Pat Verbeek
A relentless, undersized winger nicknamed the 'Little Ball of Hate,' he scrapped his way to over 500 goals and a Stanley Cup.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Canadian ice hockey player, executive (b. 1964)·Birthday: May 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pat Verbeek's NHL career was a twenty-year lesson in will over stature. Standing just 5'9", he played with a combustible mix of skill and ferocity that earned him the perfect nickname: 'The Little Ball of Hate.' He wasn't just a pest; he was a prolific scorer who could agitate, fight, and finish. His journey took him from the New Jersey Devils, where he was a young sparkplug, to Hartford, where he became a franchise icon and captain, consistently potting 40-goal seasons. A trade to the New York Rangers placed him in the spotlight of the 1994 Stanley Cup run, though ultimate victory eluded him there. He finally hoisted the Cup as a key veteran presence with the 1999 Dallas Stars, a fitting reward for a career built on uncompromising effort. That same detailed, tough-minded approach now defines his second act as an NHL general manager, where he builds teams in the image of his playing style.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pat was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pat Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Pat's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 522 career NHL goals and 1,063 points, ranking him among the most productive players of his era.
- Won the Stanley Cup in 1999 as a member of the Dallas Stars.
- Served as team captain for the Hartford Whalers for two seasons (1991-1993).
- Recorded five seasons with 40 or more goals, including a career-high 46 in the 1990-91 season.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Little Ball of Hate,' was coined by teammate Glenn Healy in New York, as a counterpart to Ray Ferraro's 'Big Ball of Hate.'
He is one of only a handful of players in NHL history with over 500 goals and 2,500 penalty minutes.
He worked as a television analyst for the Ottawa Senators after his playing career ended.
As a junior player in the OHL, he led the league in scoring with 177 points in the 1982-83 season.
“They called me 'The Little Ball of Hate' for a reason.”
