NHL Wraparound Podcast

In the season finale, Neil and Vic are joined by noted NHL contributor Dave Pagnotta to springboard us into the off-season. However, that doesn't mean business is shutting down. There are noted unsigned UFA's but, perhaps more significantly, RFA's and offer sheets are certain to affect the NHL landscape both in the immediate and in years to come with the salary cap continuing to rise and several o...

Five days into free agency and we've seen an abundance of activity on both large and small scales. Still, there's a quartet of players Neil has identified that are for looking teams and would be good fits for a number of clubs. 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://w...

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.l...

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...

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...

Nothing like a little excitement heading into the NHL Draft and Free Agency with a somewhat controversial head coaching hiring in Edmonton and a quartet of deals. Noted columnist Steve Simmons joins Vic and Neil for an in-depth discussion on these topics plus the latest vibe in Toronto with a new GM, a new head coach, a major acquisition, a veteran on the way out and the first pick of the Draft on...

The crowning of a Stanley Cup champion ends the competition on the ice for another season with the opening of new eras following quickly behind with the NHL Entry Draft. TSN Analyst and Director of Scouting Craig Button joins Neil and Vic to look at the top prospects and potential strategies for teams either picking near the top or with multiple selections in the first round. Toronto: You're on th...

A blockbuster trade over the weekend has the Tkachuk brothers - Matthew and Brady - as teammates in Florida. Vic and Neil review the trade which was made possible, in part, due to a deal done a short time before between the Panthers and Seattle Kraken. We'll also look at some additional signings of players who were retained by their clubs before getting to free agency on July 1 plus a dive into th...

Yes, even the Stanley Cup champions have spring cleaning though, in the case of the Carolina Hurricanes, not nearly as much as past winners. Sticking with the on-ice strategy set forth by head coach Rod Brind'Amour, the lineup was augmented during the off-season by GM Eric Tulsky with the team among the NHL elite from Day 1 to mid-June. Vic and Neil break down what made the difference and discuss...

Three head coaching vacancies whittled down to one Wednesday with eye-opening selections in both Toronto and Vegas, leaving the Edmonton Oilers as the lone NHL club without a bench boss though that might not be for long. Following an apparently exhaustive search, the Maple Leafs landed on former Kings coach Jim Hiller while the Golden Knights opted to stay within the organization, tabbing AHL Hend...

Since entering the NHL in 2017, no team has operated quite like the Vegas Golden Knights. With a "win now" mindset from their inaugural season, the team has traded draft picks and have made whatever moves the rules have allowed in order to be annual contenders. After removing Stanley Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy with just eight games left in the regular season, the VGK responded to interim coac...

It started on Oct. 7 and 1394 regular season and playoff games later, the Carolina Hurricanes sit atop the NHL mountain. Never wavering from their approach despite past disappointment, the 'Canes clearly separated themselves from the rest of league to claim the Stanley Cup for the second time - 20 years after the first. Vic and Neil do the deep dive into what went right for the new champs and wher...

In Thursday's pivotal fifth game, the Carolina Hurricanes moved to within a victory of their first Stanley Cup title in 20 years drawing off from the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period en route to a 4-2 win. The loss for Vegas was compounded when forward William Karlsson went down to injury midway through the game and may be finished for the Final. Vic and Neil break it down and look ah...

In a game they needed to have, the Carolina Hurricanes turned to their captain to even the Stanley Cup Final with the Vegas Golden Knights at two games apiece. Jordan Staal, a champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, tallied twice, including the game winner early in the third period. In doing so, he became the first player 44 years to score in each of the first four games of the Final. Vic a...

In the midst of the Stanley Cup Finals, plenty of off ice news. In this edition of Quick Takes, Neil gives his thoughts on the Kings hiring of Peter Laviolette and potential hirings of Joe Pavelski in Toronto and Mike Babcock in Edmonton. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/ NHL Wraparound Instagram...

After three games of the Stanley Cup Final, we all get an extra day before Game 4 to exhale in what has been an exhilarating first three games. Saturday, an extraordinary four-goal third period comeback by the Carolina Hurricanes fell short in overtime as Shea Theodore's fortunate bounce off Brandon Bussi's skate has the Golden Knights in a position to take command of the series Tuesday. Vic and N...

After managing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a wild card in 2024-25, Le Club de Canadien took another step forward winning two post-season rounds in the spring of 2026. With one of the most dynamic top lines in the NHL and led by star sophomore Lane Hutson on the backline, the Habs have emerged as one of the most entertaining teams in the NHL. With their goaltending apparently set wit...

For 50 minutes, the Vegas Golden Knights had control of a game which would have given them a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final. However, in a most improbable ten minutes, the Carolina Hurricanes managed to score three goals in 5:05 before getting tied in the final minute. And on a power play, Seth Jarvis became an overtime hero turning the Final into a best-of-five. Also, the third time's a charm...

Only 12 minutes into the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final, it appeared as is the Carolina Hurricanes were going to cruise in a manner similar to what we've seen in the first three rounds. However, their Vegas opponents are a veteran team. Battle-hardened and only three years removed from a championship. Once they get their legs under them, the Golden Knights pressured the 'Canes in a manner t...

There was no team with higher expectations entering 2025-26 than the Colorado Avalanche. However, by late May, no club had suffered greater disappointment. The Presidents' Trophy winners wired the field from the outset of the regular season but, after disposing the Kings and Wild in just nine games to start the playoffs, the Avalanche crashed in getting swept in the Western Final by the Vegas Gold...

With the Final between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights set to kick off Tuesday, who better to join Neil and Vic than a current NHL head coach who has seen both teams up close. Jim Montgomery, current coach with the St. Louis Blues, has gotten familiar with Vegas over the past two seasons in the Western Conference. Before that, he saw what the Hurricanes were about while leading Boston. We'll tal...

It started in early October and are now at the finish line where a new Stanley Cup champion will be crowned within the next two weeks. The Carolina Hurricanes have marched into the Final requiring just 13 games to earn their spot while the Vegas Golden Knights have gotten stronger each round to take their place. Neil and Vic are once again joined by TSN's Craig Button for analysis and predictions...

We have a dance card! The 2026 Stanley Cup Final is set as the Carolina Hurricanes completed an historic run 12-1 run taking out the exhausted Montreal Canadiens and, in the process, earned a date with the Vegas Golden Knights for the right to play for the Cup. Vic and Neil have a breakdown that will sound quite similar with their own unique takes. We also take a moment to remember the late Claude...

There were few feel-good stories in 2025-26 than the Buffalo Sabres. After 15 long years, the Sabres got themselves back into the post-season winning the Atlantic Division plus the opening round of the playoffs against Boston before falling in Game 7 overtime to Montreal. While it is easy to statistically equate as to why the team escaped the doldrums, the path of the past season was atypical. A s...

If there was any question of the Hurricanes superiority over a Canadiens team that won Game 1 and got Games 2 and 3 to overtime, those questions were answered in a dominant performance Wednesday. Three quick goals late in the first period put the 'Canes into cruise control and they never let up on a Habs team appearing more and more spent from the attrition of having to play 14 games in the first...