After a brief break following the long NHL season, Vic and Neil open a new franchise titled "Celebrity Series." With baseball in full swing, no better place to premiere than with an MLB icon who has made a significant impact abroad as well.

Bobby Valentine, former player and manager, recalls memorable moments during the course of his career both in the States and in Japan while also sharing the importance of giving back.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[02:26] - Bobby Valentine and Neil discuss the photo of Valentine taken with the Stanley Cup at Shea Stadium though there's some question of when the shot was taken.

[04:03] - Valentine talks about playing summer baseball in 1967 in the Cape Cod league under long-time NHL executive Lou Lamoriello.

[06:04] - The differences and similarities Bobby sees in terms of how baseball and hockey players are handled.

[07:23] - Valentine shares how he ended up managing in Japan.

[09:21] - Thoughts on Shohei Otani, a truly generational talent.

[11:34] - Bobby's influence on bringing some American culture to the Japanese fans.

[14:12] - "The Disguise" prompted by one of the most obscure rules in baseball and how it became part of Mets lore as they galvanized down through the summer to qualify for the playoffs that fall.

[19:32] - With the 24th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks coming up, recollections of the Mets first game back ten days later and the dramatic game winning home run by Mike Piazza.

[23:07] - Giving back has always been important to Valentine. Whether it's doing something creative or simply straightforward, the importance of what was learned early on continues to this day.

#NHLWraparound #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #HumanSideoftheStory #CelebritySeries #BobbyValentine #NewYorkMets #LosAngelesAngels #TexasRangers #BostonRedSox #LouLamoriello #TonyAmonte #BabeRuth #LouGehrig #ChibaLotteMarines #SadaharuOh #IchiroSuzuki #ShoheiOtani #GeorgeWBush #HiromitsuOchiai #HideoNomo #MikePiazza #PatMahomes #RandyMarsh #OrelHershiser #RobinVentura #ReggieJackson #JoeNamath #JoeTorre #TommyLasorda

After a long season guests, news, analysis and some levity, Vic and Neil share a few stories from our viewers and listeners. Each is unique and reveals to us that we are reaching folks from diverse backgrounds. You make it worthwhile for and we say thanks heading into a brief break from our regular recording schedule.

#NHLWraparound #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #HumanSideoftheStory #BillZito #FloridaPanthers #ZonaBlu

With the off-season fully underway, no better way to address free agency and other significant league topics than with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Vic and Neil also chat about the Draft and wrap up the season with a special Human Side of the Story which gives a nod to some of our special listeners.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[02:09] - Three Things You Need to Pay Attention To focuses on a key free agent signing, the return to the Olympics for NHL players, a couple of areas of question within the extended CBA and, since it's the last show of the season, we've added a fourth item where a grizzled veteran is headed to the Rockies.

[10:29] - Elliotte Friedman joins the show and speaks about the foundation and growth of his podcast, 32 Thoughts, which started seven years ago.

[13:16] - With Nikolaj Ehlers and Brent Burns moving on, an initial update on Dmitry Orlov...Stay tuned.

[14:11] - Offer sheets made news a year ago when St. Louis corralled Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from Edmonton. An update on Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram.

[16:25] - A deep discussion on the high price tag on certain NHL defensemen and the reasons behind it.

[22:16] - One deep discussion deserves another. Neil and Elliotte hit on tampering.

[26:48] - How 'bout some LTIR speak and teams circumventing the cap to sit players, saving cap space and acquiring additional assets?

[29:41] - A further update on Orlov.

[30:08] - Bill Zito's brilliance and the commitment players have to the Panthers franchise...a far cry from what it was like years ago.

[32:54] - Neil follows up on contracts given to players - such as Marchand - while allows teams to load up on term in order to free up cap space in the shorter term.

[35:47] - Kings GM Ken Holland has made several moves to bolster his new team however, some eyebrows are being raised. A deeper look at some other contracts raising questions.

[41:59] - The de-centralized Draft. A one-hit wonder.

[44:53] - Elliotte salutes retiring peer, Bob McKenzie.

[53:32] - Some broad strokes on the NHL Draft.

[1:00:25] - Other league news

[1:05:14] - The Human Side of the Story is about our viewers and listeners...with some fun mixed in.

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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #NikolajEhlers #MitchMarner #SethJarvis #Sebastien#Aho #AndreiSvechnikov #K'AndreMiller #NikitaKucherov #MarkStone #MatthewTkachuk #BrentBurns #ElliotteFriedman #JeffMarek #Sportsnet #32ThoughtsPodcast #MattGrzelcyk JanRutta #TravisHamonic #BowenByram #DylanHolloway #PhilipBroberg #NHLPA #IIHF #CoreyPerry #DmitryOrlov #BowenByram #EvanBouchard #ScottMorrow #DarrenFerris #NoahDobson #IvanProvorov #MitchMarner #BryanRust #RickardRakell #ConnorMcDavid #ArtemiPanarin #KirillKaprizov #JackEichel #CaleMakar #BrianCampbell #DaleTallon #SergeiBobrovsky #ChrisDrury #ChristianDvorak #JohnTavares #LouLamoriello #BillZito #BradMarchand #SamBennett #AaronEkblad BrianBurke #BrockBoeser #PaulMaurice #ChrisTanev #JakeAllen #KenHolland #LucRobitaille #VladislavGavrikov #CodiCeci #BrianDumoulin #JoelArmia #AntonForsberg #AndreiKuzmenko...

The raw volume of signings on Day 1 of Free Agency 2025 was dwarfed by that of a year ago. Still, the off-season is rife with activity and intrigue.

Vic and Neil go through a list of topics leaving plenty to ponder...

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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #BarryTrotz #MitchMarner #NickRoy #KellyMcCrimmon #BradTreliving #JohnTavares #BillZito #SamBennett #BradMarchand #AaronEkblad #TomasNosek #DaniilTarasov #VitekVanecek #NateSchmidt #JeffPetry #EvanderKane #KasperiKapanen #EvanBouchard #CoreyPerry #ConnorBrown #ViktorArvidsson #ConnorMcDavid #EvanBouchard #EmilHeineman #MatthewSchaefer #VictorEklund #KashawnAitcheson #LaneHutson #JoelArmia #ChristanDvorak #MichaelPezzetta #DarnellNurse #StanBowman #LeonDraisaitl #Mattias#Ekholm #JakeWalman #BrettKulak #TyEmberson #ZachHyman #RyanNugent-Hopkins #AlexanderRomanov #TonyDeAngelo #BrockNelson #PatrickRoy #AnthonyDuclair #JonathanDrouin #SteveYzerman #MikhailSergachev #NathanMacKinnon #KenHolland #TylerWright #CodyCeci #BrianDumoulin #VladislavGavrikov #AntonForsberg #DavidRittich #DarcyKuemper #IlyaSorokin #SemyonVarlamov #GlennHall #ConorGarland #ThatcherDemko #BrockBoeser #BoHorvat #Marc-EdouardVlasic #JohnKlingberg #AdamGaudette #PhilippKurashev #MattTompkins #RileyStillman #LoganStankoven #JakeGuentzel #MikoRantanen #K'AndreMiller #ScottMorrow #JaccobSlavin #TomDundon #EricTulsky #RodBrind'Amour #NikolajEhlers #BrentBurns #JohnTavares #MatthewKnies #StevenLorentz #PontusHolmberg #MikaelGranlund #PatVerbeek #TrevorZegras #EvgeniiDadonov #PiusSuter #DmitryOrlov #KyleDubas #SethJones #CalebJones #PierreLeBrun #ElliotteFriedman #32Thoughts #Sportsnet

Two benchmark events in early summer kicks off every NHL season with the Draft and the opening of free agency.

With the Draft coming up first, Vic and Neil look back to the structure of the process, how players selected were communicated with, the effect of the WHA in the early 1970's and whether social media and instant communication adds additional players on current day draftees.

#NHLWraparound #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #HumanSideoftheStory

While the Florida Panthers players continue to celebrate their second consecutive Stanley Cup, front offices around the NHL have to major events in the crosshairs starting with the Entry Draft on June 27-28 and the start of free agency on Tuesday, July 1.

One of hockey's top columnists and insiders joins Neil and Vic as we welcome Pierre LeBrun from The Athletic and TSN.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[02:45] - Three Things You Need to Pay Attention are the UFA/RFA signings and trades we've seen by clubs retaining players leading up to July 1.

[13:29] - Pierre LeBrun joins the show and, with free agency looming, a discussion on the apparent tampering issues which have taken place in advance of July 1st in past years.

[19:11] - LeBrun speaks to his surprise that the market heading into this off-season is an odd one with buyers significantly outweighing sellers.

[22:56] - Clubs Pierre's looking out for in terms of significant summer movement.

[24:40] - Next coach in Dallas?

[30:20] - The latest on whether the Panthers can keep both Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand.

[33:35] - The dope on Toronto on Mitch Marner and John Tavares.

[39:58] - The timeline on a Connor McDavid extension in Edmonton.

[42:46] - The possibility the Oilers could be vulnerable to losing RFA Evan Bouchard to an offer sheet similar to them losing two players to St. Louis a year ago.

[52:28] - NHL Draft. The Islanders have the first pick and will likely look at one of three players from North America to become the next hope at UBS Arena

[1:01:24] - League news starting with a Monday trade between Anaheim and Philadelphia.

[1:11:26] - Human Side of the Story - Vic and Neil wrap up the show noting the changes in the Draft over the years from location to structure to the pressure of the spotlight from then til now. Neil shares his own firsthand experience being selected by the Islanders in 1974.

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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #PierreLeBrun #GinoReda #TheAthletic #TSN #NHLEntryDraft #TrentFrederic #ConnorBrown #CoreyPerry #MattDuchene #JonathanToews #EricRobinson #RyanDonato #MattRempe #FabianZetterlund #NilsLundqvist #MavrikBourque #EricHaula #JeremyHanzel #MasonMarchment #BryanMarchment #JimNill #JamieBenn #JoeVeleno #AndreBurakovsky #BarryTrotz #LannyMcDonald #BillDaly #DonMeehan #PatBrisson #BowenByram #JJPeterka #BrianRust #ChrisKreider #RasmusAndersson #JasonRobertson #KevynAdams #PeterDeBoer #JakeOettinger #GarardGallant #GlenGulutzan #NeilGraham #JimMontgomery #LaneLambert #JonCooper #MikeSullivan #JoelQuenneville #RogerNeilson #SamBennett #BradMarchand #BillZito #DarrenFerris #AaronEkblad #SergeiBobrovsky #MitchMarner #JohnTavares #KylesDubas #BradTreliving #BrockNelson #SidneyCrosby #ConnorMcDavid #JuddMoldaver #AustonMatthews #StanBowman #LeonDraisaitl #ReedLarson #EvanBouchard #DylanHathaway #PhilipBroberg #JoeSakic #DonBaizley #DenisPotvin #BillyHarris #RickDiPietro #MathieuDarche #ConnorBedard #MacklinCelebrini #JimWaters #MatthewSchaefer #ErieOtters #MichaelMisa #SaginawSpirit #JamesHagens #BostonCollegeEagles #BillTorrey #AlArbour #MikeBossy #DwightFoster

As Brad Marchand skated with the Stanley Cup as a member of the Florida Panthers, a former player with some very similar characteristics to Marchand is in the role of trying to move the Anaheim Ducks from outsider to contender.

Pat Verbeek enjoyed a 20-year playing career after being drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1982. He's scored 500 goals, won a Stanley Cup and, as Neil points out, displays the same work ethic as a GM as he did as player. That drive helped the Devils to their first playoff berth in 1988. Now, his immediate task is to build the Ducks into a playoff team, something missing in Anaheim since 2018.

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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #HumanSideoftheStory #PatVerbeek #SteveYzerman #AnaheimDucks #DetroitRedWings #NewJerseyDevils #HartfordWhalers #NewYorkRangers #DallasStars #BrianGionta #Jean-SebastienGiguere #KenHolland #PatrickKane #KeithTkachuk #PeterBondra #PatrickMarleau #PatrickRoy #WayneGretzky #KyleDavidson #EricTulsky #KyleDubas #JoelQuenneville

Only three franchises in NHL history have earned the "dynasty" title with three straight Stanley Cups titles. Next season, the Florida Panthers will have the opportunity to join the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Islanders in that elite group after a near-perfect 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6.

Vic and Neil give their soup-to-nuts breakdown and opinion then look forward to what comes next for a Panther team with a focus on history and an Oiler squad still seeking answers to take the final step.

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 #ShortShifts #NYCentric #StanleyCupdate #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard #KasperiKapanen #JohnKlingberg #ViktorArvidsson #TroyStecher #EvanderKane #CoreyPerry #BradMarchand #LeonDraisaitl #NikoMikkola #SamReinhart #EvanBouchard #MattiasEkholm #SergeiBobrovsky #BrettKulak #AJGreer #EetuLuostarinen #ConnorMcDavid #JakeWalman #MatthewTkachuk #BradyTkachuk #KeithTkachuk #CarterVerhaeghe #AleksanderBarkov #VasilyPodkolzin #SamBennett #BillZito #GaryBettman #GlenSather #KenHolland #PaulMaurice #RodBrind'Amour #AlexLyon #ConnorHellebuyck #JonathanHuberdeau #MacKenzieWeegar #BrandonMontour #OliverEkman-Larsson #ButchGoring #RobBlake #SethJones #AaronEkblad #TomasNosek #NicoSturm #ColinCampbell #GregoryCampbell #JeffSkinner #ConnorBrown #TrentFrederic #StanBowman #CraigButton #WayneGretzky #KenMorrow