Nathan MacKinnon is one of the NHL’s most recognizable faces. He’s become one of the league’s top three players, pretty much a league cornerstone of this generation.
But it shouldn’t be a surprise that MacKinnon is actually a villain in a certain part of the country. In fact, he is public enemy #1.
According to a study published by Rotowire, MacKinnon is the most hated player in Texas, the Plains, and the South.
It should be no surprise that hockey fans in Texas would love to see MacKinnon on a rocket to the sun. In fact, MacKinnon is hated so much that he appears as the main villain in nine states.
Beyond Texas, naturally, another Central Division rival that absolutely loathes the Avalanche superstar is Minnesota. No surprise there, right?
MacKinnon also appears as the top bad guy in Arizona. The state once housed another division rival, the Arizona Coyotes, making it clear why MacKinnon is persona non grata there.
Interestingly, MacKinnon is the most disliked player in these states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Alaska.
Alaska?
Well, it seems that folks up there just don’t like him.
What about Colorado? Who’s the top villain in Avalanche country? The answer shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Stars captain named top villain in Avalanche country
As for the state of Colorado, the top villain is Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn. That’s no major surprise, considering the bad blood between the Stars and Avalanche. The two clubs have frequently met in the postseason over the last decade.
While just about any player on the Dallas roster could have gotten the honor, it seems that Benn has become the poster child of hatred in Colorado.
If the Stars have another good season, there might be a decent chance Benn and MacKinnon could be locking horns once again in the postseason.
For the meantime, Benn and MacKinnon will be seeing each other four times during the regular season. That will surely make for good TV, and it will be part of the rivalries the NHL is looking to foment across the league.
Incidentally, the NHL’s most popular villain is Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers. He’s hated in over 14 regions measured in the study. He’s hated throughout the Northeast, Southeast, and most of Western and Atlantic Canada.
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