It’s officially official, the Detroit Red Wings today announced the hiring of Pat Verbeek as Assistant General Manager.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported this on the most recent Bobcast. Verbeek has spent the past 9 seasons as a key part of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s management team in Tampa Bay, an assistant GM for 7 seasons.

The team’s release states that “Verbeek will serve alongside current assistant general manager Ryan Martin in the Red Wings’ front office and will focus on player personnel decisions. Martin will continue to serve as general manager of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.” Clarification that Martin will still run Grand Rapids comes as no surprise as Martin has done a phenomenal job with the Griffins.

Verbeek slides into the role that he held with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yzerman getting his right-hand man to come back to Detroit with him is a major coup for the franchise and to do so this early in the offseason gives the front office more time to mesh and create a plan of action before major decisions have to be made.