Episode 31

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Published on:

9th Oct 2024

Episode 31 - 2024-25 The E.J. Way! - Season Preview

Neil Smith and Vic Morren are joined by E.J. Hradek from the NHL Network to preview the 2024-25 NHL season.

Youngsters Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, graybeards Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin and two superstars in their prime, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are under the microscope.

Breakout players, the plight of teams and Cup Final predictions are added to the commentary with The Human Side of the Story featuring Neil sharing what a GM experiences on opening night following months of off-season work in constructing a team.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

  • [04:50] - The expectations for both 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks team being built around him.
  • [06:54] - Neil speaks of the difference between Celebrini coming out of US College as opposed Bedard coming through the Canadian Junior program.
  • [09:15] - Discussion whether smaller players such as Connor Bedard and Jack Hughes be cornerstones of championship teams.
  • [14:30] - Crosby/Ovechkin. Who gets back to the playoffs first?
  • [18:22] - Neil and E.J. speak on the resistance of the Penguins and Capitals to full rebuilds, instead trying to re-tool on the fly. The plights of the Red Wings and Blackhawks are referenced as examples.
  • [22:40] - Will OV catch The Great One for the all-time goals record this season?
  • [23:23] - The pressure for Connor McDavid to win now as the Oilers salary cap gets more top-heavy.
  • [27:50] - Auston Matthews is a new captain with a new coach and needs to do more to improve on one playoff series win in his career.
  • [32:10] - The importance of having Stanley Cup pedigree on the roster as it relates to the Maple Leafs and other also-ran franchises.
  • [34:30] - Neil, Vic and E.J. weigh in on their breakout players
  • [39:20] - The Power Shifts: Teams on the rise and those on the slide.
  • [43:40] - Fearless forecasts on who makes the post-season from each conference.
  • [47:34] - Four different champions since 2021. Will the Panthers style fashion a repeat or does a new championship template emerge?
  • [51:55] - Cup Final Predictions. Heed at your own risk.

[57:57] - The Human Side of the Story gets to the inside of what a GM experiences once the summer work ends and his team embarks on the new season.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

  • Star players from different eras are examined from various angles while the hosts and guests serve up players they believe will have breakout seasons.
  • Team takes on those headed up, those headed down, those headed to the playoffs and those playing for the Stanley Cup.

RESOURCE LINKS 

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

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/

NHL Wraparound Tik Tok:https://www.tiktok.com/@nhlwraparound

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

#MacklinCelebrini #ConnorBedard #JackHughes #SidneyCrosby #Alex Ovechkin #ConnorMcDavid #AustonMatthews #ClaytonKeller #WyattJohnston #OwenTippett #KirillMarchenko #NHL #BostonBruins #Carolina Hurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColumbusBlueJackets #ColoradoAvalanche #DallasStars #DetroitRedwings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngeles Kings #MinnesotaWild #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NYRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahHockeyClub #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #NHLWraparound #NeilSmith #VicMorren #E.J.Hradek #JessicaCampbell #SheldonKeefe #CraigBerube

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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.