“NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers” to Premiere with iHeartPodcasts Today
Listen to the trailer HERE
NEW YORK – December 5, 2024 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced a partnership to produce and distribute two new shows with iHeartPodcasts over the next year. The first show -- NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers -- launching today, will feature Prime Monday Night Hockey co-host Adnan Virk and former NHL player Jason Demers in a weekly discussion about all things hockey, on and off the ice. Fans can hear the official trailer now, here.
“Our listeners crave sports content and iHeart continues to be the audio sports destination for fans, delivering top sports talent and programming from insider access and interviews to play-by-play coverage and live reports across all our platforms,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “Partnering with the NHL to develop, co-produce and distribute new podcasts amplifies our continued commitment to providing the very best audio sports content to audiences everywhere.”
The first show of the series, “NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers,” debuts today, December 5, with subsequent episodes airing each Thursday. Virk and Demers will provide the latest NHL news and discussion from what’s happening around the world of hockey and beyond. The spirited talk will occasionally stray from the game and venture into topics ranging from food to movies, comedy to wrestling and more. An array of guests will also drop in to join the soiree as hosts Virk and Demers offer up their gloves-off approach to the NHL each week.
Comedian, actor, writer and producer The Kid Mero will be featured in the first episode. The multi-platform entertainment powerhouse has garnered acclaim across various mediums and has been honored by The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for his authentic representation of Latinos in television through his work and his contributions have also earned him multiple nominations from the NAACP Image Awards and Critics’ Choice Awards.
The relationship between the NHL and iHeartMedia will provide access to iHeartMedia’s massive reach across multiple audio platforms including podcasts, streaming and broadcast radio. All shows in the slate will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Listeners can also visit iHeartSports online to check out the leading broadcast sports radio stations across the country, top sports podcasts and the latest sports news from top teams in major sports on both the professional and college level.
The second show is expected to debut early in the new year.
“I love podcasts, and I love hockey. I hosted a movie podcast called Cinephile for 8 years and 333 episodes and co-hosted GM Shuffle, an NFL podcast with Michael Lombardi for 3 years. I can’t wait to share my thoughts on all facets of the game and I’m confident my past experience will benefit me to keep the conversation fresh and fun. I am, however, less confident in my ability to wrangle in the free stylings of my co-host Jason Demers, because he strikes me as slightly unhinged… but in a good way.”
In September, Virk was named co-host of Prime Monday Night Hockey bringing the skill and expertise he honed at ESPN, MLB Network, DAZN, and WWE to the desk on the NHL’s new Canadian Monday night program. Aside from his work with MLB Network which garnered him a Sports Emmy for MLB Tonight, Virk has also been a frequent host on NHL Network for a variety of its studio programming.
Virk’s parents immigrated to Canada from Punjab, Pakistan in 1984 where the family relocated in Kingston, Ontario. The family owned and operated a gas station and convenience store called Zak’s Variety. Virk’s appetite for sports blossomed as a young child when his morning routine was watching the sportscast on CTV’s “Canada AM” before running to the newspaper rack to check out the latest sports news. He was also very passionate about trading cards and all the information they provided, even going as far as setting up his own retail area in his parents’ store.
Virk continued his foray into the sports world when he studied Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson University, and the rest is history.
Demers played in exactly 700 career regular-season games from 2009-10 to 2022-23 between the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. He recorded 20+ points in seven seasons, with his best campaign coming in 2013-14 as a member the Sharks (5-29—34 in 75 GP). He is one of nine defensemen in NHL history to appear in 700 contests after being selected in the seventh round of an NHL Draft. Demers last wore the red and white as part of Team Canada’s National team at the Beijing Olympics in 2022, where he tied for second in the tournament with a +7 while recording two assists.
In 2013, Demers wore a pink suit during Hockey Fights Cancer month for breast cancer awareness and has supported Patrice Bergeron’s foundation for kids with leukemia.
About the National Hockey League (NHL)
The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 32 Member Clubs. Each team roster reflects the League’s international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented, all vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Every year, the NHL entertains more than 670 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 191 million followers - league, team and player accounts combined - across Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; and more than 100 million fans online at NHL.com. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including ESPN, TNT Sports and NHL Network in the U.S.; Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada; Viaplay in the Nordics, Baltics, and Poland; YLE in Finland; Nova in Czech Republic and Slovakia; Sky Sports and ProSieben in Germany; MySports in Switzerland; and CCTV5+ in China; and reaches fans worldwide with games available to stream in every country. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™; and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP. NHL Original Productions and NHL Studios produce compelling original programming featuring unprecedented access to players, coaches and League and team personnel for distribution across the NHL’s social and digital platforms.
The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey to celebrate fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. The NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone™ initiative reinforces that the official policy of the sport is one of inclusion on the ice, in locker rooms, boardrooms and stands. The NHL is expanding access and opportunity for people of all backgrounds and abilities to play hockey, fostering more inclusive environments and growing the game through a greater diversity of participants. To date, the NHL has invested more than $100 million in youth hockey and grassroots programs, with a commitment to invest an additional $5 million for diversity and inclusion programs over the next year.
