NHL Wraparound Podcast

https://feeds.captivate.fm/nhl-wraparound-podcast/

10 Followers 405 Episodes Claim Ownership

Breadth and depth. Contemporary and historical. Straight-forward and experienced. The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League. Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past. With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top. Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed. Bio’s Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years. Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings. Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager. A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL. After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003. His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.

Episode List

Episode 92 - Hot Button Topics With TSN Analyst Craig Button - March 18, 2026

Mar 18th, 2026 8:50 PM

Every so often, NHL Wraparound checks in north of the border. Nobody is better to opine on the doings in Canada than long time TSN analyst Craig Button.Neil and Vic will talk Oilers, Maple Leafs and the Department of Player Safety among other things.In Three Things You Need to Pay Attention To, another superstar is out, one makes a big return from suspension and the team pacing the field all season plays it's biggest game of the year.[01:27] - Three Things You Need to Pay Attention To[09:59] - Craig Button from TSN joins the show with some brief reminiscing with Neil about Craig's legendary father, Jack.[11:06] - Let the Canadian scrutiny begin. First up, the myriad of issues in Edmonton and Button makes a comparison to Neil's Ranger teams in the early 1990's.[15:44] - Neil poses to Craig perhaps Oilers ownership is too hands on for the good of the club.[17:11] - The suggestion the Oilers can somewhat re-invent themselves for the balance of the regular season with Leon Draisaitl out of the lineup.[19:10] - Next up at the carving station, the Toronto Maple Leafs.[22:35] - The change in the look and feel of the Leafs with Mitch Marner gone to Vegas - in the eyes of Craig.[25:22] - Player safety next up and Vic visits with Craig, his proposal of a schedule for meting out supplemental discipline coupling severity of the incident with number of times a player has been suspended previously.[29:23] - Addressing the gray area of goaltender interference.[34:23] - More talk on video review and who is actually making the final decisions.[37:40] - One more area for Craig to untangle, the enigma that is Elias Pettersson in Vancouver.[40:57] - Rejoin and wrap on Craig Button discussion.[42:48] - A scrub on the standings in both conferences.[49:05] - World Cup of Hockey officially scheduled for February 2028.[52:27] - Personnel notes.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #PatrickHoffman #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #CraigButton #TSN #LeonDraisaitl #OzzyWeisblatt #EvgeniMalkin #RasmusDahlin #SidneyCrosby #DarrylReaugh #GlenGulutzan #DaredBednar #NHLonTNT #DavidPoile #ConnorMcDavid #StanBowman #ConnorIngram #TristanJarry #PhilipBroberg #DylanHolloway #RyanMcLeod #Warren Foegele #CodiCeci #ViktorArvidsson #JeffSkinner #JakeWalman #CoreyPerry #MarkMessier #DaveTippett #JayWoodcroft #KrisKnoblauch #MaxJones #BradTreliving #CraigBerube #BrendanShanahan #MitchMarner #NathanMacKinnon #MorganRielly #WilliamNylander #NazemKadri #MatthewKnies #MikeBabcock #AustonMatthews #HaroldBallard #DarrylSittler #LannyMcDonald #JoeThornton #HarrySinden #BobGainey #DoughWilson #RadkoGudas #NHLDepartmentofPlayerSafety #GeorgeParros #GaryBettman #BrianO'Neill #IgorShesterkin #AnthonyMantha #VilleHusso #PatVerbeek #PierreLeBrun #ColinCampbell #BrettHull #EliasPettersson #DonMaloney #CraigConroy #Ukko-PekkaLuukkonen #RickBowness #MathieuOlivier #NickDeslauriers #BobProbert #WorldCupofHockey #KirbyDach #JeffreyViel #FilipChytil #NickJensen #JakeSanderson #BrandonMontour #AdrianKempe #JoelErikssonEk #ZachBenson #BraydenMcNabb #SamBennett #SethJones #PaulMaurice #NolanFoote #AdamFoote #CalFoote #NickFoligno #ArtemiPanarin #AnzeKopitar #JonathanQuick #TorontoSt.Pats

NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Mar. 18, 2026

Mar 18th, 2026 4:01 PM

The Colorado Avalanche have been treading water after 28 games since their torrid start. So, too, is our resident prognosticator. Some risk yielded some reward Tuesday but not enough to end up flat at 4-4-1.448-252-97 record with a six pack on tap for Wednesday.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #PatrickHoffman #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets

NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Mar. 17, 2026

Mar 17th, 2026 8:20 PM

Much like Sunday, Monday had a good start and rough finish for Neil. After winning the first three games, who'd have thunk both Colorado and Dallas would get whipped at home by Pittsburgh and Utah respectively?A nine-game St. Patrick's Day schedule awaits. Let's see if luck will shine on today's selections with a cumulative record of 444-248-96.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #PatrickHoffman #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets

NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Mar. 16, 2026

Mar 16th, 2026 9:18 PM

Sunday started with a pair of wins but flattened out with a 3-3-0 mark by the time the day was done.441-246-96 overall with a handful of games on tap Monday.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #PatrickHoffman #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets

NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - March Madness Amidst Matthews Injury Fallout - March 16, 2026

Mar 16th, 2026 7:12 PM

In a season which is has been highly entertaining on a nightly basis, the weekend excitement ran neck and neck with the fallout of the Auston Matthews/Radko Gudas incident last week. Many are calling for a review of the NHL supplemental discipline policy, most notably, the game's biggest star.What does that look like though? It's one thing to call for change, it's another to have a plan. Vic and Neil offer up a framework of a step forward. Not perfect but something perhaps the league can work from.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #PatrickHoffman #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #KirbyDach #JeffreyViel #CutterGauthier #FraserMinten #AlexOvechkin #JeremySwayman #JohnCarlson #RickBowness #ThomasHarley #JaroslavChmelar #BoGroulx #IgorShesterkin #AnthonyStolarz #BillGuerin #JohnHynes #BobbyMcMann #MitchMarner #NickRoy #BradTreliving #CraigBerube #AustonMatthews #RadkoGudas #JohnTortorella #ConnorMcDavid #PatVerbeek #GeorgeParros #ColinCampbell #SidenyCrosby #LeonDraisaitl #OzzyWiesblatt #SamBennett #SamReinhart #SethJones #AleksanderBarkov #BradMarchand #PaulMaurice #IgorChernyshov #MikeMatheson #YaroslavAskarov #LaurentBroissoit #AlexNedeljkovic #TroyTerry #AnzeKopitar #MarcelDionne #WayneGretzky #LucRobitaille #Dave Taylor #RogieVachon #MatthewSchaefer #JaredSpurgeon #KyleConnor #IlyaKovalchuk #WesMcCauley #JohnMcCauley #JackWallace #ParalympicHockey #WorldCupofHockey #ArtemiPanarin

More Episodes