Boston Bruins Surprisingly Ranked Most Hated Team In The World

While NHL teams might just have some of the most passionate fanbases and best rivalries in all of sports, one thing is certain – everyone hates the Boston Bruins.

Considering the fact that the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens are arch nemeses, it is no surprise that nine out of ten provinces in Canada agree that they hate the Bruins more than any other team. What is surprising, though, is that almost every country in the world put the Bruins at the top of their list of least favorite NHL teams according to the SB Nation NHL hate map.

Despite the outliers like the Winnipeg Jets in Africa and the Habs in South America, no team is hated more than the B’s.

The Bruins didn’t even get any love in their own country. While many team’s colors only appeared in states that harbored harsh rivalries like Chicago and Detroit, the Bruins’ hatred included nine states from all across America. Is it just that the Bruins have an abnormally large number of rivalries, or it is really just that everyone hates the Black and Gold?

Recently, Brad Marchand‘s antics have given the Bruins the reputation of nothing less than a group of goons, but why should Marchand be stuck under a microscope when con artists like Tomas Plekanec, Alex Burrows and Maxim Lapierre can consistently get away with embellishment?

In the past few years, the Bruins have seen their fair share of success, but if successful seasons were the sole reason behind the entire world despising the squad, why wouldn’t the Canadiens lead the ranks with their 24 Stanley Cups?

It appears that the Bruins are the most hated team not because of their winning ways, but rather because of the way they win. The B’s have always thrived on being known as the biggest and baddest team on the ice. They repeatedly beat up on their opponents and intimidate them until they fold. But with the way the NHL is going, it is not as easy for the Bruins to play the bully card as it was for Terry O’Reilly and Cam Neely.

When the B’s travel to Philadelphia, New York or Montreal you can expect sparks to fly, but now it is evident that no matter where they travel in the world, everyone will agree upon their hate towards the Bruins.

Stu Laperle is a NHL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @stulaperle15, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.