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Published on:

5th Sep 2025

2025 NHL Summer Cooler - Columbus Blue Jackets

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren review the offseason, roster structure, and playoff hopes of the Columbus Blue Jackets—a team that came painfully close to breaking their five-year postseason drought in 2024–25.

The Blue Jackets finished with 89 points, just two shy of the final wild card spot, and were eliminated by a regulation win tiebreaker after going winless against the St. Louis Blues in the season series. Despite the heartbreak, the Jackets were one of the NHL’s surprise teams, boasting an offense that tied for 7th in the league (3.26 GPG) and scoring six or more goals in 16 games.

This episode examines Columbus’s offseason decisions, including the high-profile Charlie Coyle–Miles Wood trade with Colorado, the questionable seven-year, $8.5M deal for Ivan Provorov, and the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau, which emotionally galvanized the team early in the season.

Can this team stay healthy and consistent for all 82 games? And does head coach Ken Evison have another motivational gear without the emotional backdrop of last year?

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Columbus recap: Falling short of the wild card

[00:38] Offensive strides and surprising firepower

[01:00] Coyle & Wood in, Brindley & picks out in trade with Colorado

[01:45] Reviewing free agent signings: Hudson Fasching and re-signings

[02:30] The shock of the Provorov deal: 7 years, $8.5M AAV

[03:30] Tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau and impact on locker room

[04:00] Goalie update: Jet Greaves promoted behind Elvis Merzlikins

[05:00] Deadline departures: Tarasov, Kuraly, JVR, Danforth, Harris

[06:00] What might have been: injuries to Monahan and Jenner

[06:30] Playoff odds: Can they push over the line this time?

[07:00] Shoutout: Matthew Olivier’s breakout year and fan favorite status

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Columbus made strides offensively last season but lacked late-season consistency, finishing the final stretch 4–11–1 before winning six straight.

The Provorov contract surprised many: a long-term, high-AAV commitment for a player with declining impact.

Injuries to Boone Jenner and Sean Monahan derailed what was shaping up to be a playoff-bound season.

Players like Kent Johnson, Marchenko, Fantilli, and Sillinger will need to continue developing for the team to reach the next level.

Matthew Olivier and Miles Wood are expected to form one of the toughest fourth lines in the NHL, offering a physical edge.

In a crowded Metro Division, the Blue Jackets’ playoff hopes are real—but so are the risks of another near miss.

RESOURCE LINKS:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBj1LV0-DMfBhcRPSJZLjA

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nhlwraparound

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555451139787

#NHL #Hockey #Podcast #ColumbusBlueJackets #CharlieCoyle #MilesWood #GavinBrindley #HudsonFasching #IvanProvorov #DanteFabbro #OwenSillinger #DmitriVoronkov #DaemonHunt #JohnnyGaudreau #MatthewGaudreau #DeanEvason #SeanMonahan #KirillMarchenko #YegorChinakov #AdamFantilli #KentJohnson #BooneJenner #ZachWerenski #DaniilTarasov #ElvisMerzlikins #JetGreaves #SeanKuraly #JordanHarris #PatrikLaine #JustinDanforth #JamesvanRiemsdyk #MathieuOlivier

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
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.