NHL Wraparound Podcast
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.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 36 minutes
- Episodes
- 259
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
Stanley Cupdate - Panthers Look to Stay on Course, Oilers Look to Change Theirs - June 11, 2025
Not only was Game 3 a rout, but it was also a classic of example of the Florida Panthers being to exercise their style of play in a way which trapped the Edmonton Oilers into a space they didn't want…
Episode 64 - Clawed & Crude with Sportsnet's Jack Michaels
Game 3 started ugly and it only got worse for the Edmonton Oilers as the Florida Panthers had their way in moving to within two wins of consecutive Stanley Cups.
Oilers/Sportsnet's play-by-play voic…
Stanley Cupdate - Changing Places - June 8
The Final heads from western Canada to the east coast of Florida with an extra day off before the series resumes Monday. Vic and Neil examine what the shift in venue may (or may not) mean with the P…
Stanley Cupdate - All Even! - June 7, 2025
After a late overtime goal decided the Stanley Cup Final opener, the Oilers and Panthers figured they'd go one period better in Game 2.
After one of the "Sandpaper Seniors" forced extra time for the O…
Stanley Cupdate - Game Two on Tap and a Change in Dallas - June 6, 2025
Breaking news opens the show with a change behind the bench in Dallas.
Game two of the Final is on tap for Friday evening with the Oilers having taken the opener in overtime.
Vic and Neil preview the t…
Stanley Cupdate - Oilers Get the Jump - June 5, 2025
Any questions to how evenly matched the Panthers and Oilers were heading into their Stanley Cup Final rematch was quickly answered as the teams battled for almost 80 minutes before Leon Draisaitl's p…
Human Side of the Story - Ep. 63 - The Dilemma of Conference Final Runner-up GMs
The Human Side of the Story focuses on the life of a GM as a conference final runner-up. You're close, but not quite there. The hosts discuss the situations moving forward for the Dallas Stars and …
Episode 63 - Stanley Cup Final Preview with TSN's Craig Button
After almost 14 hundred regular season and playoff games and 14 playoff series, we're in familiar territory as the Florida Panthers will be defending against the same Edmonton Oilers team that took t…
Stanley Cupdate - REMATCH! - May 30, 2025
Let's say we go for another round. The Edmonton Oilers have been waiting for this moment since June 24 of last year when they fell just short Game 7 of the Final in Florida.
A stunning first eight mi…
Stanley Cupdate - On the Prowl for a Repeat - May 29, 2025
A second period blitz coupled with some late game heroics and, just like that, the Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final. Vic and Neil break down the how it came together for the Cats a…
Human Side of the Story - Ep. 62 - The Chance Encounter
A day or so after the Rangers seventh game triumph over the Devils in their epic 1994 Eastern Conference Final, Vic made a quick stopover in New Jersey prior to working the Stanley Cup championship s…
Stanley Cupdate - A Big Win and A Big Loss - May 28, 2025
The Edmonton Oilers are a win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final but the win was costly as one of their most effective players will be lost for the remainder of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the …
Episode 62 - Crowning a New Leader With Kings VP/GM Ken Holland
Ken Holland helped build the Edmonton Oilers into a Stanley Cup Finalist. Now he's tasked with leading the L.A. Kings quest in trying to figure out how to take them down next season. The new Kings …
Stanley Cupdate - Advantage Edmonton - May 26, 2025
Playing in front of a home crowd for the first time in 13 days, the Edmonton Oilers reminded their fans that they are serious in returning to the Final in routing the Dallas starts en route to a 2-1 …
Stanley Cupdate - Panthers Third Period Blitz Pushes Hurricanes to Brink -May 25, 2025
The sand in the hourglass is quickly running out for the Carolina Hurricanes. After playing straight up for 40 minutes in the third game of the East Final, the 'Canes imploded in Florida and face th…
Stanley Cup - Oilers Seal the Leak - May 24, 2025
After letting Game 1 get away, the Edmonton Oilers made certain not to have an encore performance with a buttoned up shutout to even the West Final in Dallas.
On the East side, Carolina begins the dau…
Special: Doormat to Dynasty - The 45-Year Anniversary of the N.Y. Islanders First Stanley Cup Championship
Their earliest years were, frankly, like those of many expansion teams. A team comprised of marginal talent as part of the 1972 Expansion Draft and the first-year record certainly reflected that.
Wh…
Stanley Cupdate - Animal Clinic - May 23, 2025
The best laid plans for the Carolina Hurricanes to even their East Final with the Florida Panthers were compromised within 77 seconds and nearly completely dashed after 20 minutes. If there was any …
Stanley Cupdate - Oilers Hit a Slick Spot in Dallas - May 22, 2025
For two periods, the Edmonton Oilers had the opening game of the Western Final in a perfect place. A solid road performance, a quiet building and a two-goal lead.
20 minutes and five goals later, McD…
Human Side of the Story - Ep. 61 - Playing Through a Different Type of Pain
A day before the sixth game of the Winnipeg-Dallas second round series, Jets star forward Mark Scheifele was informed his father, Brad, had passed away unexpectedly. The following morning, Scheifele…