full

full
Published on:

6th Dec 2025

NHL Wraparound Hall of Fame Edition - Scotty Bowman Encore Episode

The legendary Scotty Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history, joins Neil and Vic for the inaugural episode of NHL Wraparound Hall of Fame Edition. At 91 years old, Bowman shares remarkable stories from his seven-decade journey through hockey, from his childhood in Verdun to building dynasties in Montreal, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. He discusses his mentorship under Sam Pollock, the evolution of the game, coaching superstars, and the challenges facing teams trying to rebuild in today's NHL.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] - Launching NHL Wraparound Hall of Fame Edition franchise with hockey's greatest coach, Scotty Bowman.

[03:00] - Bowman's Scottish immigrant father arriving in Montreal in 1929 as a blacksmith for the CNR railway, and growing up in Verdun.

[06:00] - Learning French naturally on the streets of Verdun and perfecting bilingual skills coaching French-Canadian players in Ottawa.

[08:00] - Growing up as a Boston Bruins fan, not a Canadiens fan, listening to games on radio with his father writing down scores.

[11:00] - How his father worked on building the Verdun Auditorium in 1939 - the same building later named after Scotty and his brother.

[13:00] - Transitioning from playing to coaching after injury, and the pivotal mentorship of Sam Pollock beginning in junior hockey.

[14:00] - Sam Pollock's genius as a GM: learning the business from the ground up in Ottawa, selling ads, arranging housing, and understanding hockey operations.

[16:00] - The evolution from coaching junior hockey to scouting, and how Sam Pollock brought Bowman into the Canadiens organization.

[19:00] - Sam Pollock's brilliance: 8 Stanley Cups in 13 seasons as GM, master of trading draft picks with expansion teams, and later success with the Toronto Blue Jays.

[21:00] - Why there should be a Sam Pollock Trophy for GMs - the greatest general manager in hockey history.

[23:00] - Pollock's draft pick wizardry: how he acquired picks that became Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, and Bob Gainey.

[25:00] - The challenge of coaching today's entitled generation versus the players of previous eras.

[26:00] - How Florida's Bill Zito works closely with Paul Maurice to get specific types of players - size, strength, and physicality over soft skill players.

[28:00] - The difficulty of complete rebuilds: why stripping teams down to the girders (Chicago, San Jose) makes competing nearly impossible.

[30:00] - The problem with half the league missing playoffs - how can you sell tickets when fans know their team has no shot?

[32:00] - The infiltration of European hockey into NHL systems, and how taking a gamble on Russian players changed everything.

[34:00] - Acquiring the Russian Five: Sergei Fedorov's defensive brilliance, Vladimir Konstantinov's tragic injury, and the Lou Lamoriello connection that brought Slava Fetisov to Detroit.

[36:00] - Adding Viacheslav Kozlov and Larry Murphy to complete the puzzle - parallels to Neil's Edmonton Oilers acquisitions for the 1994 Rangers.

[38:00] - The entitlement problem with today's young stars drafted 1-8: they feel they've already made it before proving anything.

[40:00] - Communication with superstars: never sugarcoating, always telling the truth even when players don't want to hear it.

[43:00] - Buffalo's 13-year playoff drought and the challenge of selling tickets when your team can't compete.

[44:00] - Guy Lafleur's difficult start: the pressure of being ordained as the next Jean Beliveau and transitioning from center to wing.

[46:00] - Steve Yzerman's transformation: convincing a 150-point scorer to sacrifice offense, become a checker, and embrace defense to win championships.

[48:00] - Florida's threepeat chances: the importance of the Seth Jones and Sam Bennett additions, and managing goaltending with 37-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky.

[50:00] - The challenge of defending championships: celebrations, weddings, and keeping focus while other teams hunt you.

[51:00] - Roger Neilson stories: The pioneering "Captain Video" who coached four teams simultaneously, delivered papers, and recorded pep talks for games he couldn't attend.

[55:00] - Neilson's incredible work ethic: only sleeping in 2-hour naps, available in a 15-minute window between 7:30-7:45pm, and making every player better.

[57:00] - Mike Keenan's rise: Roger Neilson's recommendation led to Keenan's Calder Cup in Rochester and eventual NHL success.

[59:00] - The 1989 moment when both Bowman and Neil Smith interviewed with Jack Diller - Bowman stayed in Buffalo, Smith took the Rangers job and won the Cup.

[01:01:00] - Bowman at 91: staying sharp by keeping busy and never sitting around - the secret to longevity.

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 #ScottyBowman #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #HockeyHallOfFame #MontrealCanadiens #DetroitRedWings #PittsburghPenguins #BuffaloSabres #SamPollock #RogerNeilson #MikeKeenan #SteveYzerman #GuyLafleur #RussianFive #SergeiFedorov #VladimirKonstantinov #SlavaFetisov #IgorLarionov #VyacheslavKozlov #NickLidstrom #LarryMurphy #FloridaPanthers #BillZito #PaulMaurice #SethJones #SamBennett #SergeiBobrovskiy #ConnorMcDavid #NathanMacKinnon #SidneyCrosby #WayneGretzky #StanleyCup #Dynasty #ChicagoBlackhawks #NewYorkRangers #EdmontonOilers #JackDiller #LouLamoriello #CliffFletcher #BobClarke #HarryNealeClaude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for NHL Wraparound Podcast

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.