The New York Rangers have had their share of villains over the years. Some have been more despised than others.
But there’s one that fans will agree tops the list.
A study by the folks at Rotowire revealed that Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson is the most hated player for NY Rangers fans.
That shouldn’t be a surprise. Wilson has several things going for him. To begin with, Wilson plays for a division rival, the Washington Capitals. That should be enough to make him persona non grata. But that’s just the beginning.
The Capitals and Rangers have had their share of run-ins over the years. The teams have met in the postseason, most recently sweeping the Caps in the 2024 playoffs.
As far as Wilson goes, his rough-and-tumble style has done little to endear him to NY Rangers fans. His antics have not gone down well over the years. But the one particular incident that vilified Wilson in the eyes of Rangers fans was the infamous sucker punch on Pavel Buchnevich in May, 2021.
Here’s a refresher on the infamous acts.
While Buchnevich was fine, the scrum and ensuing bullying on Wilson’s part led to Artemi Panarin sustaining an injury. The league only fined Wilson $5,000 for the egregious punch to Buchnevich.
When the NY Rangers fired back, the league fined the team $250K for questioning the bogus fine.
That’s why Wilson and his Capitals crew shouldn’t surprise anyone as one, if not the most hated, of villains in recent memory.
What about the crosstown Islanders?
The Rangers and New York Islanders share a mutual enmity for one another. Playing in the same city is enough to make them mortal enemies. In fact, the New York hockey fan base is pretty much divided between Rangers and Islanders.
That’s why there’s no need to single out anyone on the Islanders’ roster as a notable villain. Anyone wearing an Isles jersey would likely have a big old bull’s eye on their back.
That’s one of the rivalries that the NHL really wants to capitalize on. The league clearly understands the entertainment value of heated rivalries across the league. Whether it’s during the regular season or in the playoffs, having mortal enemies play each other adds to the drama of each game.
The Blueshirts and Islanders are one such rivalry. While the fireworks haven’t been as explosive in the last couple of seasons, two resurgent New York clubs could be duking it out next season as they look to get back into the postseason.
So, let’s see how the 2026-27 season goes. Rangers fans should have October 9 as one of the dates circled on their calendars as it will mark the first time the two teams will meet this upcoming season. It could be one heck of an entertaining matchup.
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