In today’s game, there are very few players in the NHL that have bad relationships with the press. It’s a thing players have dealt with from their early days in the minors, and with big dollars being out there to sponsor products and companies being good with everyone is part of the deal off the ice.
One of the reasons Jim Pappin wasn’t beloved by fans or press was that he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, sportswriters had a bigger influence on how players were perceived than they do today. Back then there only was the local beat writers, today there are tons of avenues to get your word across.