5. Ondrej Palat
"Sneaky P"
Okay, this one feels fake. Sneaky P for Ondrej Palat? Where could that one have come from?
While we don’t know the origin, we have seen many Tampa Bay Lightning fans refer to him this way. It was very popular to label Palat “Sneaky P.” The first reference to the nickname came from Steven Stamkos, who mentioned the name back in 2022. That would make a lot of sense, as the captains of teams were often in control of giving nicknames. Even if Stamkos didn't give it to him, it made a lot of sense on those particular teams, especially when they started winning championships.
There were so many stars in Tampa at the time that Palat could easily fall under the radar. Even when he was putting up 50-60 points, teams weren’t paying attention to him over Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, or eventually Brayden Point. Palat was sneaky because he wasn’t a part of the conglomerate of top scorers.
Now, Palat can be sneaky again. He’s playing on a team with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and more offensive talent. Even when Palat is in the top six, he doesn’t always get the attention his name value probably deserves. And now, he gets to keep his Sneaky P distinction as he continues his career in his mid-30s.