(Credit: On The Couch With Colby – Sportsnet)
Golden Knights superstar Jack Eichel has been worth his weight in gold this season. Through 20 games the top-line center leads his team with 23 assists and 29 points. In Ottawa on Thursday, Eichel collected his 6th goal of the season, only four back from team leader Pavel Dorofeyev. The fourth-year Golden Knight has been sensational for the Pacific Division’s 1st place team. There’s no reason to believe his superb season will not continue.
Recently, Eichel sat down with former NHL’er Colby Armstrong to discuss the open disgust for VGK across the league. It’s been a while since the Golden Knights were widely welcomed to other team’s barns. Now, not so much. Apparently, the fresh paint faded after the Golden Knights hoisted the Stanley Cup and hockey fans now detest the sixth most-winning team since 2017-18.
(Credit: On The Couch With Colby – Sportsnet)
According to Eichel, he doesn’t mind the hate. You can see him and his teammates embrace the animosity.
I feel like there’s a lot of hate towards us. I am not sure where it started or why it started. If you want to hate us, go ahead. I don’t know when that happened. People hate a winner, I guess. It might be a little jealousy. –Jack Eichel on Sportnet
While Eichel played coy about when and why the outpouring of hatred began, Armstrong hinted it was the LTIR usage that began in 2021. Of course, Golden Knights know the truth but NHL fans everywhere else refuse to accept the Golden Knights aggressive but legal actions.
They were like the lovable Knights, like yay these kinds of misfits. You guys are like the bad boys of hockey now. I feel like everyone is like ‘what’s up with the Knights?’ and shits on you guys now. It’s crazy how it just flipped though… Because you guys won. I think the cap stuff, because people got into that. –Colby Armstrong on Sportsnet
Eichel did admit that the salary cap gymnastics could have played a part in VGK’s transition from the new kid on the block to the neighborhood bully. No matter what the reasons are, the star center, nor his teammates have a problem being the heel of the Western Conference.
Vegas is so easy to hate. https://t.co/KiOFl5tGRs
— Avalanche Forever (@citchmook) November 19, 2024
The face of the franchise has taken on the same mindset as captain Mark Stone and alternate captain Alex Pietrangelo. Both have expressed over the past handful of seasons that they had observed the disrespect and hostility from other clubs and fan bases. Fortunately, it doesn’t impact how the team performs. In fact, the strong dislike for the organization likely benefits Vegas.
(Credit: On The Couch With Colby – Sportsnet)
As fans have witnessed, playing the villain can come with rewards. Those shiny, ultra-valuable championship rings on the Golden Knights fingers are just one that comes to mind.
John W
Given her recent disastrous foray in to politics, I am hesitant to invoke T Swift, but “Haters gonna Hate Hate Hate”.
Fun to laugh at the rest of the fan bases in the league. But also sad to imagine what a shit show it must be to live and die with the Sabres, or the Leafs (or any of the Canadian Teams for that matter).
ThG
who or what is T Swift ? Never heard of her.
JB
Then how do you know it’s a HER?
ThG
Learn to read English Boris , from John W’s post above “Given her recent disastrous foray in”
Emmanuel
I got into Hockey in ‘92 and I assumed Canadians were hockey knowledgeable (at birth) as a Sens fan from ‘92 to ‘16ish I can tell you the average “hard core” Canadian fan is delusional about their teams prospects every year. it is only matched by their sensitivity to any rational criticism. EVERY Canadian I met in California/Nevada is physically fit but an emotionally mess. its a generalization but thats my experience.
So yes, north of the border fanbases are a joke and at least 3 of their cities shouldnt have teams. The leagues outgrown Canada.
Oh and the excuse that most/a plurality of the players are Canadian in a Canard, there are better options for the bottom six/ fringe players in Europe but Canadians are drafted so lets play them.
Donald J Trump
these are same morons who hate trump because MSNBC talking heads brain washed them. Now look at that business, bankrupt. And Donald Trump Jr. along with Elon Musk are set to make them an offer that they can’t refuse.
Yet players still want to come and play in Vegas.
Boitsie Rawlings
Dude wtf are you talking about? And wtf does this have to do with the story?
DeezNutz
I love being hated it great it let’s me know that I made it.
Butch Cassidy
i remember the snowflake VGK fans crying when they saw Eichel pictures at the Vegas Trump rally
Jose
Nobody fucking tells Jack Eichel what to do!!
Emmanuel
Its still a free country……everyones tired of social engineering.
Dingleberry
Oh that was Cassie. We don’t claim her as a fan.
Dee
I love our team and will defend them to no end!! They are bad ass and in the beginning rose from the ashes to become a championship team!! Sooo, haters gonna hate, but all the fans in Vegas know why, “jealous much?” That’s why the first thing to come out of their mouths is “cheaters”. Yeah, right!! Get a life!! #GOKNIGHTSGO
JB
It all started back in year one when we went to the finals. The Toronto fan base and talking heads starting saying we were given our success in the expansion draft. They hated a new team had so much success while the leafs hadn’t won in years. It then spread after the LTIR controversy , then we win the cup!
Emmanuel
I was there as most of you were, most of the season previews had VGK in the 25-31 range and said the wingers couldnt score, the C’s were the worst in the league and we had 3 3rd pairings. Only Flower was considered a strength. The “league helped VGK suceed” was a media narrative.
TS
Simple: Losers hate Winners. End of discussion.
Ice Warrior
Haters always hate Up. You never meet a hater doing better than you!