NHL Wraparound Podcast

Monday morning saw the surprise announcement that Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz would be stepping down, though he would remain in his current role until a replacement is found. Vic and Neil so a quick look into what impact this has on a team that has bounced back after a rough season-and-a-half and are looking to squeeze into a Wild Card spot in the West. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound...

The first night of February brought perhaps the wildest outdoor game we've ever seen in a furious comeback win for the host Lightning. That was followed Monday morning by the surprising resignation of Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz. Vic and Neil have the latest along with along with a couple of strong takes coming out of Saturday's games along with the possibility of the playoff field flipping...

Kenny Albert, Rangers radio voice and one of sports broadcasting's most versatile talents, joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for an in-depth career discussion. From 2025 National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame induction to his autobiography "A Mic for All Seasons" now available on audiobook, hear about calling the 1994 Stanley Cup Final on NHL Radio when Rangers-Canucks matched his two favorite teams, B...

Columbus Blue Jackets Senior Advisor John Davidson joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren to discuss the young core emerging (Adam Fantilli, Marchenko, Mateychuk, Kent Johnson all popping at same time), Johnny Gaudreau's tragic legacy galvanizing team identity, Sean Monahan's underrated leadership, and why Columbus is positioned for genuine optimism despite missing playoffs. Hear JD's heartfelt tribute t...

Thursday had to have been one of the best nights we've seen all season. Throwback uniforms, multi-goal comebacks and notable personal achievements all on a night where Patrick Kane becomes the all-time leading U.S.-born point scorer. On a day where we celebrate our two-year podcast anniversary, it's also our 250th original show! Where did that time go? X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smi...

On a night where the Maple Leafs honored legend Darryl Sittler as the 50th anniversary of his 10-point game nears, the team completed an 0-5-0 homestand in advance of kicking off a 6-game road trip which may seal their fate for this season. Elsewhere, Patrick Kane and Mike Modano are now tied among U.S.-born players for most points, the Islanders pull of a pair of deals with their Metro-area rival...

Mitch Marner's return to Toronto has come and gone with the expected mixed reaction amidst his acrimonious departure to Vegas. Vic and Neil discuss Friday's saga and also get into some second guessing surrounding happenings in that game as well as one at UBS Arena Saturday. Six players notched hat tricks over the weekend, three others ended long droughts in helping their respective teams to key wi...

Rangers broadcasting legend Sam Rosen joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for an emotional interview during his 40th and final season as Voice of the New York Rangers. From the iconic "No More Curses, this one will last a lifetime" Game 7 call in 1994 to surviving ownership changes at Madison Square Garden, the beer incident with Alan Cohen, wine collection from NHL coaches, league-wide sendoff overwh...

Wayne Gretzky joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for the very first NHL Wraparound episode. The Great One discusses Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers' remarkable 22-3 turnaround in their last 25 games, Connor Bedard adapting after Brendan Smith's legal jaw-breaking hit, generational players from Bobby Orr through Sidney Crosby to Austin Matthews potentially reaching 800 goals, and Alex Ovechkin'...

If ever there was a case to be made about one season having nothing to do with the next, it came over the last two nights. We'll look at four teams from each conference which missed the post-season a year ago and are right in contention while two others who will likely miss again had notable wins. With 60% of the league schedule having been played, we'll give the projections heading into the weeke...

Two significant returns headlined the NHL Monday with one taking a back seat to the first goalie fight the league has seen in almost six years. While a fair amount of attention will be going to the Atlantic Division, plenty of items will be sprayed around the rest of the league. That includes a "Figures" segment noting three games which highlight the unpredictability of the league and why the sing...

The closeness of the NHL standings shows no sign of changing as the logjam in both conferences continues into the third week of the month. With the Olympic break approaching, GM's are evaluating rosters with upwards of 30 teams having some post-season aspirations. In fact, a major deal was consummated Sunday evening. But in New York, a second letter to fans in eight years as "re-tool" is the catch...

The Athletic's investigative reporter Katie Strang joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for an unflinching discussion of hockey's unseemly side. Six weeks before training camps open, the July 24, 2024 London Ontario trial concluded with five former NHL players found not guilty of sexual assault. Katie explains the circus-like proceedings, two discharged juries, inadmissible evidence, and split public o...

Baseball Hall of Fame-caliber manager Bobby Valentine joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for the premiere NHL Wraparound Celebrity Series episode. The former manager of the Texas Rangers (7 years), New York Mets (NL pennant), Boston Red Sox, and two-time champion in Japan shares a lifetime of stories. From playing for 17-year-old Lou Lamoriello in Cape Cod to the iconic 1999 mustache disguise, managi...

The much-awaited first game between Mitch Marner and his former Maple Leafs teammates did not disappoint in a night rife with terrific storylines. In Boston, #33 was raised to the rafters while the Sabres did some honoring of their own in winning for the 15th time in 17 games. The Jets and Blue Jackets are showing signs of life while the 20-game point streak of Connor McDavid comes to an end. X: h...

From Eastern Conference Finalists in 2022 and 2024 to NHL bottom-feeder. The New York Rangers fall from the NHL’s elite has been stunning with much of the blame being heaped on GM Chris Drury. Vincent Mercogliano covers the Rangers for The Athletic and joins Neil and Vic to do a deep dive into the current state of the franchise, how they got to this point and where they go in a 100th anniversary s...

When a team loses, it's one thing. When it gets blown out, it's another. When that blowout comes in the form of surrendering 10 goals in front of a national TV audience, you're in pretty hot soup and that's exactly what the New York Rangers are in following one of their most embarrassing losses in recent memory. Vic and Neil break it down and also look at the reversal of fortune in Toronto, the fi...

Bernie Parent and Jay Snyder join Neil and Vic to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Flyers' back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 1974 and 1975. From Ed Snyder's vision after being brutalized by the Blues to Fred Shero's revolutionary coaching, this is the story of how the Broad Street Bullies became the first expansion team to win the Cup. Hear Bernie describe learning from J...

he final episode of our 1994 Rangers series celebrates three decades of memories and impact. Hear from team members like John Davidson calling it "a roadmap for life," Glenn Healy on family sacrifice for getting a last name on the Cup, and Steve Larmer on incredible teammates. Barry Meisel shares his Daily News coverage balancing fan and reporter, while fans reveal how the championship changed the...

Talk about an abundance of riches. One half of your job is running one of the top teams in the NHL while the other half is assembling the best American players in the world for the upcoming Olympics. GM of both the Minnesota Wild and U.S. Men’s team headed to Italy, Bill Guerin joins Neil and Vic to talk about both teams. In Three Things You Need to Pay Attention To, an American Legend reaches a m...

An abbreviated show with Neil traveling so Vic handling the updates and storylines from the past couple of nights as 77 goals were scored Tuesday including a surprising blitz at UBS Arena. Speaking of being blitzed, it's becoming a regular occurence in Anaheim whey are no longer outscoring mistakes. Some key injury news - particularly in New York - is noted as well as penalty shot happenings in th...

A tick past the midway point of the season and there have been some truly remarkable trends in the NHL in 2025-26. How else to explain, the flip-flop in teams' play from game-to-game, elite teams struggling while former also-rans flex muscle? And then there's the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have gifted late standings points to division and conference rivals at a rate which - if not reversed quickly...

The rosters for the Milano Cortina Olympics have been announced with no shortage of second guessing, particularly in Canada. Vic and Neil start the New Year with the over-hype more than a month out from the games. As the NHL schedule moves towards the mid-point, two hot teams are on very different missions in 2026: the Avalanche in their march towards history and the Sabres who are looking to chan...

Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, and Adam Graves join Neil and Vic to relive conquering the curse - the 1994 Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks. From the pressure of ending a 54-year drought to Game 7's heart-stopping final minutes, this is the story of how Broadway's finest delivered a gift to millions. Hear Messier explain why going home between Games 6 and 7 was crucial, Leetch describe...

Mike Richter and Stephane Matteau join Neil and Vic to relive the greatest playoff series in NHL history - the 1994 Eastern Conference Final between the Rangers and Devils. From three double-overtime games to Mark Messier's legendary guarantee and hat trick in Game 6, this seven-game war had everything. Hear Matteau describe both overtime winners, Richter walk through his Game 6 brilliance while d...