full

full
Published on:

20th Dec 2025

NY Islanders First Stanley Cup: 45th Anniversary Special Interview

Captain Dennis Potvin, left wing John Tonelli, and defenseman Ken Morrow join Neil and Vic to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the New York Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship. From a 12-win expansion disaster to hockey immortality, these three Hall of Famers share firsthand accounts of the 1980 playoff run that launched a dynasty. Hear stories about the Butch Goring trade, the brutal Boston series with Clark Gillies vs. Terry O'Reilly, dominating Philadelphia's power play, and Bobby Nystrom's legendary overtime goal that changed franchise history forever.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] - Bobby Nystrom's overtime goal against Philadelphia: the moment that launched the Islanders dynasty in 1980

[02:00] - Welcome to three champions: Captain Dennis Potvin, John Tonelli, and Ken Morrow sharing memories 45 years later

[04:00] - The Bowling Green connection: Ken Morrow's college days and the 1984 Falcons national championship vs. Western Michigan's 2025 title

[05:00] - Do the stories get better with time? Dennis admits some details fade, but the important moments against LA and Philly remain vivid

[06:00] - The 1980 team faced the NHL's best: why playing Philadelphia in the finals made the championship even more special

[07:00] - The practice that won the Cup: Al Arbor's crisscross drill that produced Nystrom's famous goal, practiced daily for weeks

[08:00] - John Tonelli's game-winner setup: the split-second decision to pass instead of shoot when Moose Dupont committed

[09:00] - Ken Morrow's Olympic gold to Stanley Cup: joining the Islanders after Lake Placid and practicing against Bossy, Trottier, and Tonelli

[10:00] - The welcome from veterans: team character from Bill Torrey and Al Arbor down through the entire locker room

[11:00] - Building the foundation: 1975's Cinderella run beating Rangers and Pittsburgh, then heartbreak against Montreal (76, 77) and Toronto (78)

[12:00] - The Butch Goring trade: filling the second-line center void after Brian Trottier, Goring's "Do you know how good you are?" speech

[13:00] - Brent Sutter at 20 as second-line center before Goring: the depth issue that needed solving at the deadline

[14:00] - Bill Torrey's masterpiece: Goring, Gordie Lane, Anders Kallur injecting speed, grit, and talent into the lineup

[15:00] - Dave Langevin's addition: 6'4", 240-pound defenseman completing the puzzle alongside Morrow and Potvin

[16:00] - Round 1 vs. LA Kings: Ken Morrow's overtime winner, a 48 mph shot along the ice that deflected off a skate

[18:00] - Morrow's three playoff overtime goals: scoring the occasional goal while playing shutdown defense

[19:00] - The Boston series: Clark Gillies vs. Terry O'Reilly defining moment, 16 fighting majors and 248 penalty minutes in game two

[20:00] - Dennis Potvin's respect for O'Reilly: knowing him from junior hockey, watching Clarky beat him repeatedly but Terry never backing down

[21:00] - John Tonelli on Clarky as Big Brother: sitting on the bench watching your protector take care of Terry O'Reilly and Stan Jonathan

[22:00] - Bobby Nystrom's fight with Wayne Cashman: inspirational toughness from a finesse scorer showing he could go toe-to-toe

[23:00] - Ken Morrow's "Welcome to the NHL": watching street fighting in the small Boston Garden, toes sore from tight corners

[25:00] - The bite heard round the league: Ken watching Bob Nystrom's fist under Wayne Cashman's chin, seeing Cashman bite down

[26:00] - Down to three defensemen: Potvin, Lewis, and Persson surviving overtime after injuries to Morrow, Lane, and Nystrom

[27:00] - Dennis almost having to fight: Bobby Nystrom standing up and saying "I got Cashman" - the relief throughout the room

[28:00] - Stan Jonathan's threat to Potvin: "You're mine" - expecting to fight from junior hockey history but it never happening

[29:00] - Buffalo series: Nystrom's double-OT winner against Bob Sauve, then blowing 2-0 lead in game six before rallying

[30:00] - Clark Gillies' white shoes prank: teammates signing his brand new white shoes, Clarky's silent fury, new shoes next day

[33:00] - Dennis Potvin's first-ever playoff power play overtime goal: the perfect pass from Tonelli in the Finals opener

[34:00] - Fear as motivation: Philadelphia's intimidation factor with Bobby Clarke talking trash and the physical presence throughout the lineup

[35:00] - Al Arbor's consistency: keeping the team together after brutal 1978 and 1979 playoff losses instead of firing the coach

[36:00] - Power play dominance: 15 goals in the Finals, 40 Philadelphia penalties, Bossy-Trottier-Persson execution under pressure

[38:00] - The power play weapons: Stefan Persson's elite passing, Potvin's shot, Bossy's sniper ability, Trottier's two-way game, Gillies in front

[40:00] - Mel Bridgeman's famous photo moment: looking at the ref hoping Nystrom's goal wouldn't count

[41:00] - Ben Wilson's threat to Wayne Merrick: "Cross my blue line and I'll break your arm" - Wayne's deep laugh at the absurdity

[42:00] - Mel Bridgeman to Ken Morrow: "I'm gonna break your face" - the intimidation tactics that failed against battle-tested Islanders

[43:00] - The toughest opponents: Paul Holmgren and Terry O'Reilly combining skating ability with punishing physicality

[44:00] - Holmgren's anticipation: catching Potvin coming around the net, the scariest guys were the ones who could pursue you

[46:00] - The interference era: holding, grabbing, giving defensemen extra seconds to make plays that would be penalties today

[48:00] - The art of taking a hit: staying close to boards to soften impact, John Tonelli's elbows-up corner technique

[49:00] - Jay Wells and Nick Fotiu rattling bones: the hits that made you feel it in your skeleton

[50:00] - Gordy Lane's skinny frame and piston right hand: "The King of the Spear" getting away with the dirty work

[53:00] - Game 5 in Philly: 6-3 loss bringing series back to Nassau, the Spectrum's intimidation factor intact

[54:00] - Dennis Potvin's "high stick" goal: chest level contact on power play, refusing video replay that would've confirmed it

[55:00] - The famous offsides non-call: Dwayne Sutter's goal from Clark Gillies' drop pass a foot outside the blue line

[56:00] - Leon Stickle's missed call: watching Sutter instead of the puck, allowing Gillies to bring it back inside quickly

[57:00] - The makeup call theory: Bobby Clarke locking Potvin's stick under his arm on 5-on-3, leading to Philly's first goal

[58:00] - Second intermission overconfidence: high-fiving after 4-2 lead, losing focus for a split second

[59:00] - Bob Dailey and John Paddock tie it 4-4: the terrifying reality of possibly going back to Philly for game seven

[59:00] - Bobby Nystrom's promise: "I'm gonna get it!" - rallying the troops before overtime, refusing to return to Philadelphia

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 #NYIslanders #NewYorkIslanders #DennisPotvin #JohnTonelli #KenMorrow #BobbyNystrom #StanleyCup #1980StanleyCup #ClarkGillies #BrianTrottier #MikeBossy #ButchGoring #AlArbor #BillTorrey #PhiladelphiaFlyers #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #LAKings #TerryOReilly #BobbyClark #PaulHolmgren #MelBridgeman #BenWilson #StanJonathan #WayneCashman #StefanPersson #GordieLane #AndersKallur #DaveLangevin #BrentSutter #BobDailey #MooseDupont #PetePeeters #JohnPaddock #ReggieLeach #LeonStickle #NassauColiseum #IslandersDynasty #HockeyLegends #1980Olympics #MiracleOnIce #NHLHistory

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.