A discussion about the experience Jason Demers had at the Discover NHL Winter Classic, what's going on with the Chicago Blackhawks, the situation facing the Detroit Red Wings and their coaching change, and the top moments of 2024 are featured on a new episode of the "NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers" podcast presented by iHeartPodcasts.
Adnan Virk and Jason Demers were on site at Wrigley Field for the first episode of NHL Unscripted following the holiday break. Demers was part of a panel with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on "NHL Tonight." He and Virk were also impressed with Jon Hamm's knowledge of the St. Louis Blues and his ability to nearly predict what eventually happened in the game after the actor shared some analysis via text.
Demers, who never played in a Winter Classic, was blown away by the experience, especially being there for the United States national anthem performed by Jim Cornelison. Perhaps the best part was seeing his own face up on the big screen with the NHL Unscripted logo, news greeted with a cheer by Virk.
Demers is surprised by the depth of the Blackhawks' struggles this season, even if he knew some were expected, but did say it might help Connor Bedard later in his career.
The Red Wings are in a different situation after replacing coach Derek Lalonde with Todd McLellan. Demers said he's struggling to see the direction that the Red Wings are going with their inability to put it all together toward a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The topic switched to the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Demers and Virk discussed the issues that Canada has had in the tournament, including their loss to Latvia.
Virk picked the Stanley Cup Final as his top moment of 2024, while Demers went with the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas.
The co-hosts also talk about why former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews may or may not eventually return to the NHL.
The "NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers" podcast presented by iHeartPodcasts is free and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms. It is also available on NHL.com/multimedia/podcasts and the NHL app.
