, all of whom are RFA in the summer of 2023 but could potentially be extended one year out this offseason. That affects not only potentially re-signing some of his UFAs in the here and now but also potentially taking on other players in trades. In a flat cap world, it’s even more acute. The entirety of the puzzle has to be kept in mind.

“Yeah, there’s going to be some planning that way and I’m working on that right now,’’ Verbeek said of his younger players’ contractual futures.

So yes, Verbeek’s plate is full. Lots to do.

But first, the deadline.

Let’s have some fun again with that for a moment. What the world is truly waiting for is the first Verbeek-Yzerman trade. Those two guys were side by side for 15 years. No secrets there.

“I don’t know how that one would go,’’ laughed Verbeek at the thought of trading with Yzerman. “Because I think he knows how I think and I know how he thinks. That’s kind of funny. We worked together for a while.’’

It sounds corny and probably outdated but there’s always been the notion over the years of veteran GMs trying their best to take advantage of a rookie GM. Has Verbeek already had some veteran GMs try to pull a fast one on him?

“No, they haven’t,’’ Verbeek said. “Not yet.’’

Looking back at everything he’s experienced at the deadline from his days in the Detroit and Tampa front offices, Verbeek feels he’s developed a feel for the approach.

“The bottom line is you got to trust your scouts, you got to do your research, then it boils down to making the best decision that you can with the facts that you have,’’ Verbeek said. “If you can get as much information to make the best decisions, they still may or may not work out.

“The other thing is, if you’re going to make a mistake, if there’s a chance for you to make a mistake, make sure it’s small.”

Verbeek sounds ready for his first trade deadline as an NHL GM. And he’s going to make news with his pending UFAs, one way or another.

@TZ11 @AntreDiAnaheim Only being allowed to @ 3 people sucks haha

Appreciate it brother! I only got to read the first tiny bit earlier

Also very curious to see what happens with our Mr. Eakins

No problem, the quote saying all the UFAs are either being signed or traded gets me so excited.

Hopefully Mr.Eakins is fired into the sun and takes Derek Grant with him

Oh baby yes it does

I think Manson is the one getting resigned of the three though

Honestly, pretty much what I was hoping to read, and in-tune with our thoughts.

I think my biggest fear is waiting too long to make a decision. Maybe that's not an issue, because there's a fine line as you get up to deadline day, but if there's a solid offer, take it.

I think the first true offer that comes in for Rakell gets him (At least a first)

Lindholm I think is a deadline day trade, It seems like Verbeek is going to do whatever he can to keep him so I see him waiting as long as possible for him.

Manson is an interesting one to me. Of the 3 he's the one I would be willing to trade the most, and the one I would like to sign the least, But I do think he moves to a team in the southern US and resigns with us in the offseason

That is what I think happens as well. Traded for a shot and assets and then comes back home

I feel like he is the type of guy Verbeek is big on

cc: @Lenny7

Maybe an unpopular opinion but trading Lindholm would, in my opinion, be by far better than re-singing him.

Honestly, with Manson, I feel like Tampa Bay makes wayyyyy too much sense, especially considering the Verbeek connection. Not sure how it works cap-wise, but I'd put money on that being where he ends up if traded.

Hampus-Yeah, that's the one I worry about...if you hold off too long, and a team gets trigger happy on some plug like Chiarot, I think you miss out. Realistically, there's not a ton of teams that *NEED* a LD, so leveraging something early would be how'd I'd roll.

Rakell-I'd really, really, really like a 1st back, but I don't know if it's going to happen. As the #1 screamer of "Everyone throws 1sts around on here as if it's realistic, even though it's not!" I'd love one, but I don't know that it happens. Something tells me it'll be quantity over quality for him. Think he'd be a really good fit for the Rangers, but I'd imagine their 1st goes somewhere else.

Obviously depends on the return, and the plan to replace him. To me, with the progress we've seen this year, expectations *should* continue to rise going into next year. Can you go from being a bubble team to a bottom 10 team again, without losing a lot of the casual fans that are buying tickets?

Think it also depends on the price to get it done.

But yeah, when we offersheet Hague, my point will be moot anyway

I'd try to use the assets acquired for Manson, Rakell and Lindholm to get Chychrun as a replacement. But I feel like any Lindholm deal would age poorly. But the defense should get an upgrade no matter what. Doesn't matter if it's through free agency, the draft or trade.

I just hate the idea of taking a step back. I'm also excited about the potential for change after years of Murray...but as a guy who typically thinks about value from a "Comparable"/"GM history" perspective, it terrifies me not having a base for Verbeek's history. I mean, if you could compare him to Yzerman, it's awesome, but can you?

I think he'll do fine. Realistically, he'll be able to get a good return for Lindholm, probably a 1st +. But not in the mind of this one guy in two threads at once lol (https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/560181?post_id=3027678 and https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/560156?post_id=3027667), according to him the Ducks have "no leverage", "Lindholm is another Tryon Barrie" and they'll get a 3rd + for him

Was just about to comment on that one hahaha

Thanks, my friend!

Not just for the article but also the thread resulting from it. Always good to get with fellow fans.

#replaceEakins