Pat Verbeek Reportedly Joining Yzerman In Red Wings' Front Office

After nine years together in Tampa Bay, Pat Verbeek and Steve Yzerman will be reunited in Detroit. 

Verbeek is joining Yzerman in the Red Wings front office, according to Bob McKenzie. He was formerly the assistant general manager of the Lightning. 

As mentioned on the @TSNHockey #Bobcast on Friday, TB AGM Pat Verbeek will be joining Steve Yzerman in DET. But Jamie Pushor, Stacy Roest and Al Murray will remain with TB. There had been speculation some of them might have gone to DET too but they're staying with the Bolts.

It's Yzerman's first big hire since replacing Ken Holland as Red Wings GM last month. He brought Verbeek with him to Tampa Bay when he became GM of the Lightning in 2010, and now he's bringing him along again. 

After a 20-year playing career, two years of which were spent with Yzerman in Detroit, Verbeek became a broadcaster and then a pro scout for the Red Wings. He later became the top pro scout for the Lightning. 

As for the members of Tampa Bay's front office who are staying with the team, Al Murray is probably the biggest loss for Yzerman. He helped the Lightning find such draft steals as Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Points as its director of amateur scouting.

In his introductory press conference, Yzerman acknowledged the challenge of recruiting former colleagues. 

"It's difficult to bring people (with you) because if they're under contract you have to offer them a better opportunity than they have there," he said. "You're not just going to get a person doing a job under contract to go to another organization for the same job.

"I think there's a limit to the number of people you could bring. But ultimately, what's available, who's available and what jobs are there?"