Pat Verbeek spent two decades in the NHL as a gritty right winger and 16 years as a front-office executive preparing for the chance to run his own team.

That's why the new general manager of the Anaheim Ducks believes he is ready to make a championship contender out of a club that is already on the way up.

"I look forward to building this team into a Stanley Cup winner," Verbeek said.