Maple Leafs rivals top list of NHL’s most punchable faces: 'Rat on the ice'

The Atlantic Division appears to have cornered the NHL market on something in particular – and it’s not just Stanley Cup final appearances over the past seven seasons.

No, the Atlantic Division also happens to be the home of the most punchable faces in the NHL, as voted by players across the league.

In the Athletic’s annual player poll, released Tuesday, it was revealed that eight of the top 13 players to receive votes reside in the Atlantic, including the top three vote-getters.

Nick Cousins of the Ottawa Senators retained his spot on top of the list, receiving 24.3% of the 107 votes cast, with several players sharing not-so-glowing reviews of the forward’s play.

“He’s an effective rat on the ice,” one player said. “He’s good at what he does.”

“He’s a diver. I hate divers,” another player told the outlet.

“I can’t stand him,” a third player said. “I heard he’s a good guy, but I’d still love to punch him in the face.”

The reigning Cup champion Florida Panthers have the next top vote-getters in Brad Marchand at 19.6% and Matthew Tkachuk, who has yet to play this season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia, garnered 10.3% of the vote.

“Everybody says he’s a great guy, but it sucks playing against him,” one player said of Marchand, while another commented that Tkachuk is “an a—— in front of the net.”

Florida’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett also made the list with 2.8% of votes.

Other players in the top 13 who ply their trade in the Atlantic were Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher, Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, Boston’s Nikita Zadorov and Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle.

Of the many players receiving votes, there was just one Maple Leaf on the list: Scott Laughton, who received a single tally.

Perhaps the most interesting player to make the list was Colorado Avalanche superstar defenceman Cale Makar, who received a single vote.

“Just because he’s really good and it pisses me off that we have to play against him,” one player said.

The survey was conducted by the Athletic from Sept. 19 to Nov. 30, 2025.