Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of...
NY Centric - Isles Get Closer, Rangers and Devils Struggling with Thomas Hickey - March 25, 2025
A week ago, the N.Y. Islanders had five teams to jump in order to get to the second wild card position in the Eastern Conference. Today, they have one final hurdle to jump. Meanwhile, struggles continue in New Jersey and Manhattan. Former Islander and current TV analyst Thomas Hickey joins Vic and Neil to go in depth with the playoffs coming up in just three-and-a-half weeks.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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #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 #UtahHockeyClub #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #ThomasHickey #ButchGoring #BrendanBurke #ShannonHogan #JodyShelley #JaromeIginla #RobynRegehr #DerekMorris #MikeCommodore #KylePalmieri #NoahDobson #BoHorvat #PatrikLaine #BrendanGallagher #IlyaSorokin #KyleMacLean #JonathanHuberdeau #NazemKadri #KirillMarchenko #MaximTsyplakov #AndersLee #PatrickRoy #BrockNelson #CaseyCizikas #PierreEngvall #MatthewBarzal #MarcGatcomb #SimonHolmstrom #KirillMarchenko #SidneyCrosby #EvgeniMalkin #ErikKarlsson #KrisLetang #DougieHamilton #NikitaKucherov #AndreiVasilevskiy #JonasSiegenthaler #JohnathanKovacevic #NicoHischier #JacobMarkstrom #JesperBratt #LukeHughes #JackHughes #LinusUllmark #ThatcherDemko #PiusSuter #RichTocchet #QuinnHughes #EliasPettersson #NilsHoglander #CraigBerube #ArtemiPanarin #VincentTrocheck #JohnTavares #JakeMcCabe #JohnnyBrodzinski #JTMiller #IgorShesterkin #BrennanOthmann #WillBorgen #JuusoParssinen #CarsonSoucy #ZacJones #SeattleThunderbirds #JacobTrouba #BarclayGoodrow #RobertoLuongo #AlanQuine #JohnTavares #LannyMcDonald #CliffFletcher #TerryCrisp
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Episode 53 - Drilling Down with Edmonton Oilers PxP Jack Michaels
The Edmonton Oilers were one win from an historic comeback in the Stanley Cup Final last spring. While favored by many to take that last step in 2025, the best laid plans have not gone according to plan as injuries, spotty defensive play and offensive shortcomings have hurt the club. TV Play-by-play voice of the Oilers Jack Michaels joins Vic and Neil to break it down.Also, the playoff races have taken several turns during the week, "The Big Rig" announces his plans to retire and some history in the PWHL during Women's History Month.IN THIS EPISODE:[01:49] - In "Three Things You Need to Pay Attention to," the Washington Capitals balance is a primary reason they are the only club to have clinched a playoff berth. [12:16] - Jack Michaels joins the show with an update on the status of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.[16:12] - Aside from the two superstars, Michaels addresses where the offense needs to come from in order to be the formidable team they'll need to be come playoff time.[21:40] - The question of defensive play, a signature of the improvement a season ago, has raised its head often this season...[25:00] - ...and that leads into inconsistent goaltending. Jack has a very interesting response as to whether the Skinner/Pickard tandem is enough.[30:10] - Michaels share the differences in the Oilers between current GM Stan Bowman and his predecessor, Ken Holland.[36:50] - Vic believes all of the Western powers have improved. Jack says otherwise.[48:33] - Before leaving, Jack shares a pointant story of being in a hallway in the arena not long after the Oilers had dropped Game 7 of the Final.[53:05] - The Playoff Races[1:01:42] - The NHL and NHLPA set to begin talks on a new CBA next month, almost a year-and-a-half before the current one expires.[1:04:12] - Player news.[1:08:01] - The Human Side of the Story looks at Jack Michaels journey from a small Western PA town to the Edmonton, AlbertaX: 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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #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 #UtahHockeyClub #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #JackMichaels #ColoradoGoldKings #AlaskaAces #AlexOvechkin #AliakseiProtas #TomWilson #DylanStrome #JakobChychrun #JohnCarlson #KyleMacLean #NazemKadri #QuintonByfield #JimHiller #RobBlake #DrewDoughty #LouieDeBrusk #IthacaCollege #Brendan Burke #JoshGetzoff #NickNickson #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #KrisKnoblach #MattiasEkholm #DarnellNurse #ViktorArvidsson #DylanHolloway #PhilipBroberg #CoreyPerry #AdamGaudette #FilipForsberg #ZachHyman #EvanBouchard #RyanNugent-Hopkins #JeffSkinner #AdamHenrique #BrettKulak #JakeWalman #TroyStetcher #SergeiFedorov #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard #AndreiVasilevskiy #ConnorHellebuyck #JakeOettinger #SergeiBobrovski #HenrikLundqvist #Marc-AndreFleury #RobertLuongo #AnttiNiemi #DarcyKuemper #PavelFrancouz #AdinHill #JordanBinnington #KenHolland #StanBowman #ScottyBowman #GenePrincipe #BobStauffer #GlenGulutzan #NathanMacKinnon #LukeSchenn #TrentFrederic #BrandonTanev #MikkoRantanen #BrockNelson #CharlieCoyle #MartinNecas #AnzeKopitar #TrippTracy #KennyAlbert #ConnSmytheTrophy #ReggieLeach #SamRosen #GaryBettman #MartyWalsh #NHLLockout #PatMaroon #BigRig...
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NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - March Madness - The NHL Way - March 21, 2025
Crazy eights for Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid leaves Thursday's game and the last two teams in the NHL alphabet are the first to 100 points.That's only the beginning as two stirring games involving teams in both bubble races highlights our re-caps and...if anything symbolized the last 14 seasons in Buffalo, the last 90 seconds of their game in Utah was it.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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #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 #UtahHockeyClub #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #AlexOvechkin #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard #PatQuinn #AdamFox #DougArmstrong #TylerTucker #DylanHolloway #BrockBoeser #QuinnHughes #EliasPettersson #PhilipBroberg #BraydenSchenn #JonathanHuberdeau #JacobMarkstrom #RyanHuska #JackAdamsTrophy #PatrickRoy #DylanGuenther #TageThompson #KevinStenlund #MikhailSergachev #RasmusDahlin #LindyRuff #AlexTuch #OwenPower #BoHorvat #PatrikLaine #BrendanGallagher #IlyaSorokin #SamMontembeault #AnthonyDuclair #StevenLorentz #SimonBenoit #KellySutherland #JosephWoll #AnthonyStolarz #JohnTavares #JakeMcCabe #WilliamNylander #ArtemiPanarin #AleksanderBarkov #KirillMarchenko #ElvisMerzlikins #SergeiBobrovsky #BrandonHagel #AnthonyCirelli #GabeGonclaves #CaseyDeSmith #JeffSkinner #ZachHyman #JoshMorrissey #KyleConnor #LinusUllmark #NathanMacKinnon #BrockNelson #CaleMakar #RyanHartman #MattBoldy #LiamOhgren #MarcoRossi #KirillKaprizov #JoelErikssonEk #FilipGustavsson #PavelDorofeyev #WilliamKarlsson #TrevorMoore #AlexTurcotte #ConnorBedard #SethJones #KaapoKakko #AlexisLafreniere #JackHughes #TravisKonecny #MatveiMichkov #TravisSandheim #SebastianAho #SethJarvis #GaryBettman #MikkoRantanen #DougieHamilton #RodBrind'Amour #DavidPoile #JoshManson #EvanderKane #DmitryKulikov #DanFriedkin #SamRosen #JackMichaels #LouieDeBrusk #EvanBouchard #DarnellNurse
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Human Side of the Story - Ep. 52 - Hey Dad, You're Trading Me?
Trades are an accepted part of hockey business. Recently, Utica Comets GM Dan MacKinnon caught the attention of many pulling off a deal which involved moving his own son to playoff-contending Cleveland. While unique, it's actually happened before and, on the NHL level, no less. The player involved is one who Neil later acquired in New York after this noteworthy trade from Colorado to Los Angeles.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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL#DanMacKinnon #WillMacKinnon #UticaComets #NewJerseyDevils #ClevelandMonsters #ColumbusBlueJackets #WashingtonCapitals #LesterPatrick #LynnPatrick #MuzzPatrick #EricLacroix #PierreLacroix #ColoradoAvalanche #LosAngelesKings #UniversityofNewHampshire
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NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - A Rotten Apple Pushes Montreal Into Wild Card Position - Mar. 19, 2025
March signals desperation for many clubs looking to make their final push to the post-season. Over the past couple of evenings, the Canadiens, Islanders, Canucks and Blues appear to have gotten the memo. Apparently, one team has not. We're all over both wild card races with 14 games worth of coverage plus some other news around the NHL.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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #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 #UtahHockeyClub #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #DanVladar #ArtemiPanarin #DustinWolf #DonMaloney #IgorShesterkin #ChristianDvorak #BrendanGallagher #JoshAnderson #KylePalmieri #NoahDobson #PierreEngvall #SimonHolmstrom #TristanJarry #JakeAllen #JesperBratt #JackHughes #TimoMeier #Pierre-LucDubois #TomWilson #ConnorMcMichael #AliakseiProtas #SpencerCarbery #AlexOvechkin #AlexTuch #DavidPastrnak #BrockBoeser #PiusSuter #QuinnHughes #ConnorHellebuyck #ThatcherDemko #FilipChytil #RickTocchet #VictorMancini #BrianLeetch #JeffBeukeboom #JustinFaulk #JakeNeighbours #GordieHoweHatTrick #JordanKyrou #JoelHofer #JimMontgomery #ZachHyman #MattiasEkholm #ViktorArvidsson #RyanNugent-Hopkins #ConnorMcDavid #VasilyPodkolzin #LeonDraisaitl #KarelVejmelka #MatsZuccarello #FilipGustavsson #MikaelGranlund #ThomasHarley #MikkoRantanen #LeoCarlsson #MiroHeiskanen #TylerSeguin #ErikGudbranson #ColeSillinger #SeanMonahan #AndreiVasilevskiy #NikitaKucherov #JakeGuentzel #SteveSimmons #AustonMatthews #WilliamNylander #MitchMarner #OliverEkman-Larsson #ShaneWright #AdamLarsson #TomFitzgerald #CaseyFitzgerald #HartfordWolfpack #AHL #AdamJohnson #NHLPA #RyanReaves #MattMartin #JamieBenn #EvanderKane #TJOshie #GabrielLandeskog #JoshManson #IIHF #GaryBettman
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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