Philadelphia Flyers: Most Hated Penguins

Sidney Crosby

I suppose it’s something of a surprise that “Cindy Crys-baby” isn’t number one on my list. He’s probably enemy number one for most Flyers fans, and every time the Penguins visit Philadelphia there are guaranteed to be many “Crosby Sucks!” chants.

The case against Crosby is pretty well known beyond Philadelphia. Basically, it’s a lot of whining and diving. For Philadelphia Flyers fans, it goes a lot farther. He simply looks petulant when he makes comments about not liking “any guy on their team.” Or there’s the time when Giroux needed surgery on both wrists after repeated slashes from Crosby during a playoff series.

Probably taking the cake is when Crosby instigates trouble on the ice, then hides behind his teammates who fight for him. This behavior reached it’s peak in the 2012 playoffs, when Crosby would go out on the ice, initiate a brawl/scrum, slink away while his teammates fought, and then go back out and do it again. The whole thing practically gave former-Flyer and current announcer Chris Therien a heart attack.

To Crosby’s credit, he’s matured enough to lessen these shenanigans on the ice. Under new coach Mike Sullivan, he seems more content to play hockey and keep his mouth shut. In some ways that’s a shame. I was pretty sure such immaturity from the team’s captain Crosby’s was holding the Penguins back in the playoffs in the past.

Next: #1 - Evgeni Malkin