The Big Pavelski

The Big Pavelski doing his best Little Caesar's impression

With Joe Pavelski currently tearing it up this post-season, a new nickname for him has emerged and gained significant popularity (it was even used on NHL.com!). That nickname is, of course, the Big Pavelski. Now, there has been some debate on whether or not this is a good nickname. Some will say that "Pavelski" is really not all that similar to "Lebowski." And they would be right. Others say that this nickname should have really gone to former NHLer (and current KHLer) Trevor Letowski. After all, "Letowski" is really freaking close to "Lebowski."

But I am here to defend the nickname of the Big Pavelski. Here are several reasons I think it is a good nickname:

1. Trevor Letowski was not that good of a player. Seriously. Look up his stats. There's a reason he's playing in the KHL now. He was not good enough to earn a sweet nickname like The Big Letowski. I shall, henceforth, refer to him as The Dude.

2. The Big Pavelski contrasts awesomely with Joe's original nickname, Little Joe. Little, Big. Joe, Pavelski. It just seems like a natural evolution of nicknames.

3. In an utterly fantastic coincidence, the Eagles are playing at the HP Pavilion this weekend. Because they are playing, the Sharks cannot play Friday or Saturday night. Now if we can just get Joe to say, "I hate the fucking Eagles, man" on camera, that would be epic.

4. The Big Lebowski is a fantastic movie. Joe Pavelski is a fantastic player. This is a pretty weak argument.

5. "Big" can also mean "clutch." And Joe Pavelski has been very clutch so far these playoffs. He's currently tied for the lead in playoff goals with 7. In the first round against Colorado, Pavelski scored the OT game winner in Game 4, the series clincher in Game 6, and he also scored in the last minute of Game 2 to send it into overtime where his linemate, Setoguchi, would win the game. In Game 1 against Detroit last night, Pavelski scored 2 goals again, including the game winning goal. His 3 GWGs are the most of anybody these playoffs. He has definitely been the MVP of the playoffs for the Sharks so far, and has arguably been the best player in the Western Conference playoffs.

6. Does it sound stupid? Sure. But other people's nicknames are just as dumb. It's way better than Little Joe. It's just as good as "Sid the Kid" or "Alexander the Great" or most other nicknames that are out there.

So I'm sticking with the Big Pavelski. I like it. And I don't care what you think.

Go Sharks. Pat is Crazy.