Boston Bruins Captain Surprisingly Loses His Top Spot

While expectations were high for Boston Bruins' Brad Marchand to claim the dubious honor, a surprising twist emerged.

Florida Panthers' Nick Cousins, not Marchand, secured the top spot as the player most NHL peers want to take a swing at.

Comments from players revealed a longstanding disdain for Cousins, describing him as someone they've "always hated" and predicting he would receive numerous votes.

Despite players acknowledging Marchand's perennial candidacy for such a title, Cousins dominated the poll with 28.57%, compared to Marchand's 14.97%.

While Marchand retains his reputation, Cousins has garnered attention this season, earning comparisons to former NHL defenseman Raffi Torres and even being labeled a "rat" by Sportsnet analyst Kevin Bieksa. Recent hits by Cousins, notably on Arizona defenseman Juuso Valimaki, went unpunished, adding to his controversial image.

Interestingly, Cousins embraces the notoriety, a factor likely to stir further animosity from fellow NHL players.

The unexpected shift in the punching preference from Marchand to Cousins adds an intriguing layer to the league dynamics, leaving fans curious about the dynamics on and off the ice.

Stay tuned for more developments as players weigh in on this surprising poll outcome.