The best laid plans for the Carolina Hurricanes to even their East Final with the Florida Panthers were compromised within 77 seconds and nearly completely dashed after 20 minutes. If there was any doubt the defending champions have no intention of giving up their title, Game 2 was Exhibit A. Also licking some wounds: the Edmonton Oilers. Vic and Neil will take a look at the West Final and what the Oilers need to do in Dallas in order to bring the West Final back home even. More front office and...
May 23, 2025•29 min
For two periods, the Edmonton Oilers had the opening game of the Western Final in a perfect place. A solid road performance, a quiet building and a two-goal lead. 20 minutes and five goals later, McDavid, Draisaitl and Co. were left stunned as to how Game 1 ended up as a win for Dallas. in the East Final, Rod Brind'Amour is tasked to find a quick solution for their second game against a Panthers team appearing to strengthen as the playoffs progress. There's some intriguing front office rumblings...
May 22, 2025•34 min
A day before the sixth game of the Winnipeg-Dallas second round series, Jets star forward Mark Scheifele was informed his father, Brad, had passed away unexpectedly. The following morning, Scheifele advised head coach Scott Arniel that, after speaking with his mom, he would play that night as he believes his dad would have wanted him to. Scheifele's performance was strong and inspiring despite the difficult end to the Jets season. It's something we've seen before where competing is both catharti...
May 22, 2025•7 min
A mere 48 hours after taking the deciding game in Toronto, the defending champion Panthers impose their will on the Hurricanes in the East Final opener. Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars prepare to meet in the West Final for the second consecutive spring with Oilers getting some encouraging news on a key defenseman. A healthy bit of league news to update and This Day in Stanley Cup History marks the Final Stanley Cup for one of the great dynasties the NHL has known. X: https://twit...
May 21, 2025•33 min
We're halfway home. Two rounds are in the books and Neil and Vic are pleased to be joined once again by long-time TSN analyst Craig Button to tackle the Conference Finals. "Three Thing You Need to Pay Attention To" takes a quick look back at the seventh game between Florida and Toronto which secured the Panthers third straight trip to the East Final against a Carolina team they swept two springs ago. In "The Human Side of the Story," we focus on the Jets Mark Scheifele, who played the sixth game...
May 19, 2025•57 min•Ep. 61
So much for a different result in Toronto. In a season where strides were made in winning a division title and getting out of the first round, dreadful performances at home in Games five and seven against the defending champion Panthers became their undoing. Now, let the questions begin. What happens at the top of the managerial food chain? What happens to the "Core Four?" One thing is for certain: It will not be a boring summer in Canada's hottest hockey hotbed. This Day in Stanley Cup History ...
May 19, 2025•24 min
It is not often an overtime series clincher has to take a back seat to more important things in life. Unfortunately, that's what happened as the Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final eliminating the Winnipeg Jets, a team playing with heavy hearts following the passing of Mark Scheifele's dad Friday evening. The game illustrated how exhilarating...and how cruel sports can be. After a rare day off, Vic and Neil also look back to the Maple Leafs surprising Game 6 win in Florida and ...
May 18, 2025•27 min
The Carolina Hurricanes join the Edmonton Oilers as conference finalists while the Winnipeg Jets put in a stellar performance to stave off elimination and head back to Dallas to try to do something they have yet to do in the post-season: win a road game. Vic and Neil look ahead to Friday's sixth game in Florida where the Maple Leafs will look to save their season coming off a dreadful game five performance. This Day in Stanley Cup History gives some love to the Detroit Red Wings. While the franc...
May 16, 2025•27 min
The Edmonton Oilers have secured the first seat in the conference finals by virtue of a hard-fought overtime win in Vegas while the Maple Leafs barely put up a fight in dropping their third straight to the defending champion Panthers. Vic and Neil and also preview a pair of fifth games on Thursday as the Hurricanes and Stars look to join the Oilers. Plenty of front office news as head coaching vacancies are filled in Philadelphia and Vancouver while This Day in Stanley Cup History looks at a pai...
May 15, 2025•34 min
Hockey is life. It's been in the blood of both hosts from a very early age, has been a core component of both of their professional careers and it's the foundation of their NHL Wraparound venture. As in life, relationships which have been built and re-connections which have been made is something neither takes for granted as their current project continues to evolve. Hockey has been a gift which keeps on giving. And it begins with people. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://...
May 15, 2025•7 min
It's been a dozen years since the winner of the Presidents' Trophy has gone on to win the Stanley Cup. Unless the Winnipeg Jets can pull off three straight victories over the Dallas Stars - including one on the road where they have yet to win this post-season - they will join a long list of teams whose regular season success has fallen in the playoffs. We'll preview a pair of Wednesday games as Edmonton looks to be the first team to reach the conference finals while Toronto and Florida face off ...
May 14, 2025•34 min
There's never a shortage of close calls, controversy and players skating the line - occasionally going over it - in the chase for the Stanley Cup. We're at the halfway of the point in round two. With emotion and intensity continuing to rise, Neil and Vic welcome back a voice of reason, someone to bring down the heat: former NHL referee and current rules analyst for ESPN, Dave Jackson. Later in the show, we do the deeper dive into all four conference semi-final series and in "The Human Side of th...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 60
If you ever want to know what Florida Panther hockey looks like when it's executed to the max, Sunday's series tying victory over Toronto is one-stop shopping. In Dallas, the Stars moved ahead of Winnipeg, adding to the Jets road misery during the 2025 playoffs. We also have a note on history in the PWHL and This Day in Stanley Cup History looks back at the "Monday Night Miracle" in 1986. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.linkedi...
May 12, 2025•30 min
In a post-season about three weeks old, comebacks, drama and odd bounces have been in abundance. Add to it the scene in Edmonton Saturday evening when the Golden Knights may have saved their season on a buzzer beater. In Raleigh, the Hurricanes shook off a sluggish first half of the game to move ahead of the Capitals. Sunday's action resumes in Dallas and Florida and This Day in Stanley Cup History takes a look back at a famous "spin-a-rama" and the actual origins behind the name. X: https://twi...
May 11, 2025•35 min
Two very different games Friday with overtime drama in Florida settled by a one who manages to stick in the craw of the Maple Leafs almost every spring. Meanwhile, the Jets were dominant from start to finish in evening their series with Dallas as Connor Hellebuyck picked up his first post-season whitewash in four years. Vic and Neil also hit on Saturday action as second round games shift to Carolina and Edmonton. This Day in Stanley Cup History focuses on the good and the bad for the Boston Brui...
May 10, 2025•35 min
Both needing a win after dropping their second round series openers, the Capitals prevailed while the Golden Knights fell short amidst controversy. That word also rings true in Anaheim where Joel Quenneville has been named the Ducks head coach after almost four years from his last game behind an NHL bench. This Day in Stanley Cup history looks back at the game which turned the 1974 Stanley Cup Final. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https:/...
May 09, 2025•38 min
Should the Conn Smythe Trophy be handed to Mikko Rantanen after just eight post-season games? Maybe so after the Moose collected his second consecutive hat trick to help the Stars get the jump on Winnipeg in the opening game of their second round series. Over to eastern Canada where the Toronto Maple Leafs are giving actual hope to their championship-starved fans for the first time in over three decades as they win a second straight one-goal game over the defending champion Panthers. Finally, is...
May 08, 2025•40 min
There is an expectation which comes with watching professional athletes that - both men and women - are often looked at to perform with robotic efficiency. As we all know, it doesn't exactly work that way. In the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck fought the St. Louis Blues, fought the puck and fought himself for two weeks. A mental thing. In other instances, a decision in an eyeblink on the ice or one coming from behind the bench can flip the fortun...
May 08, 2025•8 min
There's a quick sense of urgency in Washington and Vegas as the Hurricanes and Oilers carried play for much of the night in a pair of conference semi-final openers. The question in Toronto is whether Anthony Stolarz returns to the net after having to leave Game 1 with the Panthers while the Jets and Stars get their series underway in Winnipeg. This Day in Stanley Cup History brings it home. The Big Rig nets his biggest goal in the city where he was born. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil...
May 07, 2025•28 min
It was a fast start and a shaky finish but the Maple Leafs managed to draw first blood against the defending champs in the opening game of conference semi-final action. Still, there's reason for concern in Toronto with goalie Anthony Stolarz leaving the game in the second period. Vic and Neil break it down and look ahead to a pair of other series openers on Tuesday. Plus, we have a surprise winner in the Draft lottery and This Day in Stanley Cup History looks back at one of only three five-goal ...
May 06, 2025•29 min
The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is here and what can be done for an encore following a first round which delivered more curves and unpredictability than anyone could have imaged? TSN Analyst Craig Button joins us once again to look ahead to all four conference semi finals while The Human Side of the Story looks at the highs and lows players experience within a timeframe as long as a series and as short as a split-second decision. IN THIS EPISODE: [01:35] - In "Three Things You Need ...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In a seventh game where the Dallas Stars were short on juice for almost 48 minutes, high-profile, twice traded Mikko Rantanen, delivered perhaps the most epical, single game playoff performance since Mark Messier in 1994. While the Stars await the winner of Sunday's Winnipeg-St. Louis game, the Colorado Avalanche are left having to answer how they have now fallen short in seven straight Game 7's. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www...
May 04, 2025•22 min
The Presidents Trophy winners have one game to salvage their season after another disaster in St. Louis. Their opponent will already have been determined Saturday when the Avalanche and Stars bring their series in Dallas. With both the Blues and Stars involved in Game sevens, Today in Stanley Cup History takes us back to a classic playoff game between two expansion teams 57 years ago. X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.co...
May 03, 2025•21 min
Three more clinchers Thursday as the Maple Leafs overcame mounting pressure to book a second rate date with the defending champion Panthers while the Golden Knights and Oilers will see each other after wrapping up their respective series. Two seats at the table for eight remain as the Avalanche used a furious third period to force a seventh game with the Stars. Meanwhile, the Jets will be looking to close out the Blues Friday with their number center staying behind in Winnipeg. On The Day in Sta...
May 02, 2025•48 min
The upstarts from DC and the defending champions join the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Semi-Finals as the Canadiens and Lightning bow out. In the West, the Winnipeg Jets move to within a win of shaking off the St. Louis Blues but it may have come at a steep price. Vic and Neil break down the Wednesday action and look ahead to Thursday's big card where the Stars, Golden Knights and Oilers all look to advance - as will the Maple Leafs, who will be continued to be reminded of their past un...
May 01, 2025•42 min
A freak injury in 2020 became the beginning of an odyssey lasting the better part of four-and-a-half years for Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. After multiple knee surgeries, including a cartilage replacement procedure never before performed on an NHL player, Landeskog made his return in Game 3 of the Avs opening round series against Dallas and added his first goal in Game 4. His story is one of dedication and perseverance. One which took a toll on both Landeskog and his family. Reg...
May 01, 2025•8 min
Two had the opportunity to move on. One did and other is being reminded of their history. Meanwhile, the Oilers and Golden Knights have rebounded from series deficits to put themselves from within a win of advancing in the West. We look ahead to Wednesday's games with Washington and Florida both having the opportunity to advance while the Jets try to find their game back back home. This Day in Stanley Cup History takes us back to 1986 and a birthday one player would like to forget. X: https://tw...
Apr 30, 2025•53 min
Not the best of nights for two teams looking to feed off the momentum of their previous games. The big guns for Dallas play a major role in giving the Stars a 3-2 series lead while the Lightning are stunned late and also lose a player to a high hit just after returning from a one-game suspension. We look ahead to the four games on Tuesday, the type of head coach the Penguins might be looking for and This Day in Stanley Cup History notes the four seventh games which were decided in overtime on th...
Apr 29, 2025•46 min
Longtime NHL executive and Columbus Blue Jackets senior advisor John Davidson joins Neil and Vic to share thoughts on a stirring opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the three organizations which have been part of his hockey career for over 50 years. We'll look at all of the series and wrap up the show with "The Human Side of the Story." 34 months after his last game in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has made the case for the Masterton Trophy with his de...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 58
Any of the four Saturday games would have been headline worthy on their own merit. However, when a player returns to the lineup after 34 months and gets on the scoresheet, it's worthy of top billing. Vic and Neil update Gabriel Landeskog's heroics in Colorado as the Avs pull even with Dallas. There was also overtime drama in St. Paul and Ottawa while the Lightning get off the mat with a much needed win in Sunrise. All that plus a quadruple overtime classic between Hall-of-Fame goaltenders in Thi...
Apr 27, 2025•42 min
