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.
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NHL Wraparound Podcast
NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Sept. 30, 2026
Sep 30, 20261 min
Neil is back for a second season of Smith's Pix. After posting a .625 winning percentage a season ago, he's truly challenging himself as his overall record for this season with be straight wins and losses and no credit for teams picking up a point by virtue of an overtime or shootout loss. Thus, his opening night record was 3-2 as opposed to 3-0-2. And therein, lies the challenge. What would have been an .800 winning percentage in 2025-26 sits merely at .600. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic 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 #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
NHL Wraparound Quick Takes - Marchenko a Leaf - Sept. 29, 2026
Sep 29, 202611 min
Nothing like a blockbuster trade on the eve of a new season to get fans going as Kirill Marchenko has moved on from the Columbus Blue Jackets to Toronto. Vic and Neil break it down and go straight to the heart of the matter: for two non-playoff teams from a season ago, does the move push either into the top eight in the Eastern Conference? X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic 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 #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro #JohnChayka #JimHIller #DonWaddell #KirillMarchenko #MilesWood #ElvisMerzlikins #MatthewKnies #StevenLorentz #EmilAndrae #SergeiBobrovsky #GavinMcKenna #DarrenRaddysh #NickPaul #AnthonyStolarz #WilliamNylander #JohnTavares #AustonMatthews #MitchMarner #ZachWerenski #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
Episode 116 - Into the Wild - John Hynes - Sept. 28, 2026
Sep 28, 202655 min
After eleven years without a playoff series win, the Minnesota Wild got that score settled in the spring by taking out the Dallas Stars in the opening round. Now they look to take the next steps. Armed with a new contract, head coach John Hynes joins Neil and Vic to share how his team can elevate further in a brutally competitive Central Division. In the post-interview segment, there's captaincy news, RFA and UFA signings, injury news, salary cap and a few interesting sidebar stories. We'll also introduce a new partner and some an update on one of our franchises going live. IN THIS EPISODE: [01:10] - Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes begins the show remarking on a 12th straight season behind an NHL bench. [03:33] - Some background on Hynes family, growing up in Rhode Island and playing under one of college hockey's most storied coaches - a gentleman who helped inspire Hynes on become a coach someday. [06:21] - At BU, Hynes played with a couple of current NHL GMs as well as a promising player whose life was forever changed on his very first college shift. [07:59] - More on players Hynes played with and then coached at Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton before making the move to the NHL. [11:57] - Acknowledging Hynes 2023 induction into the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame. [12:59] - The adjustment of a shortened training camp and pre-season with veterans players limited to the amount of exhibition games they could play. [15:30] - Nothing like a little feistiness at the end of a pre-season game with the team the Wild knocked off in the opening round last spring to get the juices going. [16:54] - Injury updates on defenseman Brock Faber and goaltender Filip Gustavsson. [17:52] - Assessing the losses, pick-ups and re-signees since the end of the 2025-26 season. [20:23] - Working with the superstars on the Wild, led by Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Quinn Hughes. [22:47] - Appreciating Hughes having the opportunity to coach him. [24:34] - With his GM Bill Guerin also armed with a contract extension, the Wild leadership pair continue a parallel journey to get the Wild across the finish line. [28:07] - Summing up the John Hynes interview and the six head coaches appearing on NHL Wraparound in September. [30:38] - Plenty of player news across the NHL, some good and some not so good. [37:28] - Other news items from TV contracts to bonding trips to an obscure rule being enforced to a Winnipeg combining their franchise record book. [46:05] - Welcoming The Lineup. [46:05] - The Carolina Hurricanes rings and Smith's Pix for opening night. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic 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 #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro #JohnHynes #BillGuerin #PeterDeBoer #JackParker #MikeBoyle #ChrisDrury #MikeGreer #TravisRoy #TomPoti #ShawnBates #ConorSheary #BrianDumoulin #BryanRust #MattMurray #Marc-AndreFleury #LouLamoriello #JackCapuano #DavidQuinn #BrianBurke #MikkoRantanen #QuinnHughes #MattBoldy #GlenGulutzan #JakeOettinger #MattDuchene #BrockFaber #MatsZuccarello #JakeMiddleton #BlakeColeman #OlliMaatta #JustinKirkland #MaxShabanov #CalvinPickard #MichaelMcCarron #BobbyBrink #NickFoligno #ZachBogosian #DavidSpacek #DaemonHunt #VladimirTarasenko #MarcusJohansson #KirillKaprozov #JoelErikssonEk #FilipGustavsson #JesperWallstedt #JaredSpurgeon #MarcusFoligno #BrianLeetch #DeanEvason #RogerNeilson #MikeKeenan #MacklinCelebrini #JoeThornton #DavidPastrnak #MikaelGranlund #BooneJenner #DylanLarkin #BradyTkachuk #BrockBoeser #AdamFantilli #DonWaddell #ZachWerenski #KirillMarchenko #OliverMoore #LoganStanley #MattGrzelcyk #JonasJohansson #LinusUllmark #SamErsson #LeeviMerilainen #ThatcherDemko #FilipChytil #BenKindel #BlakeLizotte #JustinBrazeau #AndreiKuzmenko #AnthonyMantha #SidenyCrosby #EvgeniMalkin #ErikKarlsson #JimMontgomery #LoganMallioux #TylerTucker #GaryBettman #ESPN #NHLonTNT #JohnChayka #AustonMatthews #TrevorZegras #SeanCouturier #AlexOvechkin #WayneGretzky #MarkChipman #ClintBenedict #FrankFinnigan #FrankNighbor #DaneilAlfredsson #BradyTkachuk #KenHolland #PatVerbeek #RyanCraig #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 #BostonUniversityTerriers #Wilkes-BarrieScrantonPenguins #AtlantaThrashers #AtlantaFlames #MinnesotaNorthStars
An increased schedule and an earlier start to the season. If you're a hockey fan, you're about to enter nirvana for the next nine months as we prepare the 2026-27 season. For NHL Wraparound, Neil and Vic enter their third full season - and part of a fourth overall - with a new open and a Hall of Fame voice to mark the occasion. Over the past two springs, TSN's Craig Button has joined the show throughout the playoffs but, why wait? There's plenty to get to now and Button's expertise goes on display to open the season. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:50] - Few things are more fun to open a season preview with than the financial landscape brought forth by massive contracts. However, that's where the NHL is and it can't be ignored. [08:18] - The effect of new CBA where contract limits dropped from 8-year maximums to re-sign with a current team and seven years as a UFA to seven and six years respectively. [11:35] - Items worth noting for new season, including the increased schedule, mandatory neck guards for incoming players, emergency backup goalie (EBUG) regulations and an overtime rule being implemented in the Western Hockey League which may someday be adapted by the NHL. [23:22] - Seven new general managers that were not in those positions with their clubs a season ago. [29:42] - Conversely, only five new head coaches but one is certainly making plenty of headlines - and not necessarily for the best reasons. [34:22] - When the greatest goal scorer in league history mixes sports and politics, the optic is poor and the ripple effect causes headaches elsewhere. [38:25] - On the media front, a tradition of nearly three quarters of a century is gone...but not forgotten. [43:10] - Homecoming dates for 10 players visiting their former arenas for the first time. [45:52] - Breakout players. [49:22] - Power shifts. Teams on the rise and those likely to slip. [54:22] - The "experts" offer their thoughts on the eight teams who will make the post-season from each conference as well as a potential sleeper. [57:29] - If we must, Stanley Cup Final predictions. [1:00:29] - Wrap-up and what's ahead. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic 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 #NHL #BZZR #UBS #CraigButton #TSN #SamRosen #EJHradek #JeffMarek #SheaWeber #CareyPrice #LeoCarlsson #MacklinCelebrini #CaleMakar #ConnorMcDavid #AustonMatthews #RodBrind'Amour #DavidAyres #DarrylReaugh #EdBelfour #JohnDavidson #MartyBiron #FrankMahovlich #EvgenyKuznetsov #PatrickKane #MatsZuccarello #JoeSakic #ShawnHorcoff #SteveYzerman #ChrisMacFarland #BarryTrotz #SunnyMehta #TomFitzgerald #AlexSteen #DougArmstrong #JohnChayka #RyanJohnson #DanielSedin #HenrikSedin #ChrisIlitch #JackHughes #NicoDaws #BillTorrey #BobPulford #CliffFletcher #SergeSavard #BobbyClarke #GavinMcKenna #MikeBabcock #PeterLaviolette #JimHiller #MannyMalhotra #RyanCraig #PeterDeBoer #MarkMessier #StanBowman #AlexFormenton #MikeKeenan #LeonDraisaitl #SteveSimmons #AlexOvechkin #ChrisPatrick #HockeyNightinCanada #SaturdayNightHockey #DeloresClaman #FosterHewitt #MauriceRichard #VincentTrocheck #RadkoGudas #BradyTkachuk #FrederikAndersen #BooneJenner #SergeiBobrovsky #BrendanGallagher #PavelDorofeyev #AndersLee #JohnCarlson #DevonLevi #TristanJarry #AleksanderBarkov #CutterGauthier #GavinMcKenna #JordanKyrou #RyanLeonard #MatveiMichkov #WillSmith #AlexTuch #ConnorHellebuyck #PorterMartone #DanMuse #SidneyCrosby #DarnellNurse #JohnHynes #BillGuerin #QuinnHughes #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 #WesternHockeyLeague #JohnstownChiefs #ECHL #TorontoMarlies
Episode 114 - A New Beacon on Long Island - Peter DeBoer - Sept. 23, 2026
Sep 23, 202651 min
It's his sixth stop running an NHL bench. For Peter DeBoer, the New York Islanders will offer a challenge different from others faced previously. Since taking over for Patrick Roy in April, there's been minimal personnel turnover and an offense and power play among the lowest tanked in the NHL. Still, there's a solid defense core led by Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer and an elite-level goaltender in Ilya Sorokin. DeBoer will share his thoughts on his team amidst a very competitive Metropolitan Division. IN THIS EPISODE: [01:52] - N.Y. Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer is welcomed to the show and takes a trip down memory lane with Neil to his days in junior with Windsor of the OHL and some of the future NHL personnel he played with or was coached by. [06:03] - As the discussion moves to coaching, Neil and Peter talk about the humility of the coaching profession. [07:28] - By getting in late in the last season, DeBoer has now spent every season since 2008-09 behind an NHL bench. Still, he credits the break for most of 2025-26 for giving him the itch to get back in. [08:50] - Neil and Pete take a look back on DeBoer's coaching days in Kitchener, where he enjoyed success with two OHL championships and a Memorial Cup in 2003. [10:46] - DeBoer's Muhammad Ali story. [13:01] - And had DeBoer not gone on to coaching hockey, he likely would have been quite the lawyer. [15:33] - Now in his sixth NHL stop, the jury is still out for DeBoer as to whether this Islander team has any of the signatures of the Panthers, Devils, Sharks, Golden Knights or Stars teams he's led. [18:23] - The significance of the four games at the end of 2025-26 that helped ease the transition for the new season. [20:03] - Thoughts on the shorter training camp - one which another NHL head coach would like to see even shorter. [21:37] - DeBoer has enjoyed particular success in the first seasons at all of his previous NHL stops, similar to the current head coach in LA, Peter Laviolette. Is there a secret sauce? [23:55] - The comeback of Semyon Varlamov. After not having played for 662 days, there is a strong possibility he could start the season as Ilya Sorokin's backup. [26:30] - Matt Barzal update. [27:34] - With an team has been offensively challenged for the past couple of seasons, DeBoer shares the priorities of where the team needs to get to in order to produce enough to compete for a playoff spot. [29:28] - Part of that offensive struggle has been a woeful power play. Is it simply a matter of good and bad coaching with the man advantage that decides success? [31:27] - The anticipation of working with Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer. [33:34] - Putting a wrap on the discussion with Pete DeBoer [36:12] - Other league news including holdouts, contracts, injuries and retirements. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic 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 #NHL #BZZR #UBS #PeterDeBoer #PatrickRoy #SpencerCarbery #RodBrind'Amour #JeffBlashill #AndrewBrunette #JohnHynes #AdamGraves #BobBoughner #PaulMaurice #DarrylShannon #DarrinShannon #GlenFeatherstone #PatJablonski #PeterIng #JimRutherford #TomWebster #MarioLemieux #AlainLemieux #JackCapuano #MarkCrawford #RonWilson #MikeRichards #DerekRoy #NazemKadri #BrentSutter #SidneyCrosby #PatriceBergeon #RyanGetzlaf #CoreyPerry #SheaWeber #DionPhaneuf #MuhammadAli #ScottyBowman #PatDucharme #BobProbert #JoeNieuwendyk #GaryRoberts #NathanHorton #JayBouwmeester #ZachParise #IlyaKovalchuk #PeterLaviolette #KenHolland #MathewBarzal #SemyonVarlamov #VitekVanecek #IlyaSorokin #MathieuDarche #AndersLee #KylePalmieri #BoHorvat #MatthewSchaeffer #AlexanderRomanov #BraydenSchenn #MatiasMaccelli #CalumRitchie #SimonHolmstrom #RogerNeilson #JohnTortorella #BraydenPoint #NikitaKucherov #StevenStamkos #BrianLeetch #SergeiZubov #JonCooper #BrianBurke #SheldonKeefe #MikeSullivan #ConnorHellebuyck #DylanLarkin #JordanStaal #MarkStone #RyanLeonard #JustinSordif #DrakeBatherson #NoahOstlund #CutterGauthier #LeoCarlsson #DanVladar #JasonZucker #ElvisMerzlikins #CamTalbot #JetGreaves #NickBjugstad #AdamSykora #KevinHayes #RyanReaves #JamieBenn #RyanO'Reilly #ZachBogosian #CraigMacTavish #AndyBrown #CraigButton #TSN #QuinnHughes #KirillKaprizov #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 #WindsorSpitfires #OHL #TorontoMarlies #KHL #KitchenerRangers #MemorialCup #JoeLouisArena #HockeyCanada #CalderTrophy #ConnSmytheTrophy
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