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The definitive NHL podcast network with expert analysis and insider perspectives.
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If it appears the NHL off-season has been particularly active since the Carolina Hurricanes lifted the Stanley Cup on June 14, you're not alone. Re-signings, trades, the Draft and the prospect of several notable players looking to be moved are all making headlines. E.J. Hradek from The NHL Network joins Neil and Vic to discuss all of these areas in advance of free agency officially kicking off on July 1. IN THIS EPISODE: [01:54] - E.J. Hradek from the NHL Network worked the Draft and comments on how the feel of the vent has changed over the past couple of years in a de-centralized format. [08:03] - Discussion about Caleb Malhotra, selected third by Vancouver, and the prospect of being coached by his dad, Manny, who was drafted by Neil in New York in 1998. [13:27] - The top picks of the 2026 Entry Draft and which players could see NHL action in the new season. Particular attention to first overall pick Gavin McKenna to Toronto, who has roots unlike any player we've seen. [24:37] - The trade market has heated up significantly compared to a year ago in advance of free agency. Neil and E.J. weigh in with their thoughts, which may connect to the current free agent pool. [34:37] - Neil sidebars as to how potential expansion may affect team strategies and business models as the chances to win a championship mathematically decrease. [39:56] - Several RFA could be the targets of offer sheets. Opinion on what teams need to consider with reference to the Blues signings of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway two years ago. [45:33] - On one side, teams are always looking to bolster their respective lineups. However, the climate also now has players seeking to be moved despite having no movement clauses in their contracts and other already suggesting they're not intending to extend with their current teams. [58:26] - What E.J. looks most forward to when free agency kicks off July 1. [1:01:09] - Wrap-up segment including two breaking trades and other NHL news. 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 #SummerCoolers #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 #EJHradek #NHLNetwork #CraigButton #TSN #CalebMalhotra #MannyMalhotra #LiamRuck #MarkusRuck #AlexanderKarmonov #RoyWorters #DarrenPang #BobbyLalonde #MatthewSchaeffer #JustinBieber #PKSubban #StuartScott #GavinMcKenna #IvanStenberg #DaxonRudolph #AlbertsSmits #CarsonCarels #ChaseReid #ViggoBjorck #KeatonVerhoeff #WyattCullen #MattCullen #TynanLawrence #DarrenRaddysh #PavelDorofeyev #OlenZellweger #MasonMcTavish #BrandonCarlo #JohnCarlson #BowenByram #JordanGreenway #LouisCrevier #AlexTuch #JordanKyrou #ConnorMcMichael #ValNichushkin #JackDrury #JJPeterka #IvanIvan #DylanLarkin #DarnellNurse #JasonRobertson #ZachWerenski #KirillMarchenko #ConnorHellebuyck #DrewDoughty #KenHolland #ConnorMurphy #JasonDickinson #BobbyMcMann #ZachBenson #TonyDeAngelo #JordanSpence #BrentBurns #BrettKulak #BrandtClarke #ConnorBedard #LeoCarlsson #CutterGauthier #AdamFantilli #TrevorZegras #SimonEdvinsson #JetGreaves #JamieDrysdale #MitchMarner #NikolajEhlers #BradMarchand #BrockBoeser #MikaelGranlund #VladimirGavrikov #PatrickKane #IvanProvorov #DmitryOrlov #JakeAllen #MichaelBunting #JamieBenn #LarsEller #ClaudeGiroux #BooneJenner #AndersLee #AnthonyMantha #MasonMarchment #AlexOvechkin #CoreyPerry #VladimirTarasenko #MattsZuccarello #RasmusAndersson #JacobTrouba #FrederikAndersen #SergeiBobrovsky #StuartSkinner #CamTalbot #QuinnHughes #JeffSkinner #ViktorArvidsson #PhilipBroberg #DylanHolloway #SteveStaios #MavrikBourque #DougArmstrong #BillZito #BradyTkachuk #DonWaddell #JimNill #CaleMakar #EricLindros #PorterMartone #AustonMatthews #NikitaKucherov #KrisKnoblauch #JohnChayka #TerryPegula #ThomasHarley #LesterPatrick #RichardPatrick #MuzzPatrick #CycloneTaylor #LynnPatrick #KenHolland #SteveYzerman #DrewDoughty #AnzeKopitar #JohnTavares #MikeSullivan #RichNash #BrendanGallagher #NilsHoglander #SethJarvis #EricRobinson #JuanSoto #NewYorkYankees #NewYorkMets #GoldenStateWarriors #BrianCashman
Thirty two teams would appear to sit well as an appropriate number of clubs within the NHL. However, with record revenues, greater worldwide appeal and the skill/speed level at an all-time high, it might be hard for commissioner Gary Bettman to resist growing the league footprint further - in this case to Austin or Houston, Texas. Vic and Neil discuss potential plus and downsides to expanding the league and whether the talent pool can support more teams without short-changing the product. 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 #BZZR #NHL #GaryBettman #DanFriedkin #FreidkinGroup #ASRoma #Everton #EnglishPremiereLeague #BorjeSalming #IngeHammerstrom #VaclavNedomansky #PeterStastny #AntonStastny #MarianStastny #GordieHowe #MarkHowe #MartyHowe #DallasStars #VegasGoldenKnights #SeattleKraken #MontrealCanadiens #NewYorkIslanders #EdmontonOilers #QuebecNordiques #DetroitRedWings #TorontoMapleLeafs #BostonBruins #ColumbusBlueJackets #MinnesotaWild #NashvillePredators #TexasStars #HoustonAeroes #WHA #TheAHL.com #FourNationsFaceoff
Nothing like a little excitement heading into the NHL Draft and Free Agency with a somewhat controversial head coaching hiring in Edmonton and a quartet of deals. Noted columnist Steve Simmons joins Vic and Neil for an in-depth discussion on these topics plus the latest vibe in Toronto with a new GM, a new head coach, a major acquisition, a veteran on the way out and the first pick of the Draft on the way in. 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 #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #BZZR #NHL #SummerCoolers #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 #HartfordWhalers #ArizonaCoyotes #SteveSimmons #SunMedia #MitchMarner #MikeBabcock #StanBowman #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #BowenByram #JordanGreenway #LouisCrevier #JordanKyrou #ConnorMcMichael #MiltonGastrin #WilliamEklund #KasperHalttunen #BrandonSvoboda #SimonNemec #MaximTsyplakov #EtienneMorin #JohnChayka #JimHiller #DarrenRaddysh #MorganRielly #GavinMcKenna #MikeKennan #ZachHyman #JoelQuenneville #ClaudeJulien #KenHolland #CraigConroy #DonMaloney #ConnorBedeard #LukeHughes #CalebMalhotra #PaulMaurice #ChrisPronger #DougArmstrong #AlexSteen #TJOshie #TomWilson #AliaksaiProtas #SpencerCarbury #MikeGrier #BradyTkachuk #MatthewTkachuk #SteveStaios #WilliamNylander #AustonMatthews #DarnellNurse #CarterVerhaeghe #MattBoldy #QuinnHughes #MarcoRossi #DylanLarkin #SteveYzerman #CliffFletcher #PatBurns #PatQuinn #BryanMcCabe #SherryBassin #ErieOtters #VictorHedman #SergeiBobrovsky #ConnorHellebuyck #KyleConnor #JosephWoll #KeithPelley #AleksanderBarkov #DanMuse #CraigBerube #ToddMcLellan #FrankMahovlich #BradTreliving #MatsSundin #BrendanShanahan #DougGilmour
The crowning of a Stanley Cup champion ends the competition on the ice for another season with the opening of new eras following quickly behind with the NHL Entry Draft. TSN Analyst and Director of Scouting Craig Button joins Neil and Vic to look at the top prospects and potential strategies for teams either picking near the top or with multiple selections in the first round. Toronto: You're on the clock! IN THIS EPISODE: [01:39] - Neil and Craig reminisce about what make the Draft special, despite the feel being different with the event being de-centralized. [06:58] - Top 10 Draft order followed by teams with multiple picks in the first round. Craig then begins his assessment of the top prospects, starting with Gavin McKenna, expected to go to the Maple Leafs. [20:56] - Draft strategy from year to year from two seasoned former NHL executives. Best player or best fit? Some excellent history on past drafts here. [28:54] - More Draft tales. [33:44] - News from around the NHL including thoughts on Mike Babcock finally being named Oilers head coach and opinions on whether the recent trades of Brady Tkachuk and Darren Raddysh does anything to affect potential movement of Dylan Larkin, Elias Pettersson and Darnell Nurse. [42:11] - Wrapping up the Stanley Cup prediction showdown between Vic, Neil and Craig. [46:07] - Final segment including those going into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. 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 #SummerCoolers #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 #CraigButton #TSN #MarioLemieux #EricLindros #QuebecNordiques #ClaudeRuel #ScottBowman #RejeanHoule #BradyTkachuk #JohnChayka #ConnorBedard #MacklinCelebrini #ConnorMcDavid #AustonMatthews #WendelClark #CraigSimpson #MitchMarner #MichaelMisa #SamDickinson #GavinMcKenna #IvarStenberg #ChaseReid #CarsonCarels #ViggoBjorck #NickSuzuki #KenHolland #RyanJohnson #DanielSedin #HenrikSedin #MikhailSergachev #CalebMalhotra #MannyMalhotra #AlbertsSmits #KeatonVerhoeff #DaxonRudolph #TynanLawrence #ConnorHellebuyck #DylanLarkin #MarkScheifele #AdamLowry #DmitryBorichev #PyotrAndreyanov #PavelBrendl #BrianBurke #ChristerRockstrom #MikeSillinger #BobBoughner #NicklasLidstrom #SergeiFedorov #PavelBure #DallasDrake #VladiirKonstantinov #JimDevellano #MikeModano #TrevorLinden #JeremyRoenick #RodBrind'Amour #TeemuSelanne #KirkMuller #EdOlczyk #AlIafrate #PetrSvoboda #MarkNapier #AlArbour #MikeBossy #DwightFoster #MichelBergeron #MarkMessier #RogerNeilson #LeonDraisaitl #MikeKeenan #KellyMcCrimmon #BruceCassidy #DarnellNurse #EliasPettersson #QuinnHughes #SteveYzerman #JackButton #GaryBettman #MichelBergeron #HockeyHallofFame #CareyPrice #PekkaRinne #KeithTkachuk #CindyCurley #MikeGartner #NewYorkStateHockeyHallofFame
A blockbuster trade over the weekend has the Tkachuk brothers - Matthew and Brady - as teammates in Florida. Vic and Neil review the trade which was made possible, in part, due to a deal done a short time before between the Panthers and Seattle Kraken. We'll also look at some additional signings of players who were retained by their clubs before getting to free agency on July 1 plus a dive into the Toronto-Tampa Bay trade which sees defenseman Darren Raddysh donning the Maple Leaf. 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 #BZZR #NHL #BradyTkachuk #MatthewTkachuk #MackieSamoskevich #BillZito #PaulMaurice #SteveStaios #BradMarchand #SamBennett #KeithTkachuk #JasonRobertson #MartyBeniers #FloridaPanthers #OttawaSenators #SeattleKraken #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #DallasStars #EdmontonOilers #CarolinaHurricanes #BuffaloSabres #MontrealCanadiens #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #LosAngelesKings #FourNationsFaceoff #MichiganWolverines #BobbyMcMann #JasonDickinson #ConnorMurphy #StanBowman #NickDeLauriers #EricTulsky #DarrenRaddysh #WarrenYoung #JulienBriseBois #GavinMcKenna #JohnChayka #JosephWoll #SimonBenoit #SamErsson #EmilAndrae #JimHiller #CraigBerube #CraigButton #TSN
Yes, even the Stanley Cup champions have spring cleaning though, in the case of the Carolina Hurricanes, not nearly as much as past winners. Sticking with the on-ice strategy set forth by head coach Rod Brind'Amour, the lineup was augmented during the off-season by GM Eric Tulsky with the team among the NHL elite from Day 1 to mid-June. Vic and Neil break down what made the difference and discuss how Carolina is set up both in the immediate and long term. 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 #BZZR #NHL #CarolinaHurricanes #VegasGoldenKnights #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #MontrealCanadiens #FloridaPanthers #ChicagoWolves #TheAhl.com #ColoradoAvalanche #WinnipegJets #TorontoMapleLeafs #BostonBruins #NewJerseyDevils #DallasStars #EdmontonOilers #PittsburghPenguins #NewYorkRangers #ArizonaCoyotes #DetroitRedWings #RodBrind'Amour #EricTulsky #K'AndreMiller #NikolajEhlers #BrentBurns #DmitryOrlov #FrederikAndersen #PyotrKochetkov #CaydenPrimeau #BrandonBussi #JeffMarek #TheSheet #SethJarvis #AndreiSvechnikov #NathanMacKinnon #NikitaKucherov #MikkoRantanen #RayFerraro #ESPN #ShayneGostisbehere #EricRobinson #MarkJankowski #NickDeLauriers #MikeReilly #JordanStaal #ConnSmytheTrophy #JordanMartinook #JalenChatfield #AlexanderNikishin #JacksonBlake #TaylorHall #LoganStankoven #JaccobSlavin #CaleMakar #JackEichel