The NHL and iHeartMedia are expanding their podcast lineup once again.
First came NHL Unscripted with Adnan Virk (who spoke with Awful Announcing’s Andrew Bucholtz). And now there’s Energy Line with Nate and JSB, which will feature former NHL player Nate Thompson and broadcaster Julie Stewart-Binks, the latter of whom has been in the news recently for reasons beyond hockey.
Late last week, the former FS1 host filed a lawsuit alleging Fox Sports executive Charlie Dixon sexually assaulted her. The aforementioned FS1 executive, subject to a separate sexual assault lawsuit, has since been placed on leave by Fox, which has undoubtedly cast a shadow on the network’s Super Bowl coverage.
As for Stewart-Binks, her deep hockey ties make her a natural fit to form an NHL-produced podcast. She previously worked as a reporter for the Toronto Maple Leafs and served as a rinkside reporter for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs on TNT.
Prior to helping expand the league’s growing media footprint in partnership with iHeartMedia, Stewart-Binks was one of the industry’s rising stars at FS1 from 2013-16. She earned recognition for her Women’s World Cup coverage and various network appearances. But after her contract was not renewed, she carved out a versatile career across multiple networks and media platforms. She’s had stints at ESPN, Barstool, and Fubo and currently hosts a podcast for BetRivers while also working at SNY.
In between her sports media roles, she’s even taken on improv and stand-up comedy.
As for Energy Line, the NHL describes it as a high-energy, wide-ranging show where Thompson and Stewart-Binks will trade stories and host guests from the sports, culture, music, and entertainment worlds — along with a few influencers mixed in.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.