NHL Wraparound Podcast

By: Neil Smith & Vic Morren
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  • Summary

  • 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 2025 Neil Smith & Vic Morren
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Hockey Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • Stanley Cupdate - All the Comforts of Home for Canadiens, Devils and Oilers -April 26, 2025

    Stanley Cupdate - All the Comforts of Home for Canadiens, Devils and Oilers -April 26, 2025
    Apr 26 2025

    Returning home Friday proved just the tonic for the Canadiens, Devils and Oilers with an abundance of storylines and subplots.

    Vic and Neil also look ahead to Saturday's four-game slate. The Lightning will be forced to go without Brandon Hagel in Florida, Colorado and Vegas look to pull even and Toronto is in the unfamiliar position of trying to advance via a sweep.

    This Day in Stanley Cup History notes the 50th anniversary of the Islanders Game 7 victory in Pittsburgh and, in doing so, becoming only the second team at that time to come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.

    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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #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 #PatrikLaine #XhekajArber #ConnorMcMichael #AlexandreCarrier #ColeCaufield #LaneHutson #RasmusSandin #SamMontembeault #JakubDobes #JoshAnderson #TomWilson #AlexOvechkin #BrandonDuhaime #ChristianDvorak #JurajSlafkovsky #DylanStrome #LoganThompson #AlexNewhook #CharlieLindgren #SimonNemec #LukeHughes #JackHughes #BrendenDillon #NicoHischier #DawsonMercer #SethJarvis #SebastianAho #BrentBurns #JordanStaal #FrederikAndersen #StefanNoesen #KrisKnoblauch #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard #EvanderKane #RyanNugent-Hopkins #EvanBouchard #AdrianKempe #KevinFiala #DrewDoughty #AndreiKuzmenko #TrevorMoore #JakeWalman #ConnorBrown #ConnorMcDavid #DarcyKuemper #MartyMcSorley #EricDesjardins #JimHiller #BrandonHagel #AleksanderBarkov #JonCooper #NikitaKucherov #JackEichel #MarkStone #KirillKaprizov #MattBoldy #JoelErikssonEk #FilipGustavsson #AidenHill #AkiraSchmid #BradyTkachuk #NickCousins #AnthonyStolarz #ClaudeLemieux #EdWestfall #ChicoResch #GaryInness #KateSmith #GayrDornhoefer #RickMacLeish

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    28 mins
  • Stanley Cupdate - West Wild Cards Showing They Belong while Leafs and Panthers on a Collision Course - April 25, 2025

    Stanley Cupdate - West Wild Cards Showing They Belong while Leafs and Panthers on a Collision Course - April 25, 2025
    Apr 25 2025

    As if there was any doubt before, the Presidents Trophy winning Jets and Pacific leading Golden Knights had it confirmed they have their hands full with the Blues and Wild respectively.

    Meanwhile, consecutive overtime wins have the Maple Leafs on the verge of being the first team to advance and it's good news and potential bad new for the defending champs. The Panthers head home having won both games in Tampa but may have injury concerns with their captain.

    Our Day in Stanley Cup History takes a look back at Greatness and Magnificence.

    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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #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 #JackEichel #PavelBuchnevich #JimMontgomery #CamFowler #RobertThomas #ConnorHellebuyck #EricComrie #JordanBinnington #ColePerfetti #ScottArniel #DylanDeMelo #KirillKaprizov #MattBoldy #FilipGustavsson #JoelErikssonEk #BruceCassidy #AidenHill #AkiraSchmid #NoahHanafin #AlexPietrangelo #MarkStone #WilliamKarlsson #ReillySmith #JohnHynes #AnthonyCirelli #NateSchmidt #AndreiVasilevskiy #SergeiBobrovski #NikitaKucherov #BrandonHagel #AleksanderBarkov #SamBennett #JonCooper #AaronEkblad #JohnTortorella #AustonMatthews #BradyTkachuk #SimonBenoit #MaxDomi #MitchMarner #MatthewKnies #LinusUllmark #CraigBerube #PatrikLaine #MartinStLouis #BobGainey #JonasSiegenthaler #LukeHughes #JackHughes #BrendenDillon #JacobMarkstrom #FrederikAndersen #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #KrisKnoblauch #Jim HIller #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard #EvanBouchard #ZachHyman #KevinFiala #QuintonByfield #AnzeKopitar #AdrianKempe #AndreiKuzmenko #CraigButton #RobBlake #RasmusRistolainen #RickJeanneret #BradMay #WayneGretzky #MarioLemieux #PatrikSundstrom #MauriceRichard #DarrylSittler #ReggieLeach
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    39 mins
  • Stanley Cupdate - Two Higher Seeds Hold Serve While Dallas Regains Home-Ice Advantage - April 24, 2025

    Stanley Cupdate - Two Higher Seeds Hold Serve While Dallas Regains Home-Ice Advantage - April 24, 2025
    Apr 24 2025

    A virtuoso goaltending performance sends the Capitals into Montreal with a 2-0 series while the Kings are enjoying a similar advantage thanks to a sizzling power play against the Oilers. Meanwhile, a long-awaited return does not net the desired Game 3 result for the Avalanche.

    In league news, Chris Drury's future in New York has been decided and "This Day in Stanley Cup History" celebrates one of the great goal call of all time.

    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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #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 #ChristianDvorak #SamMontembeault #ConnorMcMichael #DylanStrome #AlexOvechkin #LoganThompson #JoshAnderson #TomWilson #JakeEvans #BrendanGallagher #JurajSlafkovsky #PatrikLaine #MartinSt.Louis #GabrielLandeskog #ColinBlackwell #ValNichushkin #MikkoRantanen #NathanMacKinnon #CaleMakar #JonathanDrouin #MasonMarchment #JamieBenn #TylerSeguin #PeterDeBoer #DenisSavard #SteveYzerman #ArtturiLehkonen #MacKenzieBlackwood #MiroHeiskanen #JasonRobertson #EvanderKane #BrandtClarke #WarrenFoegele #AdrianKempe #AnzeKopitar #AndreiKuzmenko #RobBlake #LeonDraisaitl #AdamHenrique #ViktorArvidsson #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard #KrisKnoblauch #DarcyKuemper #JonCooper #AnthonyCirelli #JackEichel #KirillKaprizov #JoelErikssonEk #MattBoldy #FilipGustavsson #GabeVilardi #MarkScheifele #KyleConnor #AlexIafallo #ChrisDrury #ArtemiPanarin #IgorShesterkin #MikaZibanejad #MatthewTkachuk #JTMiller #CalClutterbuck #CaseyCizikas #MattMartin #PaulHolmgren #BradMay #PatLafontaine #AlexanderMolginy #YuriKhymlev #RayBourque #DonSweeney #AndyMoog #RickJeanneret #JacquesDemers
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    36 mins
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