11 States Officially Hate Vegas and Jack Eichel's Got ZERO Answers

Alright, Seattle, listen up. You know that gut feeling you get about the Vegas Golden Knights, that little knot of pure frustration every time they pull off some *thing*? Turns out, it's not just us Emerald City faithful. A recent study by Rotowire just dropped the biggest bomb: the Golden Knights are officially the "No.1 villain," the most hated team in not just a couple, but *eleven* states across America. We’re talking from Alaska all the way to Kansas! Seriously, are we surprised?

From "Golden Misfits" to the Most Hated

Shea Theodore, the defenseman who's been with Vegas since their very first season in 2017-18, remembers a different time. Back then, they were the "Golden Misfits," and fans were actually kind of charmed by this disparate roster making the Stanley Cup Final right out of the gate. Sure, there was some grumbling about how they leveraged those new expansion draft rules to build a winner instantly, and some whispers about hockey in Vegas not working. But mostly, people loved the showgirls, the Elvis costumes, the whole theatrical vibe. "It's been interesting being here from the start and just seeing the hate grow," Theodore told ESPN. And boy, has it grown. That Rotowire study in May didn't just *say* they were the most hated, it tried to *quantify* it, making it painfully clear that the rest of the league, like us, is pretty tired of their shtick.

Vegas Players Just Don't Get It, Apparently

So, with this

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"No.1 villain" label plastered all over them, you'd think they'd have some self-awareness, right? Nah. Star center Jack Eichel was asked about this poll after Vegas was eliminated by the champion Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final. His response? He literally asked, "There was a poll that came out that Vegas was the most hated team? Who voted on that? Random bunch of people?" He then tried to play it off like a mic drop, claiming Vegas isn't on anyone's no-trade list in the league. General Manager Kelly McCrimmon echoed that same tone, saying their players love playing there because the organization gives them "every resource to be the best that they can be." He even went on about what a great city it is to live in. But then he revealed the *real* reason players want to come to Vegas: "they have a chance to win" every season. And for most fans watching, that sentence just comes with a parenthetical, unspoken addendum: "(by any means necessary)." Whether it's bending NHL rules from the expansion draft to salary cap loopholes and long-term injured reserve, or leveraging Nevada's tax advantages to lure superstars on "friendly contracts," the Golden Knights have carved out this ruthless reputation. So, while Eichel and McCrimmon might act surprised about being the most hated, for us watching from the Emerald City, it's just confirmation of what we've seen all along. They win, yes, but at what cost to the league's perception of them? And honestly, seeing them get called out like this? Yeah, it feels pretty good.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.