"We want Jeff back" "Couldn't have picked anyone better?": NHL fans left disappointed as Kyle Bukauskas joins Friedman as new 32 Thoughts co-host 

Many NHL fans were left disappointed as Ellitote Friedman revealed Kyle Bukauskas as his new 32 Thoughts co-host. The popular Sportsnet podcast had been hosted by Jeff Marek and Friedman, but Marek was shockingly let go by Sportsnet after the NHL Draft.

During the offseason, Friedman had been doing the podcast on his own, but on Thursday, Sportsnet announced Bukauskas would be serving as the new co-host.

Following the announcement, many NHL fans expressed their disappointment and said that they want Marek back.

"You couldn't have picked anyone better?" A fan wrote.

"We want Jeff back," a fan added.

Although the first episode with Bukauskas isn't even out until Friday, NHL fans are already angry with the hiring.

"will never listen again," a fan wrote.

"Kyle is in an impossible position here, you can’t replace Jeff Marek. Should have rebranded the show and started something new," a fan added.

Marek was beloved by NHL fans, so Bukauskas is in a tough spot replacing him as the co-host.

"I like Kyle cause he’s a good Vancouver island boy with fantastic hair, however the pod will never be the same without Jeff. Hope it works out," a fan wrote.

"No offense to Kyle but we want Jeff," a fan added.

NHL fans are clearly not happy with the news, but it is good that 32 Thoughts will remain a podcast. Elliotte Friedman is one of the top NHL insiders and gives plenty of information on the news going around the game.

Why did Jeff Marek get let go by Sportsnet?

Jeff Marek was let go by Sportsnet in late July, which caught many fans by surprise.

The Athletic's Katie Strang and Dan Robson opened up on why Sportsnet let Marek go. The broadcaster was last on air during the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft in late June.

In the article, Strang and Robson claim Marek had been letting his friends know the draft picks before the picks were made.

"Marek had come under scrutiny from the NHL during the first round of the draft for allegedly revealing to a friend which players teams were drafting moments before those picks were publicly announced, according to league and media industry sources. The NHL shared concerns about the situation with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which probed further, according to multiple sources briefed on that investigation," the article stated.

As part of a broadcaster showing the draft, Marek and the entire Sportsnet crew were privy to the draft selections before they were publicly announced. It allows the cameras to get to the players to show their reactions.

However, one of Marek's friends Mark Seidel, a former scout for the Minnesota Wild, correctly predicted several picks on X. This prompted concerns that Marek had informed Seidel who those teams were picking.

That started the investigation and led to Sportsnet parting ways with Marek, according to The Athletic.