First Order: The 3 most hated stars in the NHL

There's no shortage of villainous characters in the NHL, and even the league's stars aren't immune to earning an image as a bad guy. These three players make up the NHL's First Order of bad guys as the league's most hated stars.

Sidney Crosby

Any player widely regarded as the best in his or her sport is going to attract the slings and arrows of critics, but Crosby just makes it so easy on his detractors. Sid the Kid was labelled a whiner not long after breaking into the league, and it's a label he's never been able to shake.

He's also gained the reputation as a flopper, which only adds to the frustration of his NHL brethren given Crosby's own extracurriculars are often overlooked.

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After a few years of early-round playoff exits, even the fans in Pittsburgh are beginning to turn on Crosby, wondering if the keys to the franchise should be taken away from him, or even if he should be shipped out of town while he can still fetch a significant return.

Dion Phaneuf

Phaneuf earned his fare share of enemies during his time in Calgary, but his move to the hockey hot bed of Toronto has made him a lightning rod for hate. The Maple Leafs captain's peers voted him the most overrated player in the league in not one, but two polls conducted by separate national publications.

Even Phaneuf's own fan base has turned on him, as he's become a pin cushion in the largest hockey market in Canada, inspiring a popular Halloween costume that consists of dressing up as a pylon in a Phaneuf jersey.

Phaneuf draws a lot of unfair criticism as the captain of a bad Maple Leafs team, but it's getting harder and harder to find supporters willing to defend him.

James Neal

Neal plays with a recklessness that makes him a threat to his NHL brethren every time he steps on the ice. His habit of throwing elbows and going knee on knee makes him a dangerous player for all the wrong reasons.

His on-ice antics have earned him a long rap sheet with the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Now in his eighth year in the league, Neal has drawn three suspensions totaling eight games (including a playoff game) and three separate fines.

To further add to the ire players around the league feel for Neal is the perception he got off easy on those suspensions thanks to his status as a perennial candidate for the 30-goal club.

Related: First Order: The 3 most hated stars in the NFL

Related: First Order: The 3 most hated stars in the NBA