{"podcast":{"title":"NHL Wraparound Podcast","slug":"nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916","podcast_index_feed_id":6738916,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/nhl-wraparound-podcast/","website_url":"https://nhl-wraparound-podcast.captivate.fm","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/b1f011ee-519a-4697-8650-bceee856df78/EY-HiA10QW6j_adqQ0EhGDtC.png","author":"Neil Smith & Vic Morren","episode_count":500,"summary":"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 enterta…","last_synced_at":"2026-10-03T08:23:06.458636+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916"},"episode":{"title":"Summer Coolers – Ottawa Senators","slug":"summer-coolers-ottawa-senators","published_at":"2026-09-14T04:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/summer-coolers-ottawa-senators","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916","url":"https://nhl-wraparound-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/summer-coolers-ottawa-senators","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/2edf8f75-422e-4566-9a17-ef912a5eaddc.mp3","summary":"Summer Coolers – Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators enter 2026-27 facing an identity change. Ottawa finished 44-27-11 with 99 points, earned a wild-card berth, and ranked ninth overall in the NHL before being swept by Carolina in the opening round. But captain Brady Tkachuk is gone, traded to Florida to join his brother Matthew. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine whether a new core led by Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson can replace Tkachuk’s leadership—and whether improved goaltending can keep Ottawa in the playoff race. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] Ottawa finishes 44-27-11 with 99 points, fifth in the Atlantic and sixth in the East, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card. [00:00:20] Despite being swept by Carolina in the opening round, the Senators were ninth overall in the NHL—a stronger regular season than their playoff exit might suggest. [00:00:35] Everything changes with the June 21 trade of captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida for four draft picks. [00:00:55] Tkachuk was Ottawa’s heart-and-soul player, although his temper occasionally created questions about his approach to leadership. [00:01:10] Neil believes the Senators will now have an entirely different personality because teams often begin reflecting the style and attitude of their captain. [00:01:30] Without Tkachuk, Ottawa must determine what kind of team it wants to become and who will establish its new identity. [00:01:50] Neil believes that creates a significant challenge for head coach Travis Green, who has lost an enormous presence inside the locker room. [00:02:00] Ottawa attempts to replace some of Tkachuk’s offensive production by acquiring William Eklund from San Jose and André Burakovsky from Chicago. [00:02:20] Vic remains skeptical about Burakovsky, believing teams continually…","meta_description":"Summer Coolers – Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators enter 2026-27 facing an identity change. Ottawa finished 44-27-11 with 99 points, earned a wild-card…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":367,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/episodes/summer-coolers-ottawa-senators/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/summer-coolers-ottawa-senators.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}