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The definitive NHL podcast network with expert analysis and insider perspectives.
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Two years ago at this time, the Nashville Predators were the talk of the NHL signing a trio of high-profile free agents and assuming the expectations that came with it. In short, 2024-25 was a train wreck from opening night. Last season didn't start much better before a late push got the Predators into a spot in late March before falling short at the finish. After an aggressive off-season by new team President/GM Chris MacFarland improved team depth considerably, the expectations have returned. Head coach Andrew Brunette joins Neil and Vic to discuss a pivotal season coming up in Music City. There's also some league news to catch up on as a former villain in Montreal signs with the Canadiens and the effect that has on the Anaheim Ducks. IN THIS EPISODE [01:18] - Predators head coach Andrew Brunette is welcomed to the show with a quick look back to the Game 7 overtime goal he scored for Minnesota in Colorado in 2003, a goal which was the last surrendered by Patrick Roy in his brilliant NHL career. [02:53] - A seventh-round pick in both junior hockey and in the NHL, Brunette comments on a career spanning over 1100 games with a half dozen organizations including Nashville and twice with Minnesota. [06:25] - The aspiration to be a head coach amidst having assumed several front office roles with Minnesota upon retirement as a player in 2013. [11:02] - After taking over Florida for Joel Quenneville early in the 2021-22 season, Brunette leads the Panthers to the Presidents' Trophy and is a coach of the year finalist, yet is replaced. As opposed to accepting a front office position with Florida, he opts to join New Jersey as an associate coach in order to remain behind the bench. [13:16] - The call from Nashville to be the head coach and what could have been in the Predators opening round series with Vancouver in 2024. [15:53] - The summer of 2024. Three high-profile free agent signings came with equally high expectations for the Predators. Brunette candidly speaks about the difficulty of that season from its very outset. [19:20] - 2025-26 started much like the season before. However, things eventually began to kick in and the team just fell short of the playoffs after finding themselves in a spot in late March. Brunette credits then-GM Barry Trotz for helping him grow through two challenging seasons. [22:16] - Just as there was a transition two years ago with new players, there comes another one with Chris MacFarland coming over from Colorado to replace Trotz. [24:05] - With MacFarland making a quick impression with numerous acquisitions, the feeling with this new group and the experience of two seasons ago that prepares Brunette for the expectation this time around. [26:46] - What fans can expect to see when the Predators are on their game. [29:14] - Wrapping up the discussion with Andrew Brunette and other league news including Chris Kreider's arrival in Montreal, a controversial signing in Edmonton, a former captain headed to Red Wings training camps and a couple of retirements. 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 #AndrewBrunette #SpencerCarbery #RodBrind'Amour #JeffBlashill #PeterDeBoer #JohnHynes #PatrickRoy #MikeYeo #JohnTorchetti #ChuckFletcher #PaulFenton #JoelErikssonEk #JoelQuenneville #PaulMaurice #LindyRuff #JackHughes #NicoHischier #JesperBratt #DougieHamilton #BarryTrotz #BrockBoeser #RomanJosi #DavidPoile #StevenStamkos #JonathanMarchessault #BradySkjei #ChrisMacFarland #JoeSakic #RossColton #JackDrury #ChaseBradley #JackAchan #MavrikBourque #IlyaLyubushkin #NilsHoglander #AlexKerfoot #AdamEdstrom #ErikHaula #FedorSvechkov #ZachL'Heureux #LukeEvangelista #ChrisKreider #JeffGorton #MartinSt.Louis #CareyPrice #JurajSlafkovsky #JimRamsay #CutterGauthier #LeoCarlsson #PatVerbeek #AlexFormenton #MaryLoewen #MamaStanley #StanBowman #MikeBabcock #DylanLarkin #MaxDomi #TieDomi #JohnKlingberg #ConnorIngram #ElliotteFriedman #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 #AtlantaThrashers #OwenSoundPlaters #OHL #PortlandPirates #AHL #CalderCup #JackAdamsAward #NHLPlayerAssistanceProgram #MastertonTrophy
Summer Coolers – San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks may be ready to make the jump. After finishing 39-35-8 and making a legitimate push toward the playoffs, San Jose enters 2026-27 with one of the NHL’s most exciting collections of young talent. Macklin Celebrini exploded for 115 points in his second NHL season, while Will Smith, Michael Misa and other young players give the Sharks enormous upside. GM Mike Grier has also spent aggressively, adding veteran muscle and experience around that young core. Neil Smith and Vic Morren believe San Jose could follow the same path Anaheim did a year ago and emerge as a legitimate wild-card contender. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] San Jose finishes 39-35-8, falling short of the playoffs but taking a major step forward under Ryan Warsofsky, who begins his third season behind the bench. [00:00:25] Almost every major statistic improves. The Sharks jump from 32nd to 17th offensively and from 26th to 16th on the power play. [00:00:45] The defense improves only slightly from 32nd to 30th, making goals against the biggest remaining concern. [00:01:00] Vic compares San Jose to Anaheim from a year earlier—a young team loaded with enough emerging talent to make an unexpected playoff breakthrough. [00:01:15] Celebrini leads the way after an extraordinary 115-point second NHL season, while Smith, Misa and Collin Graf give the Sharks an impressive young foundation. [00:01:35] San Jose also gets significantly more experienced on defense by acquiring Darnell Nurse and signing Jacob Trouba. [00:01:50] Those additions are expensive. Nurse arrives with his full $9.5 million contract, while Trouba signs for four years at $8.25 million annually. [00:02:00] Mason Marchment also receives a five-year deal worth $6.75 million per season as San Jose uses its available cap space aggressively. [00:02:15] Celebrini receives the biggest contract of all—$18.8 million per season beginning the following year, making him the league’s highest-paid player. [00:02:30] Neil believes the investment makes sense because San Jose may already possess the best young player in hockey. [00:02:45] Michael Kesselring arrives from Buffalo to further strengthen the defense, while Eric Comrie comes from Winnipeg to provide goaltending help. [00:03:00] San Jose does lose William Eklund, who is traded to Ottawa for the ninth overall draft pick. [00:03:15] The Sharks ultimately hold two first-round selections, adding even more talent to an already impressive prospect system. [00:03:30] Ivar Stenberg becomes another high-end prospect to watch as San Jose continues assembling what could become one of the NHL’s deepest young talent pools. [00:03:45] Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp head to Edmonton in the Nurse trade, while Mario Ferraro signs with Winnipeg and Vincent Desharnais joins Washington. [00:04:00] Vic believes the Sharks can make the playoffs this season, although improving defensively remains essential. [00:04:15] Neil agrees that San Jose should at least contend for a wild-card position, but points out one difference from Anaheim’s breakthrough. [00:04:30] Anaheim had veteran championship coach Joel Quenneville guiding its rise. San Jose remains committed to Warsofsky, who has done a good job but does not possess Quenneville’s championship résumé. [00:04:50] That puts pressure on Warsofsky to prove how much he can get from an extremely talented roster now carrying legitimate expectations. [00:05:00] Another major question involves Celebrini’s leadership. After three seasons and an impressive Olympic performance, could he already be ready to become captain? [00:05:20] Neil says his performance on the ice suggests he absolutely could. Celebrini has already demonstrated he can thrive alongside older elite players. [00:05:40] The unanswered question is whether he is ready for the responsibility inside the locker room. [00:06:00] Neil says only Warsofsky, Grier and those closest to Celebrini can truly evaluate whether his maturity and leadership are ready for the captaincy. The Sharks are no longer simply rebuilding. Celebrini has become a superstar, the prospect pipeline remains loaded, and Grier has surrounded the young core with expensive veteran help. If San Jose can improve defensively, Neil and Vic believe this could be the year the Sharks return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Summer Coolers – New York Rangers The New York Rangers enter 2026-27 trying to climb out of an astonishing fall. Just three seasons removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy, the Rangers finished last in the Eastern Conference and 30th overall while missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. GM Chris Drury responded with seven offseason deals, headlined by the acquisition and massive extension of Pavel Dorofeyev. Neil Smith and Vic Morren believe the Rangers are better on paper—but questions about Dorofeyev, the loss of Vinny Trocheck, and lingering dysfunction leave them viewing New York as, at best, a potential wild-card team. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] The Rangers finish last in the East and 30th overall, missing the playoffs for a second straight season after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24. [00:00:25] Chris Drury responds aggressively, making seven offseason deals in an attempt to reshape the roster. [00:00:40] The biggest move brings Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas for 2026 first- and third-round picks plus a conditional 2028 first. [00:00:55] Dorofeyev immediately signs a seven-year contract worth $11 million per season, creating enormous expectations at Madison Square Garden. [00:01:00] The Rangers acquire Sean Durzi, Cole Beaudoin and a 2027 third-round pick from Utah in exchange for Vinny Trocheck. [00:01:20] Jonas Korpisalo arrives from Boston to back up Igor Shesterkin, while Marcus Pettersson is acquired from Vancouver for a conditional 2030 first-round pick. [00:01:40] Oliver Bjorkstrand also joins from Tampa Bay. Vic believes the Rangers have improved but sees competing for a wild card as their realistic ceiling. [00:02:00] Neil remains concerned about the dysfunction surrounding the organization and says he needs to see evidence that those problems are truly gone. [00:02:15] Dorofeyev scored 72 goals over the previous two seasons, but Neil warns that much of his success came while playing with an outstanding Vegas power play. [00:02:35] The key question becomes who will consistently get Dorofeyev the puck in New York. Neil views him as a finisher who needs quality setup opportunities. [00:02:55] His $11 million salary only increases the pressure, putting him financially alongside Shesterkin, who has already proven himself as a franchise-level player. [00:03:15] Neil likes Durzi but believes losing Trocheck hurts. He describes Trocheck as a heart-and-soul player who brought important qualities to the Rangers. [00:03:35] Marcus Pettersson reunites with Mike Sullivan after their time together in Pittsburgh, although Neil questions whether Pettersson remains the same player he was then. [00:04:00] There is potential for an improved power play with Mika Zibanejad, Dorofeyev, a healthy Adam Fox and J.T. Miller. [00:04:20] Alexis Lafrenière remains another major variable. The Rangers are still waiting for the former No. 1 overall pick to fully become the player they envisioned. [00:04:40] Joe Veleno and Dennis Cholowski add depth, while Will Borgen, Johnny Brodzinski, Connor Sheary and Connor Mackey are among the departures. [00:05:00] The prospect pipeline provides some optimism, beginning with Albert Smaits, selected fifth overall in 2026. [00:05:20] Smaits brings physicality and Olympic experience with Latvia, and Neil likes the possibility that he could be closer to NHL-ready than most 18-year-olds. [00:05:35] Liam Greentree, acquired in the Artemi Panarin trade with Los Angeles, and 2025 second-round pick Malcolm Spence are other young players to watch. [00:06:00] Matt Rempe remains with the Rangers, while fellow giant Adam Edstrom is traded to Nashville for a fifth-round selection. [00:06:20] Neil again highlights Smaits, referencing Craig Button’s assessment that the youngster may be among the most NHL-ready players from his draft class. [00:06:40] Brett Berard is sent to Montreal for defenseman William Trudeau, a move Vic views almost as addition by subtraction. [00:07:00] Ultimately, Neil and Vic see improvement—but not enough to declare the Rangers contenders. Their realistic battle may simply be scraping and clawing for a wild-card position. The Rangers have almost certainly bottomed out, but how quickly can they climb? Dorofeyev must justify his massive contract, the power play needs to click, Lafrenière must take another step, and the organizational dysfunction has to disappear. New York should be better—but returning to the NHL’s
Summer Coolers – Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators may finally be positioned to make the run many expected two years ago. After finishing sixth in the Central with 86 points, Nashville enters 2026-27 with Chris MacFarland reshaping the roster through one of the NHL’s more aggressive offseasons. Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Maverick Bourque, Ilya Lyubushkin and several other additions give the Predators considerably more depth. But Neil Smith and Vic Morren see another major storyline developing: Andrew Brunette may now have to prove to his new GM that he deserves to remain Nashville’s head coach. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] Nashville finishes sixth in the Central, 10th in the Western Conference and 23rd overall with 86 points. [00:00:20] Neil and Vic revisit the enormous expectations surrounding Nashville two years earlier after the Predators signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. [00:00:45] Those headline additions never produced the results many expected, but Neil believes this offseason feels different. [00:01:00] New GM Chris MacFarland adds what Neil calls “real meat to the bone,” strengthening the existing roster rather than attempting to completely rebuild it. [00:01:20] MacFarland immediately targets players he knows well, including Ross Colton and Jack Drury from his previous organization in Colorado. [00:01:35] The pressure now shifts toward Andrew Brunette. Neil believes the coach must demonstrate to MacFarland that he deserves to remain behind the Nashville bench. [00:01:55] Nashville improved by 18 points last season and briefly pushed into playoff position before fading down the stretch. [00:02:00] MacFarland raids his former organization, adding Colton, Drury and defenseman Jack Ahcan from Colorado. [00:02:20] Nashville acquires Adam Edstrom from the Rangers for a 2026 fifth-round pick and Nils Höglander from Vancouver for a 2029 third-round selection. [00:02:35] Maverick Bourque and Ilya Lyubushkin also arrive from Dallas, further strengthening a roster clearly being constructed to win now. [00:02:50] Bourque signs a six-year contract worth $5.5 million per season, giving Nashville another important long-term piece. [00:03:00] Alex Kerfoot arrives as a free agent from Utah, while Hunter Skinner joins from St. Louis. [00:03:15] Neil agrees that Nashville is significantly improved, but the Central Division presents a major obstacle. [00:03:30] Utah has improved as well, while Minnesota, Dallas and Colorado remain formidable. The Predators must determine which established playoff team they can actually surpass. [00:03:50] St. Louis could potentially be vulnerable, but Neil still sees Nashville facing a difficult path into the postseason. [00:04:00] Vic believes as many as five Central Division teams could qualify for the playoffs because the division appears considerably deeper than the Pacific. [00:04:25] Neil agrees that the Central possesses a greater quantity of strong teams, increasing the importance of every divisional matchup. [00:04:45] One notable departure is Erik Haula, who signs with the Los Angeles Kings. [00:05:00] Nashville’s prospect group includes Brady Martin, the fifth overall selection in 2025, who appeared in three NHL games last season. [00:05:15] Forwards Ryker Lee and Egor Surin provide additional young talent as Nashville attempts to balance its veteran roster with future contributors. [00:05:30] Most of the Predators’ important personnel is now locked up contractually, giving MacFarland stability as he attempts to build a contender. [00:05:45] Ryan O’Reilly is the most significant player approaching unrestricted free agency after the season. [00:06:00] Neil believes O’Reilly is reaching the stage of his career where he can decide whether to finish in Nashville or pursue one final opportunity elsewhere. Nashville looks substantially stronger than it did a year ago. MacFarland has aggressively added depth and talent without tearing apart the existing core. The question is whether Brunette can turn those moves into results—and whether the Predators can survive a loaded Central Division and finally become the contender everyone expected them to be two years ago.
Summer Coolers – Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens enter 2026-27 coming off a breakthrough season that took them all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. Montreal finished third in the Atlantic, fourth in the East, and sixth overall before defeating Tampa Bay and Buffalo in dramatic seven-game series and eventually falling to Carolina in five. But instead of making a blockbuster move to accelerate the process, GM Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are sticking with the youth movement. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine whether patience is still the right strategy for a Canadiens team that suddenly looks much closer to Stanley Cup contention. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] Martin St. Louis begins his sixth season behind the Montreal bench after guiding the Canadiens to third in the Atlantic and a trip to the Eastern Conference Final. [00:00:25] Montreal survives Tampa Bay in seven games, including a deciding game where the Canadiens generated remarkably few shots but still found a way to win. [00:00:40] The Canadiens then defeat Buffalo in overtime in Game 7 before losing to eventual champion Carolina in five games after taking the series opener. [00:00:55] Montreal finishes seventh offensively, improves defensively from tied for 22nd to tied for 16th, and owns a top-10 power play. [00:01:00] Despite the playoff success, alarm bells are beginning to sound among those who believe Montreal has been too conservative during the offseason. [00:01:20] The Canadiens’ only trade acquisition is Brett Berard from the Rangers in exchange for defenseman William Trudeau. [00:01:40] Neil believes the lack of major moves is intentional. Hughes and Gorton are committed to allowing their young core to continue developing rather than rushing the rebuild. [00:02:00] Montreal has also benefited from locking up important players before NHL salaries began escalating dramatically. [00:02:10] Ivan Demidov receives an eight-year contract worth $9.15 million per season beginning next year, making him a major piece of Montreal’s long-term plan. [00:02:25] Jakub Dobeš has clearly established himself as Montreal’s No. 1 goaltender and receives a three-year deal worth approximately $5.36 million per season beginning next year. [00:02:40] Sam Montembeault, once a major part of Montreal’s playoff story, remains under contract but has fallen dramatically in the goaltending picture. [00:02:50] Kirby Dach returns on a one-year, $3.6 million contract after an up-and-down relationship with Canadiens fans. [00:03:00] Montreal’s free-agent activity remains modest. Kaapo Kähkönen stays in the organization, while Samuel Poulin joins on a one-year deal. [00:03:20] Neil believes ownership is fully supporting the patient approach, with Geoff Molson continuing to back the management team. [00:03:35] One familiar face will be missing. Brendan Gallagher leaves Montreal for Vancouver after years as one of the Canadiens’ most recognizable and feisty players. [00:03:50] Joshua Roy is traded to Utah, while Joe Veleno and Sammy Blais depart for the Rangers and Ottawa respectively. [00:04:00] Goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler impressed after arriving later in the season and could now become the backup behind Dobeš. [00:04:15] Michael Hage, Montreal’s 2024 first-round selection, plans to return to Michigan but could potentially see NHL action after his college season concludes. [00:04:30] David Reinbacher, selected fifth overall in 2023, remains another major prospect who could strengthen a defense already featuring Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson. [00:04:45] Patrik Laine remains an unrestricted free agent, and Neil does not expect Montreal to bring him back. [00:05:00] Neil and Vic revisit Laine’s fast start from two seasons ago and Neil’s warning at the time not to be fooled by the early production. Montreal’s strategy is clear: stay patient. Demidov, Dobeš, Hutson, Reinbacher, Fowler, Hage and the rest of the young core will determine how high this team can climb. After reaching the conference final, expectations have changed—but Hughes and Gorton appear determined not to abandon the plan just because success arrived earlier than expected.
Summer Coolers – New York Islanders The New York Islanders enter 2026-27 looking remarkably similar to the team that missed the playoffs last season—with one major exception: longtime captain Anders Lee is gone. After finishing sixth in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points, the Islanders turn to Peter DeBoer behind the bench. Neil Smith and Vic Morren question whether DeBoer can squeeze more out of a roster that made few significant offseason additions. Ilya Sorokin remains an elite foundation in goal, Matthew Schaefer looks like a future superstar, and several promising prospects are coming, but is there enough improvement to get the Islanders back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs? IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] The Islanders finish with 91 points and sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season. [00:00:20] Peter DeBoer takes over behind the bench after replacing Patrick Roy with four games remaining last season. [00:00:35] Some team statistics improve, particularly the penalty kill, which makes an impressive jump from 31st to 10th overall. [00:00:50] The power play remains a major weakness, improving only slightly from 31st to 30th. [00:01:00] The Islanders make no offseason trade acquisitions. Tony DeAngelo re-signs for two years at $4.5 million, while Matias Maccelli arrives from Toronto. [00:01:15] Vitek Vanecek signs a one-year deal after playing in Utah, providing insurance given the uncertainty surrounding Semyon Varlamov. [00:01:30] The biggest departure is captain Anders Lee, who leaves for Utah. Backup goaltender David Rittich also departs for New Jersey. [00:01:45] Vic’s assessment is straightforward: this looks like essentially the same Islanders team as last season, except now it has lost its captain. [00:02:00] Neil agrees. Looking at the roster on paper, he cannot identify an area where the Islanders have significantly improved. [00:02:15] One major reason for optimism is Matthew Schaefer, who is coming off a terrific rookie season and appears to have a brilliant future. [00:02:30] Goaltending should remain a strength as long as Sorokin stays healthy. Neil still considers him one of the NHL’s best. [00:02:45] Varlamov remains a major question after being out of the lineup for roughly a year and a half, making Vanecek an important depth signing. [00:03:00] The Islanders do have promising young talent coming. Cole Eiserman scored 18 goals in 32 games at Boston University last season. [00:03:15] Victor Eklund is another intriguing prospect and gives the Islanders another potential offensive piece for the future. [00:03:30] K'Shawn Aitcheson, selected 17th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, is another young player who could eventually push for an opportunity. [00:03:45] But Neil separates the future from the present. The question is what New York will be in 2026-27, and his expectation is that the Islanders may look very similar to what they were in 2025-26. [00:04:00] The conversation turns to leadership. With Anders Lee gone and Schaefer emerging as a potential franchise player, should the young defenseman already receive the captaincy? [00:04:15] Neil says no. Being the team’s best or most talented player does not automatically mean someone should wear the “C.” [00:04:30] Lee himself is an example. He earned the captaincy through leadership rather than simply being the Islanders’ most talented player. [00:04:45] Neil believes Bo Horvat is the more logical choice. Horvat has established leadership qualities and previously served as captain of the Vancouver Canucks. [00:05:00] Schaefer’s opportunity to become captain may eventually arrive, but Neil believes that responsibility should come later in his career. The Islanders still have Sorokin, a potential star in Schaefer, and some promising prospects. But for 2026-27, Neil and Vic see the same fundamental problem: where did this team actually get better? Unless DeBoer can manufacture a major improvement from essentially the same roster, another fight just to reach the playoffs appears likely.