The NHL's Most Hated Player Fakes An Injury Only To Hurt Another Player

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Julien Trekker
February 28, 2024 (9:30)

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Last night, in the game between the Florida Panthers and the Buffalo Sabres, Nick Cousins showed why he's considered to be the most hated player in the NHL.

Nick Cousins Fakes an Injury to Avoid a Fight And Jumps on the Back of an Opponent

With a few minutes remaining in the second period, when the Panthers were leading 2-1, Nick Cousins skated towards the goalie after he made a save to stir things up. When he got there, he faced Jordan Greenway, who quickly sent him on the ice. He laid there, apparently injured, but suddenly got right back up like nothing happened to jump on an opponent's back in a scrum.

Here's how it happened:

Cousins Shows Why He's Considered to be the Most Hated Player in the NHL

In a recent survey among players, Nick Cousins earned the title of the most hated player in the league.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time that he's involved in a controversial incident on the ice this season.

Earlier in January, Kevin Biaska, the former NHLer turned TV analyst, widely criticized Cousins and his style of play.

Here's what he said after Cousins landed a dirty hit on Jason Zucker:

"People don't want to watch and see kneeing hitting a guy's head into the
boards, ramming a guy from behind, and that is a common theme for a player in this league. I've never done this before but I have to do it because this is a trend with this player and he's done this a numerous amount of times; ramming the guys heading to the boards.

You know the the hit earlier in the year on Gudbranson [and this hit] was just last year. There's no place in the game for this and what's the common theme in all these? [Cousins] at the bottom of the pile in a turtle position. Not like Brendan Smith standing up taking your medicine.

This has been a common theme for this player and listen I'm told he's a good guy. I'm told he's liked by his teammates and he's actually a pretty good hockey player, but somebody in that organization or somebody that he respects has to sit down and say 'enough of this, this doesn't help the Florida Panthers win, it doesn't make us a better team', or the NHL has to come down and hammer this guy [with a lengthy suspension]."

Watch the hit here:

Do you like Nick Cousins?

As seen on House of Hockey - NHL's Most Hated Player Shamelessly Fakes Injury To Avoid Getting Into A Fight