Hockey team 'nicknames'

[Leafsman]

Hi everyone.

As you can tell by my username, I am a Leafs fan.

However, I wanted to post this thread and get your thoughts on nicknames people have for teams around the league (I'm not talking about names like 'Detroit Dead Things', 'Toronto Maple Laughs' or 'Montreal Morons'). Cue the rant, and let the backlash upon me begin. I can take it.

My biggest issue is that people the world over call the Montreal Canadiens 'the Habs'. There is no such thing as a 'Hab'; it does not exist. Knowledgeable hockey fans know this story...

In 1924, Madison Square Garden owner Tex Rickard was falsely told by someone that the "H" in the logo of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team stood for "habitant", a French word that in those days was used to denote the farmers of Quebec. Rickard was told that the French players on the team came from the farms and that they were therefore "habitants" or "habs". At the time, the Canadiens were recognized as the French Canadian team of Montreal as opposed to the Montreal Maroons, the English Canadian team. In reality, the team logo of the "C" wrapped around the "H" stands for Club de Hockey Canadien. In 1917, at the founding of the NHL, the team changed its name to that from the previous Club Athlétique Canadien.

I really feel that by calling them 'the Habs', people (players and fans alike) are being very disrespectful of the team. By cheering for the 'Habs' you cheer for a non-existent team.

Other names around the league who have the nicknames shortened or replaced are:

Anaheim Mighty Ducks before the name change - 'Ducks'
Atlanta Thrashers - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
Boston Bruins - 'Bears', 'B's'
Buffalo Sabres - 'Swords'
Calgary Flames - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
Carolina Hurricanes - 'Canes'
Chicago Blackhawks - 'Hawks'
Colorado Avalanche - 'Avs'
Columbus Blue Jackets - 'Jackets' and 'CBJ'
Dallas Stars - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
Detroit Red Wings - 'Wings'
Edmonton Oilers - 'the Oil'
Florida Panthers - 'the Cats'
Los Angeles Kings - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
Minnesota Wild - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
Montreal Canadiens - 'Habs'
Nashville Predators - 'Preds'
New Jersey Devils - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
New York Islanders - 'Isles'
New York Rangers - 'Broadway Blueshirts'
Ottawa Senators - 'Sens'
Philadelphia Flyers - 'Broad Street Bullies'
Phoenix Coyotes - 'Yotes' and 'Desert Dogs'
Pittsburgh Penguins - 'Pens'
San Jose Sharks - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
St. Louis Blues - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)
Tampa Bay Lightning - 'Bolts'
Toronto Maple Leafs - 'Buds'
Vancouver Canucks - 'Nucks'
Washington Capitals - 'Caps'
Winnipeg Jets - none that I've heard (if you have one, share it!)

I do realize all teams in sports have the nicknames shortened or replaced. It still irks me. If you aren't going to call a team by its proper name, why give it a name?

Are there other names teams have been called?

Let me know!

[centrehice]

Pens - The Bandwagon is the most common name now associated with this team since 2005.

[Leafsman]

Pens - The Bandwagon is the most common name now associated with this team since 2005.

Therefore the Penguins should change their logo to a ball-point pen...they could truly be a group of pens

[Satan81]

For Devils, I've heard Devs.

And for Rangers, Rags.


And living on Long Island, sometimes you'll hear "The Fisherman" for the Isles, referencing one of their older logos.

[Leafsman]

For Devils, I've heard Devs.

And for Rangers, Rags.


And living on Long Island, sometimes you'll hear "The Fisherman" for the Isles, referencing one of their older logos.

I've never heard the Rangers called the "Rags"..."Devs"?? Sports fans are very lazy...

[Satan81]

Well yeah, most people who call them the Rags are Islander fans. Lol

And yeah, they tend to be.

Devs, Rags, Pens, Canes, B's, Avs.....man, creative! xD

[Leafsman]

Well yeah, most people who call them the Rags are Islander fans. Lol

And yeah, they tend to be.

Devs, Rags, Pens, Canes, B's, Avs.....man, creative! xD

Indeed! I know they are not your team, but do you think I'm correct about Montreal?

[Satan81]

Indeed! I know they are not your team, but do you think I'm correct about Montreal?

I've always heard that it stood for Habitant, but I believe you. I'm not really one to say otherwise. lol
I just heard "Go Habs Go" at all the Canadien-Islander games I've gone too, so I assumed.

But again, you're probably correct.

[centrehice]

Rangers - also known as the Broadway Blue Shirts.

Oops I missed that one.

[Leafsman]

Rangers - also known as the Broadway Blue Shirts.

That's in my list