Every hockey fan has a team they boo a little louder. Maybe it's the rival that knocked your guys out last spring, or the dynasty that's been lording it over your division for half a decade. To map out where those grudges live, RotoWire.com - home to the best NHL odds year-round - took a state-by-state look at who America's hockey fans love to hate, and the results say a lot about the state of the league in 2026.
We first identified the dominant fanbase in each state based on market proximity, broadcast reach and where actual hockey culture lives. From there, we picked the team that fanbase most reviles using divisional rivalries, recent playoff history (2020 through 2025), Original Six tradition and the kind of universal-villain narratives that follow expansion success and dynasty fatigue. We ran this for all 50 states because hockey hatred is the most regionally distinct in pro sports, and the answer says as much about hockey culture as it does about the standings.
While you sweat your wagers on this summer's Stanley Cup odds, have some fun with our graphic below.
Vegas Golden KnightsColorado AvalanchePittsburgh PenguinsMontreal CanadiensDallas StarsWinnipeg JetsNew York RangersDetroit Red WingsUtah MammothToronto Maple LeafsChicago BlackhawksEdmonton OilersBoston BruinsPhiladelphia Flyers| State | Most Hated Team |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Dallas Stars |
| Alaska | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Arizona | Utah Mammoth |
| Arkansas | Colorado Avalanche |
| California | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Colorado | Dallas Stars |
| Connecticut | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Delaware | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Florida | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Georgia | Winnipeg Jets |
| Hawaii | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Idaho | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Illinois | Detroit Red Wings |
| Indiana | Detroit Red Wings |
| Iowa | Winnipeg Jets |
| Kansas | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Kentucky | Dallas Stars |
| Louisiana | Colorado Avalanche |
| Maine | Montreal Canadiens |
| Maryland | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Massachusetts | Montreal Canadiens |
| Michigan | Colorado Avalanche |
| Minnesota | Winnipeg Jets |
| Mississippi | Colorado Avalanche |
| Missouri | Chicago Blackhawks |
| Montana | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Nebraska | Colorado Avalanche |
| Nevada | Edmonton Oilers |
| New Hampshire | Montreal Canadiens |
| New Jersey | New York Rangers |
| New Mexico | Vegas Golden Knights |
| New York | Boston Bruins |
| North Carolina | New York Rangers |
| North Dakota | Colorado Avalanche |
| Ohio | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Oklahoma | Colorado Avalanche |
| Oregon | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Pennsylvania | New York Rangers |
| Rhode Island | Montreal Canadiens |
| South Carolina | New York Rangers |
| South Dakota | Winnipeg Jets |
| Tennessee | Dallas Stars |
| Texas | Colorado Avalanche |
| Utah | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Vermont | Montreal Canadiens |
| Virginia | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Washington | Vegas Golden Knights |
| West Virginia | Philadelphia Flyers |
| Wisconsin | Detroit Red Wings |
| Wyoming | Vegas Golden Knights |
Which NHL Team Is Hated in the Most States?
If there's one team that ties this map together, it's the 
Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights show up as the most-hated team in 11 different states, more than any other franchise in the league. Vegas walked into the NHL in 2017, made the Stanley Cup Final in their first season, won the whole thing in 2023, and has dominated the Pacific Division ever since. That kind of accelerated success breeds resentment, and it shows up everywhere from California to Hawaii to Wyoming.
A state where the Knights are NOT the villain is obviously Nevada itself, where Vegas fans funnel their hatred toward the Edmonton Oilers after Connor McDavid's crew bounced them in the 2024 second round.
Which Teams Round Out the Top of the List?
The 
Colorado Avalanche check in second, showing up as the most-hated team in 8 states. The Avs have been the Central Division's apex predator since their 2022 Stanley Cup, and Nathan MacKinnon's nightly highlight reel hasn't helped their popularity in opposing buildings. Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska all default to Colorado, and Michigan keeps the 1997 "Bloody Wednesday" brawl alive nearly three decades later.
Tied for third with five states each are the 
Pittsburgh Penguins and 
Montreal Canadiens. The Penguins land there thanks to a decade-plus of Sidney Crosby being public enemy No. 1 across the Metropolitan Division. The Habs aren't a Cup contender in 2026, but anywhere the Boston Bruins have a fanbase (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont), Montreal is the villain by birthright.
Which States Tell the Most Unique Stories?
A few states stand alone on this map. Florida is the only state where the 
Toronto Maple Leafs come in as the most-hated team, thanks to three playoff eliminations in four years (Tampa Bay in 2022, Florida in 2023 and 2025).
Georgia is the only state where the Winnipeg Jets land at No. 1, because the Jets ARE the relocated Atlanta Thrashers. Every time Winnipeg makes noise, Atlanta's hockey diaspora gets a fresh reminder.
Arizona is the only state where the Utah Mammoth show up as the top villain. The Mammoth haven't existed long enough to earn hatred anywhere else, but they're the team that absorbed the relocated Coyotes in 2024.
The grudges may shift over time. A Cup run, a high-profile trade or a single playoff series can change which team a fanbase reserves its loudest boos for. But for the 2026 NHL landscape, this map captures who the villains are and where the hatred lives.
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