{"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 – St. Louis Blues","slug":"summer-coolers-st-louis-blues","published_at":"2026-09-14T04:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/summer-coolers-st-louis-blues","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916","url":"https://nhl-wraparound-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/summer-coolers-st-louis-blues","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/f1ff9619-afb3-4033-b237-1bbadb854a2b.mp3","summary":"Summer Coolers – St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues enter a new era with Alex Steen replacing longtime GM Doug Armstrong and Jim Montgomery beginning his third season behind the bench. After finishing with 86 points and missing the playoffs for the third time in four years, Steen has already begun reshaping the roster. Jordan Kyrou is gone, while Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish arrive as major additions. Neil Smith and Vic Morren see some intriguing pieces—but question whether St. Louis has enough depth to be anything more than a wild-card contender. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] Alex Steen takes over as GM from Doug Armstrong as St. Louis begins a new chapter with Jim Montgomery entering his third season as head coach. [00:00:20] The Blues finish with 86 points and miss the playoffs for the third time in four seasons despite making a strong late push. [00:00:35] Most of the underlying numbers decline. St. Louis drops from 13th to 24th offensively and from 10th to 19th defensively. [00:00:50] The power play falls from 16th to 27th, while the penalty kill provides one of the few statistical improvements. [00:01:00] Steen’s biggest move sends Jordan Kyrou to Washington for Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin and a 2026 first-round pick. [00:01:15] The Blues are betting that McMichael can rediscover the form he displayed with Washington during the 2024-25 season. [00:01:25] Mason McTavish also arrives from Anaheim in exchange for two first-round picks, giving St. Louis another talented young forward with considerable upside. [00:01:40] Neil likes both McMichael and McTavish, although he also recognizes the scoring ability St. Louis surrendered by moving Kyrou. [00:01:55] The Blues add more size to the blue line by acquiring Brandon Carlo for two third-round selections. [0…","meta_description":"Summer Coolers – St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues enter a new era with Alex Steen replacing longtime GM Doug Armstrong and Jim Montgomery beginning his…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":258,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/episodes/summer-coolers-st-louis-blues/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-st-louis-blues.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}