NHL Wraparound Podcast

A freak injury in 2020 became the beginning of an odyssey lasting the better part of four-and-a-half years for Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. After multiple knee surgeries, including a cartilage replacement procedure never before performed on an NHL player, Landeskog made his return in Game 3 of the Avs opening round series against Dallas and added his first goal in Game 4. His stor...

Two had the opportunity to move on. One did and other is being reminded of their history. Meanwhile, the Oilers and Golden Knights have rebounded from series deficits to put themselves from within a win of advancing in the West. We look ahead to Wednesday's games with Washington and Florida both having the opportunity to advance while the Jets try to find their game back back home. This Day in Sta...

Not the best of nights for two teams looking to feed off the momentum of their previous games. The big guns for Dallas play a major role in giving the Stars a 3-2 series lead while the Lightning are stunned late and also lose a player to a high hit just after returning from a one-game suspension. We look ahead to the four games on Tuesday, the type of head coach the Penguins might be looking for a...

Longtime NHL executive and Columbus Blue Jackets senior advisor John Davidson joins Neil and Vic to share thoughts on a stirring opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the three organizations which have been part of his hockey career for over 50 years. We'll look at all of the series and wrap up the show with "The Human Side of the Story." 34 months after his last game in the 2022 Stanley C...

Any of the four Saturday games would have been headline worthy on their own merit. However, when a player returns to the lineup after 34 months and gets on the scoresheet, it's worthy of top billing. Vic and Neil update Gabriel Landeskog's heroics in Colorado as the Avs pull even with Dallas. There was also overtime drama in St. Paul and Ottawa while the Lightning get off the mat with a much neede...

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...

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 ga...

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...

It would have been nearly impossible to replicate Monday's drama. Nonetheless, storylines and subplots were in abundance as the defending Cup served notice they are more than ready to make another run. Vic and Neil recap all four games from Tuesday, look ahead to the three on Wednesday as well as discuss one team President on the way out and another who may be in some hot water. Plus, This Day in...

Four one-goal games including two overtimes and a final minute finish. An incredible third day of Stanley Cup hockey gets wrapped up in a neat package. Four more on the slate for Tuesday as the Lightning and Panthers finally get underway and even more coaching news to report. While on the head coach theme, This Day in Stanley Cup History focuses on two current bench bosses intertwined by a memorab...

Winnipeg, Colorado, Carolina, Toronto and Vegas all pick up victories over the weekend to get a leg up in their respective series. Two more series open Monday with Tampa Bay and Florida kicking off Tuesday. Vic is going solo with Neil traveling but touches on all five games over the weekend as well as two head coaches now out of work. We'll also kick off "This Day in Playoff History" going back 74...

TSN Analyst and former NHL executive Craig Button joins Neil and Vic to look at all eight opening round series and offer up some bold - and no so bold - predictions along the way. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:00] - "Three Things You Need to Pay Attention to focuses on the arrival of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Art Ross and Rocket Richard Trophy Winners and an untimely injury in a meaningless game. [08:2...

After forty years and many memorable calls, one stands out for Sam Rosen. Born in Ulm, Germany, he was an aspiring baseball player before focusing his attention on broadcasting. On April 17, 2025, Rosen brings the curtain down on one of the most distinguished play-by-play careers the NHL has ever known. However, from the time Neil Smith first met Sam, he's always been just one of the guys. X: http...

For forty seasons, Sam Rosen has been synonymous with New York Rangers hockey. With the Blueshirts missing the playoffs in 2025, Rosen's final game will be Thursday against Tampa Bay. Neil and Vic are privileged to share their discussion with Sam in the regular season finale of NHL Wraparound. We also update the playoff picture with seven of the eight opening round matchups decided, chat about TV...

The Ivan Demidov era opened in Montreal Monday and it did not disappoint. Unfortunately, for the Canadiens, they were unable to sustain the early energy and, while getting closer to wrapping up the final playoff berth in the East, they failed to clinch thus providing a window of hope for Columbus. Out West, the Kings will open the playoffs hosting the Oilers and the chirping has already begun. Als...

Clinched, eliminated and still battling to either get in or enhance a playoff spot already gained. Vic and Neil evolve the weekend to set up the final four days of the regular season. In addition, some key players news and a salute to the new champions in Men's Division I hockey. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vi...

The final weekend of the NHL regular season has arrived. Twelve playoff spots have already been clinched with three more possible Friday. Vic and Neil look at all of the permutations and also throw up some red flags for three teams already in the playoffs but playing far from their best hockey with the post-season nearly upon us. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com...

It may have started with a photo taken in 1952 with a defeated Bruins goalie named Sugar Jim Henry bowing to a bloodied and, perhaps semi-conscious, Rocket Richard at the conclusion of their semi-final playoff series. Reverence and respect for the game. The post-series handshake has been a longstanding tradition in the NHL and extends to all levels of hockey. However, are we now seeing a new sub-c...

On a night the Ottawa Senators clinch their first playoff spot in eight years, two games involving teams on life support simply defied logic. Vic and Neil update on all the races and a couple of fun Alex Ovechkin items post-record-breaking goal. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/ NHL Wraparound In...

With just 10 days remaining in the regular season the fates of the New York-area teams is having clarity with the Devils within a point of clinching a playoff berth while the Rangers and Devils are running out of real estate to make up ground. James Nichols from New Jersey Hockey Now joins Vic and Neil to break it all down. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNe...

Call it the Thirty-one-year itch. Gordie Howe 1963, Wayne Gretzky 1994 and, now Alex Ovechkin in 2025 as the all-time goal scoring torch was passed at UBS Arena on April 6. Long-time Caps TV Analyst Craig Laughlin joins the show to share his thoughts on covering The Great 8 since the very beginning of his NHL career. In addition to covering the various races over the final week-and-a-half of the r...

SInce our last show, three more clubs qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs while another joins a list having to officially wait until next year. Meanwhile, #892 for Alex Ovechkin shares the spotlight with a controversial takedown during a raucous third period Wednesday in Raleigh. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/v...

The mention of junkyard dogs Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett being on the same team would have brought a laugh a year ago. However, after battling as adversaries, the pair won the Four Nations Faceoff as teammates, then reunited at the trade deadline as Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida. While those two collectively look to earn the Panthers back-to-back Stanley Cup Titles, Neil notes a cou...

The Canadiens and Blues kept the holds on their respective wild card positions with game-tying goals in the final minute followed by OT winners. Meanwhile, the OV Chase Tour is officially underway, a quarter of the playoff pool is set and guess who's no longer in last in the Eastern Conference? X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.lin...

Only two-a-half-weeks remain in the regular season. The Rangers are close but not in a playoff spot, the Islanders have slipped back and the Devils are in cruise control with their first round opponent all but certain. Plenty to break down on all fronts and Vic and Neil do so with Colin Stephenson from Newsday. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren...