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NHL Wraparound Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast

By: Neil Smith & Vic Morren
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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.Copyright 2026 Neil Smith & Vic Morren Hockey Hourly Social Sciences
Episodes
  • NHL Wraparound Quick Takes - The Free Agency/Trading Exhale - July 3, 2026

    NHL Wraparound Quick Takes - The Free Agency/Trading Exhale - July 3, 2026
    Jul 3 2026

    The initial rush of free agent signings has passed, as has the abundance of trades which took place well before July 1.

    With the holiday weekend upon the U.S., time to exhale just a bit and update on what's taken place since Wednesday's Free Agency recap which is available on YouTube and BZZR.com

    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 #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 #FrederikAndersen #RyanShea #BooneJenner #JonnyBrodzinski #AndersLee #JamieOleksiak #JoelKiviranta #LarsEller #JohnCarlson #MattGatcomb #MaxShabanov #VitekVanecek #SemyonVarlamov #IlyaSorokin #DavidRittich #JakeAllen #NicoDaws #AlexOvechkin #JakubDobes #NickFoligno #KasperiKapanen #ErikGudbranson #DylanCoghlan #DarnellNurse #ShakirMukhamadullin #ZackSharp #NickPaul #KeeganKolesar #VincentTrocheck #SeanDurzi #ColeBeaudoin #MarcusPettersson #BlakeColeman #OlliMaatta #JakeMiddleton #JamieBenn #MichaelBunting #ClaudeGiroux #PatrickKane #AnthonyMantha #PhilEsposito #VladimirTarasenko #CamTalbot #LoganStanley #JohnKlingberg #PatrikLaine #JimNill #BillArmstrong #MikeBabcock #JulienBriseBois #DavePagnotta #TheFourthPeriod #NHLNetwork #NHLNetworkRadio #SunnyMehta #BillGuerin #CraigConroy #JohnChayka #DevonLevi #PavelDorofeyev #WillBorgen #ChrisDrury #PeterLaviolette #KenHolland #DylanLarkin #SteveYzerman #ZachWerenski #DonWaddell #EJHradek
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    34 mins
  • Episode 104 - NHL Draft Recap/Free Agency Preview with EJ Hradek from NHL Network

    Episode 104 - NHL Draft Recap/Free Agency Preview with EJ Hradek from NHL Network
    Jun 29 2026
    If it appears the NHL off-season has been particularly active since the Carolina Hurricanes lifted the Stanley Cup on June 14, you're not alone.Re-signings, trades, the Draft and the prospect of several notable players looking to be moved are all making headlines.E.J. Hradek from The NHL Network joins Neil and Vic to discuss all of these areas in advance of free agency officially kicking off on July 1.IN THIS EPISODE:[01:54] - E.J. Hradek from the NHL Network worked the Draft and comments on how the feel of the vent has changed over the past couple of years in a de-centralized format.[08:03] - Discussion about Caleb Malhotra, selected third by Vancouver, and the prospect of being coached by his dad, Manny, who was drafted by Neil in New York in 1998.[13:27] - The top picks of the 2026 Entry Draft and which players could see NHL action in the new season. Particular attention to first overall pick Gavin McKenna to Toronto, who has roots unlike any player we've seen.[24:37] - The trade market has heated up significantly compared to a year ago in advance of free agency. Neil and E.J. weigh in with their thoughts, which may connect to the current free agent pool.[34:37] - Neil sidebars as to how potential expansion may affect team strategies and business models as the chances to win a championship mathematically decrease.[39:56] - Several RFA could be the targets of offer sheets. Opinion on what teams need to consider with reference to the Blues signings of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway two years ago.[45:33] - On one side, teams are always looking to bolster their respective lineups. However, the climate also now has players seeking to be moved despite having no movement clauses in their contracts and other already suggesting they're not intending to extend with their current teams.[58:26] - What E.J. looks most forward to when free agency kicks off July 1.[1:01:09] - Wrap-up segment including two breaking trades and other NHL news.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 #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 #EJHradek #NHLNetwork #CraigButton #TSN #CalebMalhotra #MannyMalhotra #LiamRuck #MarkusRuck #AlexanderKarmonov #RoyWorters #DarrenPang #BobbyLalonde #MatthewSchaeffer #JustinBieber #PKSubban #StuartScott #GavinMcKenna #IvanStenberg #DaxonRudolph #AlbertsSmits #CarsonCarels #ChaseReid #ViggoBjorck #KeatonVerhoeff #WyattCullen #MattCullen #TynanLawrence #DarrenRaddysh #PavelDorofeyev #OlenZellweger #MasonMcTavish #BrandonCarlo #JohnCarlson #BowenByram #JordanGreenway #LouisCrevier #AlexTuch #JordanKyrou #ConnorMcMichael #ValNichushkin #JackDrury #JJPeterka #IvanIvan #DylanLarkin #DarnellNurse #JasonRobertson #ZachWerenski #KirillMarchenko #ConnorHellebuyck #DrewDoughty #KenHolland #ConnorMurphy #JasonDickinson #BobbyMcMann #ZachBenson #TonyDeAngelo #JordanSpence #BrentBurns #BrettKulak #BrandtClarke #ConnorBedard #LeoCarlsson #CutterGauthier #AdamFantilli #TrevorZegras #SimonEdvinsson #JetGreaves #JamieDrysdale #MitchMarner #NikolajEhlers #BradMarchand #BrockBoeser #MikaelGranlund #VladimirGavrikov #PatrickKane #IvanProvorov #DmitryOrlov #JakeAllen #MichaelBunting #JamieBenn #LarsEller #ClaudeGiroux #BooneJenner #AndersLee #AnthonyMantha #MasonMarchment #AlexOvechkin #CoreyPerry #VladimirTarasenko #MattsZuccarello #RasmusAndersson #JacobTrouba #FrederikAndersen #SergeiBobrovsky #StuartSkinner #CamTalbot #QuinnHughes #JeffSkinner #ViktorArvidsson #PhilipBroberg #DylanHolloway #SteveStaios #MavrikBourque #DougArmstrong #BillZito #BradyTkachuk #DonWaddell #JimNill #CaleMakar #EricLindros #PorterMartone #AustonMatthews #NikitaKucherov #KrisKnoblauch #JohnChayka #TerryPegula #ThomasHarley #LesterPatrick #RichardPatrick #MuzzPatrick #CycloneTaylor #LynnPatrick #KenHolland #SteveYzerman #DrewDoughty #AnzeKopitar #JohnTavares #MikeSullivan #RichNash #BrendanGallagher #NilsHoglander #SethJarvis #EricRobinson #JuanSoto #NewYorkYankees #NewYorkMets #GoldenStateWarriors #BrianCashman
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • NHL Wraparound Quick Takes - Expansion on the Horizon?

    NHL Wraparound Quick Takes - Expansion on the Horizon?
    Jun 26 2026

    Thirty two teams would appear to sit well as an appropriate number of clubs within the NHL. However, with record revenues, greater worldwide appeal and the skill/speed level at an all-time high, it might be hard for commissioner Gary Bettman to resist growing the league footprint further - in this case to Austin or Houston, Texas.

    Vic and Neil discuss potential plus and downsides to expanding the league and whether the talent pool can support more teams without short-changing the product.

    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 #BZZR #NHL #GaryBettman #DanFriedkin #FreidkinGroup #ASRoma #Everton #EnglishPremiereLeague #BorjeSalming #IngeHammerstrom #VaclavNedomansky #PeterStastny #AntonStastny #MarianStastny #GordieHowe #MarkHowe #MartyHowe #DallasStars #VegasGoldenKnights #SeattleKraken #MontrealCanadiens #NewYorkIslanders #EdmontonOilers #QuebecNordiques #DetroitRedWings #TorontoMapleLeafs #BostonBruins #ColumbusBlueJackets #MinnesotaWild #NashvillePredators #TexasStars #HoustonAeroes #WHA #TheAHL.com #FourNationsFaceoff
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    13 mins
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