DBD List-O-Matic: The 5 Most Hated Rivals

Before I begin, first I wanna say thanks for all the feedback and comments last week!  As I mentioned last week, when it comes to sports, people see to love lists – this series was really only the result of seeing four or five episodes of NFL Network’s “Top 10” program when the thought hit me: “Hey we should do something like this…”  – So enjoy, and of course if you have any ideas for future top five lists feel free to suggest some in the comments or hit me up on Twitter!

Pretty much every team in the NHL has that one really hated rival. Back when the North Stars played in Minnesota, you could pretty much list off in the old Norris division as hated rivals – especially the Blackhawks and Blues. But ever since the Stars moved to Dallas, and then moved from one division to another, it can be argued that the Stars really don’t have that one arch-nemesis type rival so many other NHL teams have.

So who are the Stars biggest rivals right now at the moment?  Well…

#5 Most Hated: Los Angeles Kings

This one has seemingly only really picked up intensity after the lockout of 2005.  Of course everyone remembers the crazy opening night game of the 05-06 season when the Stars came back from four goals down in the third period to win the game – a game that helped serve notice to the entire league that multiple goal leads were not completely safe any more like they had been – but since that game, the M.O. of these two teams when they get together seems to be “expect the unexpected and know that the game isn’t really over until it’s over.”

The rest of the list, numbers four to one follow the jump…

#4 Most Hated: Colorado Avalanche

It is said that playoff series are the best way to form rivalries between teams and that is no more apparent than in terms of the Stars and Avalanche.  No one will forget the epic 1999 and 2000 seven game series that both times saw the Stars earn spots in the Stanley Cup final and likewise the playoff defeats in 2004 and 2006 were as equally bitter.  Sure, maybe in the late 90’s and early 90’s Avalanche fans had a bigger rivalry with Detroit, but Dallas ranked right up there and just like Detroit fans knew back then, it wasn’t Avalanche but rather “Divealanche”, “Foppa” was better known as “Floppa” and of course the one thing Stars fans had that Wings fans didn’t even have… everyone knew “Eddie’s Better.”

#3 Most Hated: Detroit Red Wings

Speaking of Red Wings fans… what a smug bunch they are huh?  Ya know, it’s not so much that we hate the team – heck, it seems like former Stars become new Red Wings all the time (Hatcher… Verbeek… Hull… Mo?) – but man are Red Wings fans ever annoying or what?  Anytime their team comes down to play at the AAC it seems like half the people attending came down from Detroit, they have the audacity to call themselves “Hockeytown, USA” and dang it their team always seems to win… a lot!  It’s not like the Stars beat the Red Wings much – especially in the playoffs – but when the Stars do beat them, it sure is a sweet feeling if for no other reason than to stick it back in the face of Wings fan right?

#2 Most Hated: San Jose Sharks

I’ve always had the feeling that Sharks fans hate the Stars more than we Stars fans hate the Sharks, but really can you blame us? I mean what have the Sharks ever really won right? Presidents trophy? Bah, Stars have one as well. Pacific division titles? We stopped counting after we had five. Conference championships? The Stars have four in their history. The one thing the Sharks do have the Stars beat in? Playoff choke jobs, but that’s a narrow victory itself when you start think about it. Still save for the odd time that the Ducks spoiled the party, the Pacific division had always been a toss-up between the Stars and Sharks. Even though that battle doesn’t happen now, the rivalry is still there.

#1 Most Hated: Anaheim Ducks

Everything we hate about the Sharks applies here of course but there is also the added bonus of the fact that the Ducks *have* accomplished almost just as much as the Stars including a Stanley Cup championship. Not to mention there are the playoff series in both 2003 where the Stars were clearly the better team on paper, yet stunned in a six game series loss and then in 2008 when the tables were turned and it was the Ducks who were upset by the Stars. But beyond all of that, doesn’t it just seem like the Ducks have always iced a roster full of dirty players who make it their hobby to take cheap shots at our beloved heroes? From Ruslan Selei, Todd Ewen, Stu Grimson up to George Parros and Corey Perry, it sure seems like the Ducks have never had a shortage of players to really hate.

What do you think?  Like the list as is?  Would you rather add a team like the Edmonton Oilers or Vancouver Canucks into the list?  Maybe you still hate the Hawks or Blues as an old-time North Stars fan?  Have your say in the comments section!

Who are the Stars biggest rivals?