The Vegas Golden Knights have only been in the NHL since 2017, but they’ve already earned a dubious distinction: the league’s most-hated team. According to a Rotowire study, 11 states’ core hockey fans despise the Knights more than any other franchise.
Regional dominance is a key driver of the animosity. The Golden Knights have won six of the past nine Pacific Division titles, casting a long shadow over the Western Conference. That success has bred resentment in states like California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. But the hate also comes from unexpected places—Alaska, Hawaii, and Kansas all count the Knights as their most-loathed team.
Fan territories have become increasingly blurred, especially with the NHL adding the Seattle Kraken and Utah Mammoth in recent years. During a first-round playoff series between Vegas and Utah, the Mammoth even held a jersey exchange, offering fans a new Mammoth jersey in exchange for a Golden Knights jersey.
As for Nevada fans, their most-hated team is the Edmonton Oilers, who eliminated the Golden Knights in the second round of the 2025 playoffs. Outside of Nevada, only Arizona and Colorado west of the Great Plains do not list the Knights as the top villain.
The Colorado Avalanche rank second in the study, being the most-hated team in eight states. That sets up a Western Conference Finals where hockey fans may have to pick their poison between two divisive franchises.
Being the most-hated is often a sign of being the best, and the Golden Knights are in good company. The study suggests that success on the ice comes with a price—and for Vegas, that price is a league-wide target on their back.
