Washington Capitals and NHL Player Nicknames: A Look at Possible Monikers and Play on Words

Photo: NHL via Getty Images

With Major League Baseball holding annual Player’s Weekend where players wear nicknames on the back of their uniforms instead of their surnames, it was time to think about nicknames for NHL players, both past and present. This includes nicknames that could be displayed on the back of a jersey if the NHL decided to have their own version of Players Week or nicknames that are plays on words, like what ESPN sportscaster, Chris Berman, might think of. Although nicknames for athletes based on plays on words were popular even before the advent of Chris Berman. This article will list out possible nicknames for player who played for the Washington Capitals during the 2017-18 season. However, some nicknames for former Capitals players will also be listed, followed by nicknames of other NHL players.

Current Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin
Players Weekend Possibility: “Ovi”; “The Great 8”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Alexander “The Great” Ovechkin

Nicklas Backstrom
Players Weekend Possibility: “Backy”; “Backis”; “Mean Lars”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: “Nickelback-”strom; Nicklas “How Your Remind Me” Backstrom; Nick “el” Backstrom; Nicklas “Back to” Backstrom; “Jolly Old St” Nicklas Backstrom

Tom Wilson
Players Weekend Possibility: “Freight Train”; “Whip”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Tom “Wilson W.” Wilson; Tom “Woodrow” Wilson

Evgeny Kuznetsov
Players Weekend Possibility: “Kuzy”; “The Wizard”; “Harry Potter”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Evgeny “Shot in the” Kuznetsov

T.J. Oshie
Players Weekend Possibility: “Yoshie”; “Osh-Babe”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: T.J. “Y-” Oshie

Lars Eller
Players Weekend Possibility: “Tiger”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Lars “Old” Eller

Andre Burakovsky
Players Weekend Possibility: “Burky”; “Dr. Dre”; “Burracuda”; “Bura”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: “Beats by Andre” Burakovsky

Jakub Vrana
Players Weekend Possibility: “Raven”; “Crow”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Jakub “I” Vrana “Rock”; “I” Vrana “Hold Your Hand”

Brett Connolly
Players Weekend Possibility: “Conno”; “Conn Man”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Brett “The Wrath of” Connolly

Chandler Stephenson
Players Weekend Possibility: “Superman” Stephenson
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: “Swing from the” Chandler Stephenson; Chandler “Bing” Stephenson; “Light a Single” Chandler; Chandler “Kidnapped” Stephenson

Devante Smith-Pelley
Players Weekend Possibility: “DSP”; “Devo”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Devante “Inferno” Smith-Pelley

Alex Chaisson
Players Weekend Possibility: “Chaser”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Alex Chaisson “the Dream”; Alex “The Caissons Go Rolling Along”’ Alex “The Paper” Chaisson

John Carlson
Players Weekend Possibility: “Carly”; “Captain America”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: John “Killer” Carlson

Dmitry Orlov
Players Weekend Possibility: “Orly”; “Snarls”, “Dima”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Dmitry “Like” Orlov “it”

Matt Niskanen
Players Weekend Possibility: “Nisky”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Matt Niskanen “Ball”

Michal Kempny
Players Weekend Possibility: Lemony
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Michal “Training” Kempny

Christian Djoos
Players Weekend Possibility: “DJ Oos”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Christian “Freshly Squeezed” Djoos

Brooks Orpik
Players Weekend Possibility: “Batya”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: “Herb” Brooks Orpik; Brooks Orpik “A Little”

Madison Bowey
Players Weekend Possibility: “Mads”; “Mad Bow”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Madison Bowey “Knife”; “Oscar” Madison Bowey

Braden Holtby
Players Weekend Possibility: “Holtbeast”; “Holts”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Braden “To Have and to” Holtby

Nathan Walker
Players Weekend Possibility: “Walks”; “Walk-About”, “Wizard of Auz”
Bermanisms and Other Plays on Words: Nathan “Power” Walker

Jay Beagle
Players Weekend Possibilty: “Beags”
Bermanisms and other Plays on Words: Jay “Legal” Beagle

Play on Names of Former Capitals
Marcus Johansson: “MoJo”; “JoJo”
Mike Green “Day”
Mike “Ovi Wan” Knuble or Mike “Evil” Knuble
Joel “Montgomery” Ward; Joel “Big Cheese” Ward|
Troy “Lowen” Brouwer
Jason “Fire Breathing” Chimera; Jason “Ice Cheetah” Chimera
Bobby “If I Were a” Carpenter
Mike “Chance the” Gartner
Mike Ridley “Believe it or Not”
Peter “Bonzai” Bondra
Rod “Take the” Langway “Home”
Adam “Hall and” Oates
Dale “Deer” Hunter

Other NHL players
Sidney “David” Crosby
Rick “Graham” Nash
Johnny “Be” Gaudreau
Darnell “Charge” Nurse
Leon “Einz, Zwei” Draisaitl
Jordin “Two For” Tootoo
“My Cousin” Vinnie Hinostroza
Ryan Hartman
Patrick Kane “And Able”
Jonathan Toews “-er Gun”
Haydn “Surprise Symphony” Fleury
Jeff “Operant Conditioning” Skinner
Richard “Please Don’t” Panik
Bobby “Saving Private” Ryan
Erik “The Red” Karlsson
Mike “Tales of” Hoffman
Marc-Andre “Mc” Fleury; Mark Andre “Flower” Fleury
Brent “Robert” Burns
Patrick “Christopher” Marleau
Tomas “Jumping Over the” Hertl
Matt Dumba “The Elephant”
Jacob Trouba “Door”
Slater Koekkoek “Clock”
Victor “Boss” Hedman
Vladimir “Tower of” Tarasenko
Claude “Kanga” Giroux
Sean “Haute” Couturier
Logan “Haute” Couture
Mitch “Silas” Marner
William “The Science Guy” Nylander
Eric Staal “For Time”
Jiri “War and Peace” Tlusty
Brayden “Mayor” Schenn
“General” Alexander Steen
Sean “ie” Monahan
Taylor “Tammany” Hall