SUNRISE, Fla. — Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek didn’t believe it was fair. After only two months on the job, he didn’t believe he had enough time to judge Dallas Eakins’ coaching abilities adequately. So, Verbeek decided to pick up the team’s contract option for the 2022-23 season.

Verbeek said he spoke about a month ago to Eakins about staying on for a fourth season. Their agreement became official Tuesday, after the news broke Monday in the Southern California News Group that Eakins would be back on the job next season, his eighth overall with the organization.

“I felt it was necessary,” Verbeek said. “Dallas has had to do a job under difficult circumstances. It’s been just two months under me, and I thought he deserved to get another year and go from there. We can build our relationship and figure out where the organization goes from here.

“At the end of the day, we were just kind of waiting for the right moment. We hadn’t really decided on when that was going to be (announced), whether it was going to be at the end of the season or 10 days after the season. We just didn’t know. Now that it’s out, it’s just better to put it to bed.

“Two months. I’ve known Dallas for two months now, essentially. I didn’t think it was fair to Dallas to say, ‘OK, that’s it.’ Do you know what I mean? I wanted to give him a chance. When I came in here, I wanted to give everyone a chance. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what I’m doing.”

The Ducks began what loomed as a multi-year rebuilding process when former GM Bob Murray hired Eakins after four successful seasons with the Ducks’ AHL team, the San Diego Gulls. Eakins replaced Murray, who served as interim coach after firing Randy Carlyle near the end of 2018-19.

Verbeek accelerated Murray’s rebuilding process when he was hired Feb. 3. Murray resigned Nov. 10. Verbeek’s biggest moves to date were to trade veterans Nicolas Deslauriers, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson and Rickard Rakell before the March 21 trade deadline.

Verbeek was concerned he wouldn’t be able to re-sign the four potential unrestricted free agents and risk losing them for nothing in return when free agency begins in July. The moves sliced into the Ducks’ depth, making winning all the more difficult for Eakins.

The Ducks dropped from contention in the ensuing weeks and will miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season for the first time since they began play as an expansion team in 1993-94. They were 29-33-12, stationed in sixth place in the Pacific Division going into Tuesday.

Despite the team’s record, Verbeek has seen positive signs, and credited Eakins.

“I think what I’ve liked best about it is they’ve continued to work and not thrown in the towel and not quit,” Verbeek said. “To me that’s important. That’s telling me a lot about how the coach still has them and is still working to do a job each and every night. That says a lot about his character.”

Verbeek said he would determine at some point soon whether to retain the services of assistant coaches Newell Brown, Mike Stothers and Geoff Ward. Their energy and enthusiasm have helped a youthful team through the potentially turbulent final weeks of the season.

What’s more, Eakins has credited the assistants repeatedly for bolstering the Ducks’ special teams this season, aiding their rise from the depths last season. The Ducks’ power play was 13th ranked in the NHL going into Tuesday and their penalty kill was 12th among 32 teams in the league.

Additionally, Verbeek said it was too soon to evaluate Eakins’ hand in the development of several of the Ducks’ youngest players, including but certainly not limited to Troy Terry, who scored his team-leading 33rd goal in the first period Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.

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“I think Troy was on the verge of breaking out for a season and a half,” Verbeek said. “The hardest thing for players is understanding where they are and I think Troy finally got to that point where he realized it. He’s been put in good situations. The coach has done a good job there, especially for our younger guys.

“It’s still early to evaluate (development). You can look at a 19-year-old and, “Yeah, he’s come a long way.’ You know what I’m saying? He’s got to keep going like this (upward). He can’t go like this (downward). Those are the things I’m looking for and keeping tabs on. The growth has to continue.”