522 career goals for a player known as much for toughness as skill — the Little Ball of Hate.
Patrick Robert Verbeek was born in Sarnia, Ontario in 1964. New Jersey Devils selected him 43rd overall in the 1982 NHL Draft. His 20-season career produced 522 goals and 541 assists for 1,063 career points. He won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 2000. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021. His nickname Little Ball of Hate reflected his playing style — 5ft 9in and 190 pounds, he played physically against much larger opponents, accumulated over 2,900 career penalty minutes and backed down from nothing while simultaneously scoring at a 30-40 goal pace annually. He scored 40 or more goals in five different seasons. His combination of scoring ability with extreme physical play — he was simultaneously one of the most productive scorers and one of the most penalised players of the 1980s and 1990s — created a unique individual profile. He lost a thumb in a farming accident in 1985 and returned to play that same season.
Stanley Cup (2000 with Dallas)
Career Honours
- Stanley Cup (2000 with Dallas)
- Hall of Fame (2021)