Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek still working on offseason roster makeover

General manager Pat Verbeek made it clear Monday that he wasn’t done with his offseason makeover of the Ducks’ roster. He said he would like to sign another free-agent forward and a defenseman, too, and he’s looking for deals that make sense financially as well as culturally.

“I’d like to add another forward,” Verbeek said during a conference call with reporters. “We’re exploring adding another defenseman. So there’s two players that we’re looking to get. I’m making sure they’re a good fit for our team.”

Verbeek didn’t name names.

In addition, he said he was concerned that the arbitration rights held by Sonny Milano and Sam Steel would prove too costly given their mixed individual results during this past season and that’s why he declined to give them qualifying contract offers. Milano and Steel then became unrestricted free agents.

“I wasn’t prepared to go there,” Verbeek said. “It boiled down to role. What role would they play and did it make sense with the dollars?”

Verbeek also said he hired former Ducks and Kings player Craig Johnson as an assistant coach to replace the departed Geoff Ward in order to focus on the ongoing development of players such as right wing Troy Terry and center Trevor Zegras. Johnson excelled at that role with the Kings’ AHL team, the Ontario Reign.

“I don’t subscribe to (the idea that) once you’ve made the NHL that development time is over,” Verbeek said. “Craig comes with an extensive background in development that I was looking to add to the assistant coaching group. A lot of times, coaching staffs get bogged down in the day-to-day minutiae of video and preparing for the next game. I want to make sure that these players who are younger don’t miss out, going through video, going through on-ice scenarios and working with Craig on a lot of different elements of their games. To me, that’s going to be an important role moving forward.”

Verbeek addressed a number of topics during his first public comments since the opening of free agency last Wednesday. Above all, it was evident he intended to continue to bolster the roster after signing unrestricted free agent forwards Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano last week.

“Ryan’s going to be a good addition from a couple of different angles,” Verbeek said. “From a leadership standpoint, it’s going to be really important. He’s a really good playmaker and had a good year scoring goals, as well. Having someone who is going to provide really good culture and leadership in the locker room was important for our club, and we addressed that.

“Frankie brings a high-energy game. Very hard worker. Has the ability to get in on the forecheck, create turnovers. He thinks like a shooter. I think one of the things that always used to annoy me last year when I was watching the club was that we didn’t shoot the puck enough. We were always looking for the perfect play to put it in the net instead of shooting it.”

The additions of Strome and Vatrano also give Ducks coach Dallas Eakins more options as he seeks to fill the void created by the retirement of Ryan Getzlaf at the end of this past season. Either or both can play on the power play. Either or both could play on the Ducks’ top line, too.

“There’s lots of options,” Verbeek said. “If you watched the playoffs, both were on the power play with the Rangers. Or both could play different roles on the second unit. Dallas will have some more options offensively, some more looks on the power play, which will be helpful. There will be different ways to make up five-on-five, too. It gives the team a little more depth when it comes to providing offense.”

Verbeek said it was uncertain whether center Mason McTavish would rejoin Team Canada for the rebooted World Junior Championships next month. McTavish, the Ducks’ first-round pick last year, had a whirlwind 2021-22, playing in the NHL, the AHL and the junior-level Ontario Hockey League.