NHL Wraparound Podcast

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

NHL Wraparound Podcast episodes

October 11 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 11, 2026
Another eye-popping performance by Neil in packed 14-game Saturday. 10-4 straight up for a gaudy 56-27 mark. Even games decided after 60 minutes is now over .500 after prevailing on three of four.
A quiet three-game schedule on tap for Sunday.
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 10 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 10, 2026
The good times keep rolling for our fearless prognosticator in posting a 3-1 Friday to bump his straight up record to 46-23, a tidy .667 winning percentage.
A true test for Neil Saturday with 14 games on tap. Check out the 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
3 min
October 09 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 9, 2026
Neil continues an early season roll with a 7-3 straight up mark Thursday including two wins beyond regulation. He's 43-22 for the season, including 17-5 over the past three nights. A tough four-game schedule awaits Friday.
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 08 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 8, 2026
Coming off an 8-1 mark on Tuesday, Neil followed it up winning two of three on Wednesday. A 36-19 straight up mark follows him into Thursday's ten-game slate.
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
October 07 Episode 117 - The GR8 Farewell Tour - Joe Beninati - Oct. 7, 2026
On October 5, all-time NHL goal scoring leader Alex Ovechkin announced his 22nd NHL season will be his last. Joining Neil and Vic today will be the man who called Ovie's very first goal in 2005 and the record-breaker 20 years later.
Joe Beninati stops by to share his memories of Ovechkin's journey, the upcoming farewell tour and a legacy that is a bit more complicated than goal scoring.
IN THIS EPSIODE:
[01:52] - Neil welcomes Joe who quickly hits on the gratitude of covering Alex Ovechkin for so long before going back on how his broadcasting career began. We also learn Beninati was an accomplished lacrosse goalie.
[06:41] - A wordsmith, Beninati shares who influenced him to come up different words and phrases to describe a game while staying away from shtick. Some keen examples are included.
[10:08] - Moving to Ovechkin, the timeline of how the retirement announcement occurred.
[12:40] - From his first goal in October 2005, where Beninati could see the legendary greatness to come.
[14:51] - Ovechkin's relationship with Sidney Crosby, two players who will be linked together forever and one where respect has grown over the years.
[16:42] - The fortune for the NHL to have had Ovechkin and Crosby on the heels of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, not to mention the continuation of stars as 8 and 87 wind down their careers.
[18:36] - Statistical perspective of Ovechkin's goal scoring intersecting with a robust style of play marvels to this day.
[19:54] - While best known for the one-timer from the left wing circle, Ovechkin's portfolio for scoring goals is more than just the signature blast.
[23:00] - Whether Ovechkin's physicality early in his career has helped by him more space as time's gone on.
[26:01] - The farewell tour for OV begins which will no doubt include some interesting parting gifts from around the NHL.
[28:39] - The potential complexity of Ovechkin's legacy given his September appearance in a political ad supporting Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.
[30:10] - Wrapping up with Joe on a positive note with an honor coming his way - along with longtime broadcast partner Craig Laughlin - Saturday night.
[37:01] - Wrapping up the discussion with Joe Beninati hitting on other announcers identifiable with their teams as well as further elaboration on the political intersection with sports.
[40:00] - If you haven't had enough of "rankings" on sports websites, add this one to the absurd.
[43:24] - Personnel news from around the league from injuries to returns to first goals.
[55:05] - The Lineup.pro Stat of the Week
[58:38] - Smith's Pix
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 #JoeBeninati #AlexOvechkin #GeorgeMcPhee #JimGordon #MarvAlbert #MikeEmrick #GaryThorne #CraigLaughlin #OlafKolzig #PascalLeclair #SidneyCrosby #LarryBird #MagicJohnson #WayneGretzky #MarioLemieux #ConnorMcDavid #NathanMacKinnon #MacklinCelebrini #BobbyOrr #JohnCarlson #DaveAndreychuk #TimThomas #BenBishop #SpencerCarbery #BrianBoucher #DustinByfuglien #JoeBowen #ButchGoring #BrendanBurke #RonWeber #FosterHewitt #BillHewitt #DannyGallivan #BruceMartyn #AlexanderBarkov #BradMarchand #PaulMaurice #BillZito #NickFoligno #IvanDemidov #SamErsson #LinusUllmark #JonasJohansson #DylanLarkin #GavinMcKenna #ConnorBedard #BobbyOrr #GordieHowe #CaleMakar #EricLindros #SemyonVarlamov #OliverBjorkstrand #EeliTolvanen #PavelDorofeyev #MichaelBunting #GarnetHathaway #LeonDraisaitl #MikeBabcock #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 #BowdoinCollege #JohnstownChiefs #MoscowDynamo #SovietRedArmy #KHL #TSN #ESPN #AwfulAnnouncing
1 hr 3 min
October 06 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 6, 2026
The Winnipeg Jets third period three-spot in Pittsburgh prevented Neil from a winning night and settle for 2-2. He takes a 26-17 straight up record into Tuesday's nine-game slate.
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
October 05 NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - The Great 8 Makes a Call - Oct. 5, 2026
A major announcement kicks off Monday's show as the NHL's all-time goal scoring king shares this season will be his last.
Elsewhere, while the NHL's first full weekend provided plenty of entertainment, there's still the headline news of trade demand stars Connor Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin with the commissioner and NHLPA taking different sides on the issue.
There's also plenty of personnel news on and off the ice as well as Smith's Pix to kick off the new 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 #AlexOvechkin #DylanLarkin #ConnorHellebuyck #GaryBettman #RonHainsey #NHLPA #SimonEdvinsson #TyrelBauer #MarkKastelic #KeeganKolesar #AleksanderBarkov #BradMarchand #AlexeyToropchenko #JimMontgomery #LianBichsel #TylerSeguin #RoopeHintz #BrandonCarlo #GlenGulutzan #JackSanderson #NickPaul #JoeVeleno #JiriKulich #JeffBlashill #MikeSullivan #DavidQuinn #AndreiKuzmenko #LyleOdelein #JordanBinnington #EliasPettersson #ZayneParekh #MacklinCelebrini #IgorChernykov #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
46 min
October 04 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 4, 2026
Looking to bounce back after his first losing night following three straight winning evenings to begin the season, Neil posted an 8-5 mark Saturday. His straight up win-loss mark now sits at 20-14.
A handful of games on the Sunday docket starting with a matinee in Detroit.
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
October 03 NHL Wraparound Smith's Pix - Oct. 3, 2026
The road teams had their way Friday sweeping all five games. Neil only won with the Rangers in Detroit in posting a 1-4 mark to drop his straight up record to 12-9. The first Saturday of the new season provides a 13-game test.
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
4 min
October 02 NHL Wraparound Short Shifts - Let the Storylines Begin! - Oct. 2, 2026
Finally time to talk about things happening on the ice. The 84-game regular season is here and Vic and Neil have plenty to cover from the first three nights as we go live on BZZR.com and YouTube.
We had a goalie score a goal and offensive outbursts bringing back memories of the mid-1980's. There's also some potentially significant injury news regarding Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov plus Smith's Pix.
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 #BarryMelrose #ESPN #TheNHLonTNT #WilliamNylander #JackMichaels #BruceCusick #AleksanderBarkov #JacobTrouba #BradyTkachuk #MacklinCelebrini #LucaCagnoni #WillSmith #IgorShesterkin #JonCooper #MatthewKnies #KirillMarchenko #GavinMcKenna #EvanBouchard #MarkHowe #ConnorMcDavid #TristanJarry #DevonLevi #EliasPettersson #BillLaforge #ZackHyman #NathanMacKinnon #BrandtClarke #CaleMakar #PeterLaviolette #ArtursSilovs #BrockFaber #ThomasChabot #JackHughes #TristanLuneau #PatVerbeek #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
39 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.