Jeff Marek facts for kids

Jeffrey James Marek (born Keegan Sean Laughlin, July 9, 1969) is a well-known Canadian sportscaster. He is a television personality and radio host from Stouffville, Ontario. Jeff is famous for his work covering hockey. He has hosted many popular shows. These include Live Audio Wrestling, Leafs Lunch, and The Jeff Marek Show. He also appeared on TSN's Off The Record. From 2011 to 2024, Marek worked with Sportsnet. He was a host for Hockey Central and The CHL on Sportsnet. He also sometimes hosted Hockey Night in Canada games. He left Sportsnet after an issue came up regarding information about the NHL draft.

Jeff Marek's Career Journey

Jeff Marek began his career hosting Live Audio Wrestling. This was one of the first radio shows about wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA). During this time, he earned the nickname "Gentleman" Jeff Marek. In 2003, Jeff started working with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He hosted their pre-game and post-game shows. This led him to leave The LAW to focus on his new roles.

Radio and Hockey Shows

Jeff then hosted a daily radio show about the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was called Leafs Lunch. He also had his own show, The Jeff Marek Show. In 2007, he became the main host of Leafs Lunch. He also co-hosted The Bill Watters Show.

On September 7, 2007, Jeff announced exciting news. He accepted a job at Hockey Night in Canada. He would host broadcasts on Sirius Satellite Radio. His new show began on October 1, 2007. It quickly became very popular. The show featured many hockey experts. These included Kelly Hrudey, Craig Simpson, and Cassie Campbell. Jeff also worked with the CBC. He helped with their Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts. He also continued to work for Leafs TV.

In 2008, Jeff Marek also called Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics for CBC.

Joining Sportsnet and Podcasts

On July 6, 2011, Jeff Marek joined Sportsnet. He left Hockey Night in Canada Radio that summer. He was a co-host on the podcast Marek vs. Wyshynski for six years. He also co-hosted another popular Sportsnet podcast called 32 Thoughts with Elliotte Friedman.

Jeff Marek is also a speaker at the annual NHL Draft Hockey Career Conference. This conference is for the online sports-career training school Sports Management Worldwide.

In July 2024, Jeff Marek left Sportsnet. This happened after an issue regarding information about the 2024 NHL entry draft. He had been part of the broadcast team. The incident was looked into by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Jeff Marek's Personal Life

Jeff Marek was adopted when he was a child. He has since met his biological mother. However, he has not yet met his biological father. On a podcast in 2016, Jeff shared that he wanted to find his biological father.

Jeff is married to Claire. They have two sons named Brody and T.J. He has been a vegan since 2008. This means he does not eat any animal products.

Before starting his career in radio, Jeff planned to study for a Ph.D. in English. But then he took an entry-level job with TheFan590. This company later became Sportsnet radio.