Top 10 NHL Teams With the Worst Fans

Hockey fans. Some are loyal to the core. Others? Let's just say they treat fandom like a buffet. Grab a little here, drop a little there, and bolt the moment the going gets tough. You've seen them. The ones who show up only when the team is winning. The ones who disappear for entire seasons, then pop back in like they never left. The ones who boo their own goalie after a bad period or start online crusades after every trade. And let's not forget the loudmouths who seem more interested in heckling others than actually watching the puck.

Some fans will trash-talk your grandmother, throw beer on your jersey, and then claim they're just "passionate." Others treat their arena like a morgue, even during a playoff push. There's a line between devoted and delusional. Some people skate right over it like it's center ice.

So which NHL teams have fans that make you roll your eyes the hardest? Which ones make the sport less fun to watch? That's what this list is all about.

The Top Ten

Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. The team was established in 1967 as part of the NHL's first expansion.

They don't understand the sport. They only understand cheap shots on real athletes. They smell like the cheap beer they spilled on their Walmart t-shirt at last season's game.
Command of the English language has escaped them. They continually complain about the Pittsburgh Penguins because the Penguins are true athletes and skilled sportsmen. This doesn't compute in their minds.
Like unruly children, they throw Dollar Tree toys on the ice. Wayne Simmonds is their hero. They deserve top billing on this list.

Stay classy, Philly. Flyers fans threw bracelets that were supposed to be used to honor their late owner, Ed Snider. They threw the bracelets because the Flyers were losing.
Even the stadium announcer told them to stop. But, you know, Philly always boos their own team. Stay classy, Philly.
Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1924, they are the NHL's oldest active team based in the United States.

Bruins fans. Where to go with them. They blame everything on the refs. They'd even blame their granny's death on the refs.
They called Joel Ward racial slurs when he scored the OT winner in the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. They did the same with P.K. Subban 2 years later.

Straight up threw trash at their own team during the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 twice. Keep it classy, Bruins fans, keep it classy.

UFC players. Their fans are just here to watch Chara kill players and never get in trouble.
Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They compete in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. The NHL team was founded in 1970 and has appeared in the Stanley Cup Final three times.

Reading some of these comments, I'm wondering where the info is coming from. I've been to 100+ Canucks games and I've never seen the elderly threatened or lasers pointed at opposing players. Fans don't get threatened for wearing opposing teams' jerseys.
I was once chased outside a Calgary game by half a dozen Flames fans for wearing my Canucks jersey, but that was in Calgary.

This team has the worst fans ever. When they lost to the Bruins in 2011, they had riots and ruined their own city. That's just lame and crazy. They should be number 1.
New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference.
The Rangers play their home games at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, which they share with the New... read more

Half of this fanbase is super nice, but the other half is horrible to their own captain, harasses people online, physically attacks other fans, etc. Every fanbase has some bad apples, but this one has a lot of them.

Very arrogant. Everything is the referee's fault when they lose. Everything must be a penalty if one of the little darlings gets hit.
And needless to say, worst goal chant ever.

They run their mouths like they're the Yankees but have a postseason record that's closer to the Knicks.
Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens (French: Les Canadiens de Montréal) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1909, they are the oldest continuously operating professional... read more

They boo good calls against their own team, frequently boo the captains of visiting teams, and sing that annoying "Ole Ole" soccer song when their team's doing well. Seriously, a SOCCER song. They riot when their team's knocked out of the playoffs. Plus, they're French.

Boos and mock cheers for their Stanley Cup goalie Roy that led to his departure did not stop them from doing the same to Price.
Absolutely not classy.
Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs, officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often simply referred to as the Leafs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was... read more

Nothing is more annoying than a Leafs fan claiming they have the best team in the league and that the media should only talk about them.
Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They compete in the Central Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League. Since their founding in 1926, the Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cup championships, with their most recent title coming... read more

It's no coincidence that the Blackhawks were 29th in attendance in 2007, and two years later, they were selling out and leading the league in attendance. 2009 was when the Blackhawks became a good team again.
During the hard years, players even had to go out on the streets and give away free tickets. But now, they sell out and overtake home crowds. Talk about fair-weather fans.

Easily the worst fans. Biggest phonies. Some teams should not be on here. The Kings have some of the best and most loyal fans. They stunk in the mid-2000s but still played to 92% of capacity.
Unlike the Blackhawks, who were 2nd to last in the league in attendance at that time. The Flyers? Really? They sell out every game, and they don't boo their team. This is truly stupid!
Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They compete in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League. The team has a rich history, including multiple Stanley Cup victories during the 1980s with Wayne Gretzky.

Fans of the team seem to take glee in running good players out of town. It takes a lot of them just a couple of seconds to jump on the bandwagon for another team at pretty much any time of the season.
They also may have the most trollish presence on social media.

Oilers fans are the worst. Ever since the McDavid draft, they think they are royalty. Classless fans throw beer, shove people to the curb, and sucker punch other fans if they don't support them.

They should be number one on this list. They have an awesome team but continue to come in last. Why? Because their fans suck!
Arizona Coyotes

The Arizona Coyotes were a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They were a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team was originally established as the Winnipeg Jets in 1972 before relocating to Arizona in 1996... read more

Come on, at least fill up half your arena. I mean, seriously, where are all you Coyotes fans?

Their only fans are just a few Canadians living in Arizona.
Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. The team was founded in 1967 and has won two Stanley Cup championships, in 2012 and 2014.

Nobody really cared about the Kings until they became good. Not to mention LA is the bandwagon capital of America.

The Newcomers

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San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League. The team began playing in 1991 and holds its home games at SAP Center at San Jose, often referred to as the Shark Tank... read more
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Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators (French: Sénateurs d'Ottawa) are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The Senators play their home games at the Canadian Tire Centre, an 18,652-seat... read more

Trust me, I grew up in that city as a Habs fan. It isn't fun. The majority of their fan base consists of kids, and it's quite annoying.
When it comes to the Leafs or Canadiens, those teams are despised, and it's obnoxious how Senators fans treat their supporters.

The Contenders

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins, commonly known as the Pens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins are one of two NHL teams in Pennsylvania, with the other... read more

Definitely #1. I'm 14 and like the Oilers. There was this stupid kid who was like 12 or 13 who was a Pens fan and called my Oilers hat trash. I called him a dumbass and told him to shut up.
Just like the ugly jerk he is, he asked, How many Cups for McDavid? He is only in his 2nd year, dumb jerk. Did Sidney Crosby win the Cup in his 2nd? NO!
The worst part about him is that his favorite player is Malkin. What a crappy excuse for a hockey fan. But he is just a dumb kid.

The most trollish presence on social media, constantly commenting "Crosby's better" on posts that have NOTHING to do with him.
A prime sign of a toxic, braindead, and disrespectful fan base who care about nothing but themselves.
New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference.
The franchise began in 1974 as the Kansas City Scouts in Missouri. It then moved to Denver... read more

Just overall stupid people. They hate the Rangers more than they like the Devils. They can usually be found wearing personalized jerseys with Sunday sauce stains on them while being outnumbered by rival fans in their own arena.
The arena is in a dump of a city and has to put on tacky promotions to get any attendance.
Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area, specifically in Sunrise, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. As of 2025, the team has won consecutive Stanley Cup championships... read more

Hello? Any Panthers fans here? Guess not. The Panthers always play in empty arenas. Even when they are good, nobody seems to feel like taking a visit to BB&T Center.

Very arrogant fanbase. They're there but very toxic. Game 4 of the 2023 SCF, and they're throwing stuff on the ice.
Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League. The team was established in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars before relocating to Dallas in 1993.

Awful fans pretending to know what hockey is. They have stupid chants. They disgrace the National Anthem. They're a disgrace to the sport.
Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. The Avalanche and the Coyotes are the only two teams in the division located in the Mountain Time Zone, setting them apart... read more

Fanbase with blinders. I've never seen fans who thought everything their team did was right and everything the rest of the league did was wrong more than Avalanche fans.
Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League. The team began playing in 1998 and plays its home games at Bridgestone Arena.

History of embracing cheap shot artists and dirty players as long as they're on their team.
Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League. The team won its first Stanley Cup championship in 2006.

Look, I know your team is struggling, but come on, don't let your Canes play in empty arenas just because of that.

Relocate. Canes fans don't deserve a team.

They should move back to Hartford.
Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. The Lightning have won three Stanley Cup championships during the 2003-04, 2019-20, and 2020-21 seasons.
New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York metropolitan area. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League. The team won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983.

Worst. Fan. Base. Ever. They have the most obnoxious fans with obnoxious voices, yelling constantly. If you go to their home game in a different team's jersey, they will stand up in front of you and lean back and forth, blocking your view of the game. They will curse out fans of the opposing team for just sitting there.

Islanders fans are just so disrespectful. When John Tavares came back to New York after leaving to sign with the Leafs, Islanders fans threw items at him and started burning his jersey.
They think they're good now because they believe "John Tavares is a terrible captain." It isn't because of that. It just didn't work out with him. When a player leaves, you should respect and thank the player.
I'm glad the Carolina Hurricanes swept them.
Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Since their inception in 1993, the Ducks have played their home games at the Honda Center. The team was originally... read more
Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals, commonly known as the Caps, are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They compete in the National Hockey League as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. The team is owned by Monumental Sports and Entertainment, led by Ted Leonsis.... read more

Nobody cared about the Caps until they became good. When they drafted Ovechkin, who turned the team around, Verizon Center ended up selling out every game.

The way Caps fans talk, you'd think they're in the midst of a dynasty. It's true after years of blowing it in the playoffs they won once. Keyword: once. In 50 years.

They win once after fumbling better opportunities for years, and Caps fans find a way to act like they're the NHL's premier team with one cup.
Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League as part of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. The team was established in 2017 as an expansion franchise.... read more

An obnoxious crowd that wouldn't be out of place at a dollar store Black Friday sale. A horrible mascot, an embarrassing drumline, a super cheesy pregame show with a "Knight" that makes Ed Wood films seem like high art, and an unparalleled arrogant fan base that doesn't know the difference between icing and a home run.
A disgrace to the game and a black mark on humanity.

I love that they're having fun and learning the sport, but a large portion of the fanbase has ZERO clue what the rules of the game are. Not saying this to be a jerk - they've admitted to me that they don't understand the rules.
Thank God the team is fun to watch. I'm sure the fans will learn the game over time!
Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League. The team was established as an expansion franchise in 2000 and began play in the 2000-2001 NHL season.

They had bandwagon fans in 2016 when they had the 16-game winning streak. They used to never fill their arena. Now it is packed because of bandwagon people.
Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League. The franchise was founded as the Atlanta Flames in 1972 and relocated to Calgary in 1980.

Flames fans are the most annoying people ever. They bring up 1989 like it's 1991. Come on, it's 2018!