NHL Wraparound Podcast

By Neil Smith & Vic MorrenSociety & Culture Sports Personal Journals Hockey

NHL Wraparound Podcast episodes

October 20 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 20, 2026
For only the second time this season, Neil had a losing night going 1-3 to drop his overall mark to 92-48, still a .657 clip.
Having had some success with more games on the schedule, he looks to move the scales back in his favor with 11 Tuesday selections.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
5 min
October 19 NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - Early Controversy in Toronto & Hats Off to the Panthers - Oct. 19, 2026
Death, taxes and the Maple Leafs in the headlines for better or worse.
We now know the NHL regular season is in full swing as we get some of the usual as well as the unexpected - such as a burst of hat tricks around the league, most specifically authored by the Florida Panthers.
We'll touch on other news as the Flyers get into the win column after receiving an inspirational talk Saturday while Connor Hellebuyck's suspension in Winnipeg is reportedly ending Friday.
And stay tuned for Smith's Pix with Neil selecting at a piping hot .669 winning percentage.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro #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 #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #ColeCaufield #JoshNorris #TageThompson #OwenPower #JohnTavares #NickPaul #GavinMcKenna #JimHiller #EvanderKane #SergeiBobrovsky #VesaToskala #BradyTkachcuk #CyDenneny #PetriSkriko #JoeMalone #BabeDye #CarterVerhaeghe #SamBennett #KirillMarchenko #MattBoldy #MarkStone #RogerNeilson #JennyBaumann #RussBaumann #JasonMyrtetus #RickTocchet #SeanCouturier #AntonForsberg #MorganGeekie #MaratKhusnutdinov #ConnorHellebuyck #ScottArniel #KevinCheveldayoff #RyanCraig #TrevorConnelly #PavelDorofeyev #NicolasHague #ZackOstapchuk #JackMcBain #TrentFrederic #JoeKocur #BobProbert #TieDomi #BradDalgarno #ThomasChabot #TrevorZegras #JaredSprugeon #JoshMorrissey #DavidPerron #EsaLindell #WilliamNylander #MacklinCelebrini #BillPeters #RodBrind'Amour #HockeyFightsCancer #FlyersDailyPodcast #Rocky
40 min
October 18 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 18, 2026
A beefy fourteen-game schedule did not deter Neil Saturday. An 11-3 record advances the straight up season mark to 90-44 (.672).
A quiet Sunday sees Columbus visiting Minnesota and Carolina in Calgary. Smith's Pix are appointment listening in the early going so check out what he has in store this evening.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
1 min
October 17 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 17, 2026
Neil split the two Friday games winning with Colorado over Pittsburgh before watching the Ducks get torched by the Bruins power play in the late game. He enters Saturday's 14-game slate with a 79-41 straight up record.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
5 min
October 16 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 16, 2026
A two-goal lost lead by the Maple Leafs and some overtime heroics by Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight was all that stood between Neil and a perfect night.
The eleven-game Thursday delivered a 9-2 record for our intrepid prognosticator raising his season mark to 78-40.
A modest two game slate on Friday in advance of a busy Saturday.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
2 min
October 15 Episode 118 - Infrequent Flyers - With Jackie Spiegel from the Philadelphia Inquirer - Oct. 15, 2026
When a team shows an unexpected push that not only gains a playoff berth, but actually wins a round, there is an expectation for the trajectory to continue the next season.
In Philadelphia, it's been the opposite with the Flyers off to a start of historically bad proportions which has them in danger of becoming an afterthought early in the 2026-27 season.
Beat writer Jackie Spiegel from the Philadelphia Inquirer joins Vic to share how things have gone south so quickly...and what has to happen to reverse fortune before the season is lost.
We'll also wrap up the Frozen Frenzy with special focus on a few games played not only Tuesday but Wednesday as well. There's the usual injury update and TheLineup.pro Stat of the Week Featuring the surprising start by the New York Rangers.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[01:08] - Jackie Spiegel from the Philadelphia Inquirer is welcomed to the show and speaks to her experience as a beat writer compared to being in television prior.
[02:43] - Coming off a playoff appearance and a series win last spring, the upward trajectory was expected to continue. What's gone so wrong early in 2026-27?
[06:03] - More specific to the alarm bells, is the lack of connection and rudimentary hockey.
[10:24] - So atypical to the history of the Flyers, addressing how easy it has been for the opposition to play against them in the early going.
[13:57] - Continuing on the theme of the characteristics of the Flyers and the management role in the team not living up to its identity.
[18:30] - Opportunities for younger players having to step into leaderships and simply haven't...at least not yet this season.
[22:09] - The potential fallout of the Leo Carlsson offer sheet being matched by Anaheim and the residual effect. Neil speaks from experience three decades ago.
[27:56] - Wrapping up the discussion with Jackie Spiegel and the reality of the math if Flyer fortunes don't improve quickly.
[30:32] - Recapping the Frozen Frenzy experience and other notable events from the past two nights.
[40:22] - Injury and other personnel news.
[45:31] - TheLineup.pro stat of the week.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro #JackieSpiegel #PhiladelphiaInquirer #KeithJones #DannyBriere #RickTocchet #RodrigoAbols #DenverBarkey #GarnetHathaway #NickDelauriers #BrandonPrust #BrianBoyle #MaratKhusnutdinov #ScottLaughton #NickSeeler #MichaelBunting #SimonBenoit #MartyBeniers #PhilippGrubauer #PorterMartone #JohnTortorella #ChrisTherrien #DavidCarle #DylanLarkin #ColinCampbell #PaulHolmgren #DaveSchultz #BobbyClarke #WayneSimmonds #AdamGraves #TysonFoerster #RasmusRistolainen #OliverBonk #TravisSanheim #BrianLeetch#TrevorZegras #TravisKonecny #CamYork #DanVladar #JosephWoll #NoahCates #MatveiMichkov #LeoCarlsson #JoeSakic #ChrisKreider #JaySnider #EdSnoder #BradyTkachuk #MatthewTkachuk #AnthonyMantha #RickBowness #MathieuOlivier #UvisBalinskis #NathanMacKinnon #RoopeHintz #BrockNelson #CaleMakar #ArttuHyry #ColeHutson #LaneHutson #JakubDobes #JordanStaal #MacklinCelebrini #TaylorHall #RodBrind'Amour #JustinSordif #RyanPoehling #CutterGauthier #MikeMatheson #ChrisTanev #OlliMaatta #BowenByram #MavrikBourque #JustusAnnunen #LukeEvangeslista #RasmusDahlin #GageGoncalves #EmilLilleberg #DominicJames #CharlieMcAvoy #AlexDebrincat #MikeSullivan #GerardGallant #PeterLaviolette #AlexisLafreniere #WillCuylle #NoahLaba #AlbertsSmits #MikaZibanejad #PavelDorofeyev #JTMiller #IgorShesterkin #DylanGarand #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 #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets
54 min
October 15 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 15, 2026
Despite consecutive .500 nights, Neil's straight up record stands at 69-38, good for a .645 winning percentage, twenty points better than his 2025-26 mark which awarded for overtime/shootout losses.
Check out his picks on an 11-game Thursday.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
5 min
October 14 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 14, 2026
The full Monte on Tuesday represented the only day until the final day of the regular season with every team in action. Entering the night with a lofty .674 winning percentage, Neil posted a pedestrian 8-8 mark to put his straight up record at 68-37.
Time to exhale Wednesday with just a pair of games on the schedule.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
2 min
October 13 NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - From Injury Frenzy to Frozen Frenzy - Oct. 13, 2026
Usually injury news is a backend item to shows but, with the season-ending injury to Igor Shesterkin plus a number of other high-profile maladies, it's become an alarming early-season trend.
With that in mind, does the NHL really need more teams? With it appearing increasingly imminent that Houston or Austin were about to be next to join the league, a group of owners have expressed concerns about both the depth of the talent pool and competitive balance. Thus, expansion is now on hold.
And, with all 32 teams in action Tuesday, Neil offers his Pix and dusts Vic off for a one-night cameo.
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro #IgorShesterkin #DylanGarand #SpencerMartin #JoonasKopisalo #JonathanQuick #ConnorHellebuyck #ChrisDrury #ElliotteFriedman #RodBrind'Amour #RasmusDahlin #TysonFoerster #NikolasMatinpalo #AnthonyMantha #NicoSturm #JaredSpurgeon #BrockFaber #MiroHeiskanen #FilipGustavsson #CalvinPickard #JesperWallsatedt #MattDuchene #WIlliamEklund #SimonBenoit #MatsZuccarello #AlexanderRomanov #MikkoRantanen #SamuelHonzek #BradMarchand #AleksanderBarkov #ConnorBedard #FrankNazar #BoHorvat #BradyTkachuk #PaulMaurice #NHLGlobalSeries #BillDaly #DarrenDreger #BorjeSalming #IngeHammerstrom #GaryBettman #RogerNeilson #StuartSkinner #MikeBabcock #MacklinCelebrini #DavidPastrnak #LindyRuff #MikeMatheson #JackieSpiegel #PhiladelphiaInquirer #DannyBriere #KeithJones #RickTocchet #TSN #ESPN #FrozenFrenzy #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 #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets
37 min
October 12 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 12, 2026
Another winning night with Neil winning two of three to bounce the straight up record to 58-28, including 23-7 over the past four days.
Another short stack Monday with only three games in advance of Tuesday's Frozen Frenzy with all 32 teams in action. Both Neil and Vic will do picks on the show and invite listeners to send your picks to all 16 games to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
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 #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #BZZR #UBS #TheLineup.pro
3 min

About NHL Wraparound Podcast

From the publisher's feed

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.