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The definitive NHL podcast network with expert analysis and insider perspectives.
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With training camps now around the corner, NHL Wraparound starts September with the first of several coaches on the show. All 32 men have a unique story in terms of their journey that landed them behind an NHL bench. For Victoria, BC-born Spencer Carbery, it began as a player before working his way through the ECHL and AHL before being named Washington Capitals head coach in 2023. Carbery shares his story with Neil and Vic, his experience working with Alex Ovechkin and looks ahead to guiding the Caps back to the playoffs with some punch and leadership added to the lineup. IN THIS EPISODE: [03:06] - Growing up in British Columbia, Carbery shares his early days as a player and how his journey took him to South Carolina where current Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar convinced to keep playing. One of his teammates with the Stingrays: Caps 2018 Stanley Cup winning-goalie Braden Holtby. [08:34] - As eventual head coach of the Stingrays, one of his assistants: current San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky. [10:50] - Neil and Spencer share some memories of Hershey, where Carbery coached from 2018-2021. [13:32] - The move to the NHL as an assistant with the Maple Leafs where Carbery had full exposure to life in a huge media market and working with true stars for the first time. [16:45] - Hired by the Capitals in May 2023, Carbery takes over as a rookie NHL head coach and begins with a team with star power and experience comparable to that in Toronto. He credits the Caps big names for making the adaptation a comfortable one. [19:22] - Though having heard, seen and experienced the greatness of Alex Ovechkin as an outsider, the things that impressed Carbery most about OV upon becoming his coach. [22:11] - "The Chase" for the all-time goal scoring record. Had OV not broken his leg and missed 16 games and had the record been achieved sooner, might the end result of the 2024-25 season been different for the Caps? [29:58] - With the expectations different in each of his four training camps, does the core message to the team differ or stay the same? [33:51] - The one thing that excites Carbery the most heading into the 2026-27 season. [35:28] - The challenge of being a head coach in an era where the player turnover is far more prevalent than in decades past. [39:32] - Wrapping up the discussion with Spencer Carbery and looking ahead to other coaches joining the show in September. 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 #SpencerCarbery #SouthCarolinaStingrays #ECHL #CHL #HersheyBears #HersheyParkArena #AdirondackRedWings #AHL #JaredBednar #BradenHoltby #PhilippGrubauer #RyanWarsofsky #MikeSullivan #RayBourque #MiltonHershey #WiltChamberlain #BenHogan #AustonMatthews #MitchMarner #JohnTavares #WilliamNylander #MorganRielly #SheldonKeefe #AlexOvechkin #WayneGretzky #NicklasBackstrom #TJOshie #TomWilson #JohnCarlson #EvgenyKuznetsov #Pierre-LucDubois #CraigLaughlin #AlexTuch #JordanKyrou #BooneJenner #JonnyBrodzinski #VincentDesharnais #ConnorMcMichael #TrevorvanRiemsdyk #HendrixLapierre #BrandonDuhaime #ColeHutson #DarcyKuemper #LoganThompson #JakobChychrun #MattRoy #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
Clearly the weakest of the four divisions in 2025-26, half of the teams in this octet enter the new season with a change behind the bench, including the one and two teams, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers. While the VGK did stun many sweeping the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche enroute to the Final, a rookie head coach will be under the microscope as will a veteran in Edmonton trying to re-build his reputation. Let's also not forget what's taking place in the Golden State. Can the Sharks be the Ducks of the new season and are the Kings simply stuck in suspended animation? IN THIS EPISODE: [05:26] - Vegas Golden Knights [13:41] - Edmonton Oilers [21:29] - Anaheim Ducks [27:08] - Los Angeles Kings [33:53] - San Jose Sharks [40:06] - Seattle Kraken [46:26] - Calgary Flames [51:26] - Vancouver Canucks 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 #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
In 2025-26, the top three teams in the Western Conference all resided in the Central Division...and all failed to make the Stanley Cup Final. In this episode, Neil and Vic examine the powerhouses in Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota while also checking to see if there's enough upgrade in Winnipeg to return to the Presidents' Trophy form of 2024-25. Also under the radar: The up-and-coming Utah Mammoth and the very active Nashville Predators under new Head of Hockey Operations, Chris MacFarland. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:32] - Colorado Avalanche [11:52] - Dallas Stars [16:07] - Minnesota Wild [22:39] - Utah Mammoth [27:31] - St. Louis Blues [31:48] - Nashville Predators [37:57] - Winnipeg Jets [46:54] - Chicago Blackhawks 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 #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
The second installment of the Summer Coolers brings the Atlantic Division into focus. 2025-26 saw the rise of the Buffalo Sabres and the fall of both the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. To say there has been change among this group of eight teams would be an understatement but, will change actually result in positive movement? IN THIS EPISODE: [02:47] - Buffalo Sabres [09:44] - Tampa Bay Lightning [16:49] - Montreal Canadiens [22:22] - Boston Bruins [30:32] - Ottawa Senators [36:39] - Detroit Red Wings [43:44] - Florida Panthers [49:40] - Toronto Maple Leafs 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 #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
Training camps are on the horizon but, before we get there, Neil and Vic return with their 2026 edition of the Summer Coolers. As has been the case in the previous two summers, the division of the Stanley Cup-winning team leads off the round up of team movement during the course of the off-season. Who's upgraded, who appears to have taken a step back and those who have maintained the status quo is the focus of this four-part series. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:58] - Carolina Hurricanes [08:44] - Pittsburgh Penguins [17:47] - Philadelphia Flyers [25:47] - Washington Capitals [31:34] - Columbus Blue Jackets [39:00] - New York Islanders [43:48] - New Jersey Devils [50:37] - New York Rangers 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 #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
Spring Cleaning – Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals entered the 2025-26 season expecting some regression after nearly winning the Presidents’ Trophy the year before. That concern proved justified as declining production, injuries, weaker special teams, and uncertainty surrounding Alex Ovechkin’s future left Washington outside the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine why the Capitals could not recreate the magic of their previous season and the major fork in the road facing General Manager Chris Patrick this summer. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] The Capitals are eliminated from playoff contention on April 13 after entering the season with expectations of taking a step backward from their Eastern Conference-leading 2024-25 campaign. [00:00:25] Neil and Vic revisit Washington’s late-season decline from the previous year. The Capitals were 32 games above .500 on March 23, 2025, but finished the regular season 4-7-1 as the pursuit of Alex Ovechkin’s scoring record became the team’s central focus. [00:00:55] Washington still won the Eastern Conference and defeated Montreal in five games, but looked noticeably slower than Carolina during its second-round playoff elimination. [00:01:15] Eight Capitals players produced career seasons in 2024-25, making it difficult to expect the same level of performance one year later. [00:01:35] Neil believes the attention surrounding Ovechkin’s record chase disrupted the team’s rhythm. Once the record was secured, Washington never fully regained the form it displayed earlier in the season. [00:02:00] A quiet offseason provides little reinforcement, and the Capitals pace toward only 90 points through their first 72 games before finishing the season with an 8-2-0 run. [00:02:20] Several important players experience major declines in production. Dylan Strome falls from 82 points to 58, while Aliaksei Protas drops from 66 points to 52. [00:02:45] Connor McMichael also regresses, falling from 26 goals and 57 points to 14 goals and 46 points. Neil and Vic discuss how only a few additional goals could have changed several close games and kept Washington in the playoff race. [00:03:00] Pierre-Luc Dubois becomes one of the team’s most significant losses. After playing all 82 games and producing career highs with 46 assists and 66 points the previous season, Dubois is limited to only 29 games. [00:03:30] Tom Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, and Logan Thompson remain dependable, while Ryan Leonard takes an encouraging step with 20 goals and 45 points. [00:03:50] Justin Sourdif contributes 15 goals and 35 points after arriving from Florida, while Aliaksei Protas’ younger brother, Ilya Protas, positions himself for a full-time role next season. [00:04:10] Washington’s special teams also regress. The power play falls from 14th to 25th, while the penalty kill drops from fourth to 15th. [00:04:35] Neil explains that even moderate declines become costly in a league where so many games are decided by one goal. [00:04:55] The Capitals also remain one of the NHL’s older teams, and the unified effort that produced so many career seasons in 2024-25 does not carry over. [00:05:10] Alex Ovechkin’s future becomes the defining offseason question. He has not yet decided whether he will return for another season or retire. [00:05:30] General Manager Chris Patrick enters the 2026 NHL Draft with five selections, including two first-round picks. [00:05:50] Washington owns its original first-round selection and Anaheim’s pick acquired in the John Carlson trade. [00:06:05] The Capitals do not own a second-round pick after the Justin Sourdif trade, a third-round pick following the Jakob Chychrun deal, or a sixth-round selection after acquiring David Kämpf. [00:06:25] Washington projects to have approximately $4.4 million in cap space, leaving Patrick with limited flexibility before additional offseason moves. [00:06:45] Unrestricted free agents include Ovechkin, Brandon Duhaime, David Kämpf, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Timothy Liljegren. [00:07:00] Restricted free agents Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre also require new contracts as management evaluates which younger players belong in the next version of the team. [00:07:20] Neil believes ownership and management must first learn Ovechkin’s intentions before deciding whether to retool or begin a more significant rebuild. [00:07:40] If Ovechkin returns, Washington is unlikely to dismantle the roster around him. The organization may instead attempt one more playoff push during the final chapter of his career. [00:08:00] If Ovechkin retires, the Capitals could accept several difficult seasons in order to acquire higher draft picks and inject more youth into the lineup. [00:08:20] Vic argues that Washington still possesses enough useful pieces to avoid tearing the roster down completely. A retool may be more appropriate than a total rebuild. [00:08:40] Neil compares the possible approach with Pittsburgh’s successful strategy of adding several complementary veterans around Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. [00:09:00] The episode concludes with Washington standing at a clear organizational crossroads. Every major offseason decision—from free agency to roster construction—will depend on whether Ovechkin chooses to return for one more season.