NHL Wraparound Podcast

The Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions — and now chasing history. In this episode, Neil Smith and Vic Morren break down how GM Bill Zito has kept the core together, added smart depth pieces, and positioned Paul Maurice’s team for a legitimate shot at a third straight Cup. The hosts discuss offseason moves, key re-signings, and health questions that could impact the Panthers' p...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive deep into the state of the Dallas Stars, a team that continues to knock on the door but can’t quite break it down. After a heartbreaking third straight Conference Final loss, the Stars made a surprising offseason move—replacing head coach Peter DeBoer with Glen Gulutzan, signaling a reset without dismantling the...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive into the offseason changes, roster dynamics, and forward outlook for the New Jersey Devils, a team that finished third in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points and was bounced in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes. With playoff experience under their belt but key players returning from injury, the Dev...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine the Detroit Red Wings—a franchise inching toward contention but still battling to break through. It’s been nine consecutive seasons without a playoff berth in Hockeytown. The last time the Red Wings won a playoff series? Back in 2013. Now, under Steve Yzerman's front office leadership, Detroit hopes that one...

In this episode of Summer Coolers, Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive into the offseason developments for the Los Angeles Kings after another frustrating playoff exit. For the fourth consecutive year, the Kings were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round—this time after holding multiple leads and letting key games slip away. With Rob Blake out and Ken Holland in as GM, the Kings are atte...

In this Summer Coolers episode of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive into the state of the Calgary Flames—a team coming off a surprising 2024–25 campaign that ended in heartbreak. Despite being one of the league’s feel-good stories down the stretch, the Flames missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season, falling short via regulation win tiebreaker to the St. Louis Blues....

In this Summer Coolers episode of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine the Colorado Avalanche, a franchise that continues to contend—but still hasn’t returned to the Stanley Cup Final since hoisting the trophy in 2022. The Avalanche finished the 2024–25 season with 102 points and their eighth straight playoff appearance, but fell in Game 7 to the Dallas Stars in the second round...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren review the offseason, roster structure, and playoff hopes of the Columbus Blue Jackets—a team that came painfully close to breaking their five-year postseason drought in 2024–25. The Blue Jackets finished with 89 points, just two shy of the final wild card spot, and were eliminated by a regulation win tiebreaker afte...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive deep into one of the NHL’s most intriguing rebuilding teams—the Anaheim Ducks. After a quiet climb last season, Anaheim has made bold moves, signaling their intent to challenge for a wild card spot in 2026. From the surprise hiring of Joel Quenneville to a dramatic shakeup in goal and up front, the Ducks are bec...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren take a hard look at the Boston Bruins, a team that has fallen dramatically from its historic high just two seasons ago. After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the Bruins are in unfamiliar territory. With major roster departures and minimal offseason improvements, David Pastrnak may find himself car...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren break down the Carolina Hurricanes’ offseason, their consistent regular season success, and the lingering concerns that have prevented them from reaching the Stanley Cup Final—despite three Conference Final appearances in the last seven years. The Canes finished second in the Metro Division with 99 points in 2024–25...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren take a sobering look at the Chicago Blackhawks, a franchise still in the early stages of a rebuild despite having Connor Bedard, the most hyped first-overall pick in years. Chicago finished last in the Central Division for a third straight season and posted just 61 points in 2024–25. With few meaningful additions and...

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren assess the state of the Buffalo Sabres, a team that once again finds itself outside the playoff picture—with 14 consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance. Despite fielding the 10th-ranked offense in the NHL last year (3.23 goals per game), the Sabres were undone by a porous defense, surrendering 3.50 goals...

With the calendar flipping to September and the 2025-26 season now just a month away, Neil and Vic are proud to launch the Hall of Fame Edition. NHL Wraparound launched in January 2024 with the greatest player, Wayne Gretzky, as the first guest. This new franchise begins with its greatest-ever coach, Scotty Bowman. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:52] - Scotty joins the show and we go all the way back to the...

The hosts wrap up the Summer Cooler series focusing on the Pacific Division where the Edmonton Oilers have represented the Western Conference in the past two Stanley Cup Finals though the division sent only three teams to the playoffs in 2025. IN THIS EPISODE [01:44] - Edmonton Oilers - The most compelling question for the upcoming campaign is whether enough has been done to keep impending UFA Con...

The Western Conference gets the stage starting with the Central Division in the third of four Summer Cooler shows. IN THIS EPISODE [02:31] - Winnipeg Jets - The defending Presidents' Trophy winners fell short in the second round of the playoffs. They face a new world with the departure of star wing Nikolaj Ehlers to Carolina. [14:56] - Dallas Stars - Always positioning themselves for a deep run, s...

Installment 2 of the 2025 Summer Cooler Series as Vic and Neil examine the off-season moves in the Metropolitan Division. IN THIS EPISODE [03:29] - Washington Capitals - From barely making the post-season in 2024 to the top regular season team in the East, can many who had career seasons stage an encore? [12:23] - Carolina Hurricanes - Do two significant off-season acquisitions make the Hurricanes...

The Summer Coolers return for a second season as Neil and Vic kick off the quarter of shows by digging into the Atlantic Division. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:53] - Florida Panthers. Can the two-time defending champions make history? [11:34] - Toronto Maple Leafs. Will the coming season be any different than each one since 1967? [19:48] - Tampa Bay Lightning. Still formidable but will they have enough to...

He's a hockey Hall of Famer who now has a movie credit to his name. He's also an entrepreneur in a life that has always been on the go. Chris Chelios drops by for a fun chat with Neil and Vic IN THIS EPISODE: [01:38] - The Happy Gilmore 2 experience where Chris played a non-speaking role as a henchman alongside fellow NHLer Sean Avery. [04:07] - Chris shares the story of when Avery moved into his...

With NHL training camps set to open in a few weeks, the anticipation of a new season will begin. Still, the sport has received unwanted attention in an area that has had an unseemly history that goes back decades. On July 24, five members of Canada's 2018 World Junior Championship team were found not guilty of sexual assault in a highly publicized trial. While the decision was favorable for the pl...

After a brief break following the long NHL season, Vic and Neil open a new franchise titled "Celebrity Series." With baseball in full swing, no better place to premiere than with an MLB icon who has made a significant impact abroad as well. Bobby Valentine, former player and manager, recalls memorable moments during the course of his career both in the States and in Japan while also sharing the im...

After a long season guests, news, analysis and some levity, Vic and Neil share a few stories from our viewers and listeners. Each is unique and reveals to us that we are reaching folks from diverse backgrounds. You make it worthwhile for and we say thanks heading into a brief break from our regular recording schedule. #NHLWraparound #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NH...

With the off-season fully underway, no better way to address free agency and other significant league topics than with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Vic and Neil also chat about the Draft and wrap up the season with a special Human Side of the Story which gives a nod to some of our special listeners. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:09] - Three Things You Need to Pay Attention To focuses on a key free agent...

The raw volume of signings on Day 1 of Free Agency 2025 was dwarfed by that of a year ago. Still, the off-season is rife with activity and intrigue. Vic and Neil go through a list of topics leaving plenty to ponder... 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.instagra...

Two benchmark events in early summer kicks off every NHL season with the Draft and the opening of free agency. With the Draft coming up first, Vic and Neil look back to the structure of the process, how players selected were communicated with, the effect of the WHA in the early 1970's and whether social media and instant communication adds additional players on current day draftees. #NHLWraparound...