Earlier this summer, hockey fans were surprised when Sportsnet decided to part ways with Jeff Marek, who'd been a fixture on their hockey coverage for the last 13 seasons. The split came after the veteran reporter was leaking unauthorized information about the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. With the new NHL season approaching, Elliotte Friedman needed to get the 32 Thoughts podcast up and running again. Sportsnet quickly announced that Kyle Bukauskas, known for his rinskside reports at Toronto Maple Leafs games, would step into Marek's shoes. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/sportsnetkyle/status/1832022982455095536'> </a></blockquote></div> On Friday, Friedman and Bukauskas launched the first episode of the revamped podcast. Friedman took a moment to reflect on Marek's departure, keeping his comments brief but heartfelt. <q> We thought we'd be doing this forever. Jeff's story is for him to tell. He's an amazing broadcaster and an even better person. I'll miss his unique ideas and working with him. I'm sure he'll find success in his next chapter. </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/adam_la2karis/status/1832060079614345425'> </a></blockquote></div> Friedman also shared that he was given the option to quit the podcast after Marek's exit but chose to stay. <q> Even though it was a tough situation, I love doing this podcast and value our audience deeply. We're really fortunate to have such loyal listeners. </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1832034038112284981'> </a></blockquote></div> The maiden episode was filled with insights into every team's offseason, tributes to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Radko Gudas potentially becoming the next captain of the Anaheim Ducks, and their take on the Utah Hockey Club's jerseys for their inaugural campaign. Source: Hockey Feed <a href='https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/elliotte-friedman-addresses-jeff-marek-s-firing-on-first-episode-of-32-thoughts-with-new-co-host' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Elliotte Friedman addresses Jeff Marek's firing on first episode of 32 Thoughts with new co-host</a>