The Vegas Golden Knights have again been named the NHL's most hated team, according to a new study from Hockeystats.com surveying more than 3,000 fans ahead of the 2026-27 season. The Knights appeared on rival teams' top-three hate lists a league-high 20 times, doubling the total of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs, which appeared 10 times.
Fans of four franchises — the San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Utah Mammoth, and Winnipeg Jets — ranked Vegas as their number one most hated team. Overall, 17 percent of the league placed the Knights first, with an additional 13 percent and 11 percent slotting them second and third, respectively. The Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Montreal Canadiens rounded out the top five most disliked clubs.
The study also highlighted the most one-sided rivalries, finding that Golden Knights fans largely do not reciprocate the animosity directed their way. Utah Mammoth fans hate Vegas 78 percent more than Knights fans hate them, followed by the Seattle Kraken at a 66 percent difference, the San Jose Sharks at 61 percent, and the Winnipeg Jets at 57 percent.
For their part, Vegas fans listed the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Florida Panthers as their most disliked opponents. A separate Rotowire study released in May similarly crowned the Knights as America's biggest hockey villain, with 11 states naming them the most hated team.
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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