NEW YORK — When he was the general manager of a Stanley Cup contender, Bob Murray began locking up key players with expensive, long-term contract extensions in order to increase the chances of a second championship in less than a decade, starting with Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf in 2013.

It made sense then, but less so now with the Ducks in rebuilding mode.

If the scuttlebutt around the league is accurate, then new Ducks GM Pat Verbeek won’t agree to the sort of six- and eight-year extensions Murray gave players such as Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, Cam Fowler and John Gibson. Verbeek is said to favor three- or four-year extensions.

Or maybe shorter.

Verbeek dislikes long-term contracts like “Batman dislikes the Joker,” as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman put it on the Canadian network’s website earlier this week.

Certainly, money is always an issue.

As of Friday, the Ducks were projected to have a little less than $11 million to spend under the NHL’s $81.5-million salary cap for 2021-22, according to figures compiled by the website capfriendly.com. They could easily take on additional salary starting next season and well beyond.

But the length of the deal could be a far greater hurdle to overcome as Verbeek tries to sign pending unrestricted free agents Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson and Rickard Rakell before the NHL’s trade deadline March 21. Verbeek doesn’t want them walking away for nothing at season’s end.

It’s believed that Verbeek’s priority is re-signing Lindholm. He mentioned his name – and only his name – during a talk with season-ticket holders Saturday. Manson has a 12-team no-trade list as part of his current contract, which could complicate matters if a new deal cannot be reached.

Murray’s long-term extensions enabled the Ducks to maintain a stable roster core and continue a period of remarkable success that included appearances in the Western Conference finals in 2015 and ‘17, a run of five consecutive Pacific Division titles and six straight playoff berths.

The good times ended with a thud with a first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks in 2017-18, and with a dramatic fall-off in production from Getzlaf, Perry and Kesler. Fowler and Gibson have continued their standout play well into their contracts, however.

The benefits of the long-term extensions for Getzlaf, who signed an eight-year, $66-million deal March 8, 2013), Perry (eight years, $69 million, March 18, 2013) and Kesler (six years, $41.25 million, July 15, 2015) simply haven’t paid dividends for the length of their contracts.

Getzlaf, 36, was the Ducks’ fourth-leading scorer with 31 points, including a team-leading 28 assists, in 47 games this season. He signed a one-season, $3-million contract last summer to play a 17th season with the Ducks, and he’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.

Perry, 36, has played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars since Murray bought him out of the final years of his Ducks contract June 19, 2019. Perry is the Lightning’s sixth-leading scorer with 31 points, including 16 goals, in 56 games this season.

Kesler, 37, has undergone a number of career-ending hip surgeries and hasn’t played a game in the NHL since he had five goals and three assists in 60 games in 2018-19. He has spent all of this season on injured reserve while making $6.875 million in the final year of his deal.

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Fowler, 30, signed an eight-year, $52-million extension July 1, 2018. He is the Ducks’ third-leading scorer with 32 points in 55 games. Gibson, 28, signed an eight-year, $51.2-million extension July 16, 2018. He was named to the Pacific Division All-Star team last month for the third time in his career.

So, what does it mean for Lindholm, Manson and Rakell?

Shorter extensions if they wish to remain with the Ducks and trades if they don’t.

Ducks at New Jersey

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

TV: Bally Sports SoCal