Poll Results: Who Is the Most Hated Player In The NHL?

Via: dirtydangle.com

Thanks in part to a new poll widget I added to the blog, we were able to get some pretty accurate results in this one, and the final standings weren't unexpected.

1. Matt Cooke - Pittsburgh Penguins (33%)
No surprise at all that Cooke finished first in the poll. Cooke is a career agitator that has been involved with many controversial incidents and has been suspended multiple times in his career. Among his many lowlights include two suspensions for hits to the head in 2009-09, a check to the head of Marc Savard in 2010 which left the Bruin's forward with concussion problems that he still hasn't recovered from, and a four game suspension for a hit from behind on Blue Jacket's defenseman Fedor Tyutin in 2011. Cooke swore to change his reckless hitting after that incident, and had played a very clean game since then, until another incident in Februrary this year when he cut Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson's achilles tendon with his skate. Whether accidental or not, given Cooke's reputation it spurred even more outrage. He has the uncanny ability to enrage both opposing players and fan bases alike.

2. Raffi Torres - San Jose Sharks (22%)

Like Cooke, Torres has a suspension history that has left many fans with a sour taste in their mouths for him. The latest incident was a massive hit to the head of Blackhawks star winger Marian Hossa which resulted in a severe concussion for Hossa and a 21 game ban for Torres. He seems to gravitate towards targeting star players, including Brent Seabrook and Jordan Eberle, who both have also been victimized by his high hitting style. That type of trend is what make Torres an easy target to hate by opposing fan bases. Torres has bounced around the NHL, playing for seven different teams, and has been an irritating player for each of them.

3. Steve Ott - Buffalo Sabres (20%)
Ott is one of the best agitators in the NHL and he absolutely revels in it. Even as far back as junior he was plying his trade, learning offensive phrases in other languages so he could annoy his opponents at the World Junior Hockey Championship. Ott continued that role in the NHL and has picked up more than 100 penalty minutes in every full season he's played. He has however crossed the line a few times and been suspended as a result. This includes a head hit on Jordon Leopold for which Ott missed three games, and an eye gouging incident the next season which earned him a match penalty. His abrasive style of play and brash attitude often bring jeers from the crowd when his team is on the road.

4. Brad Marchand - Boston Bruins (14%)
Though undersized for the agitator role (only 5 ft. 8 in. and 183 lbs), Marchand has been a very successful pest thus far in his NHL career. However, he's more than a one dimensional player as his 19 points in 25 games to win the Stanley Cup with Boston can attest. Most of the hate for Marchand originated from that series, when he mocked Alex Burrows and enraged Vancouver fans. It increased in 2012, when Marchand was suspended five games for low-bridging Canuck's defenseman Sami Salo with a hit that was deemed "predatory" by the NHL. He's also been called into question many times for his obvious attempts to draw penalties, which has earned him scorn from fans around the league. He's the type of player that teams love to have, and opposing fans just can't stand.

5. Alex Burrows - Vancouver Canucks (11%)
To be honest I thought Burrows would finish higher in this poll, but he seems to have calmed down in the last year or so. Burrows is one of the best agitators in the NHL with a mouth that never shuts up, whether he's talking to opponents or refs. He got in trouble during the 2010 season when Burrows accused referee Stephane Auger for having a personal vendetta against him, after Auger gave him a penalty for interference and a misconduct which ultimately caused the Canucks to lose a game. Burrows was fined $2500 by the NHL as a result and told to keep his mouth shut. However Burrows is more than just a yappy player, he's also very skilled, as he showed scoring 26 or more goals in four consecutive seasons playing on Vancouver's first line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. He's another player that teams would love to have and hate to play against.