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The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season

Canada Flames Hockey
October 09, 2023
AP - AP

TORONTO (AP) โ€” Nazem Kadri has been involved in more than a few verbal sparring matches and the Calgary forward certainly knows how to dish it out during any on-ice war of words.

โ€œIโ€™ve had my fair share,โ€ he told the Canadian Press. โ€œYou just gotta be on your toes. You just gotta be clever. Sometimes someone will say something and youโ€™ll be like, โ€˜Oh, that was pretty good.โ€˜ It definitely makes things interesting.โ€

But what makes a good trash-talker? Is it doing a deep dive into an opponentโ€™s past in search of that stinging nugget of information? Or a heat-of-the-moment zinger?

The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season
Hurricanes Predators Hockey

โ€œGuys who are just quick and witty,โ€ Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said. โ€œI trip over my words and nothing good comes out. Itโ€™s fun listening to guys that are almost like a smartass โ€ฆ stuff that comes out naturally.โ€

Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey said opponents with knowledge of a playersโ€™ career or an embarrassing moment are the ones that sting.

โ€œThey have got a book,โ€ he said. โ€œTheyโ€™re ready to go.โ€

He added the confidence and skill to try to get someone off their game by talking trashisnโ€™t in everyoneโ€™s arsenal.

The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season
Kraken Canucks Hockey

โ€œThe best guys are willing to back it up,โ€ he said. โ€œIโ€™m definitely not a chirper, but the guys that do โ€ฆ thereโ€™s some pretty charismatic guys in our league.โ€

Montreal winger Cole Caufield said itโ€™s โ€œscaryโ€ how some players will go down an internet rabbit hole to gather dirt. New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes said the hockey world is a small one, which adds to potential material.

โ€œEveryone knows everyone,โ€ he explained. โ€œSometimes it crosses the line, sometimes not. You gotta be quick. You gotta be snappy.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not a big researcher,โ€ Toronto tough guy Ryan Reaves said. โ€œLike it off the cuff.โ€

The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season
Jets Camp Hockey

NHL players also know they have to be careful in an era where microphones are positioned around the rink โ€” and even on players themselves. High-definition television cameras also mean fans can become amateur lip readers.

There was an example last season when Anaheim forward Trevor Zegras and then-Arizona defenseman Troy Stecher got into a war of words that morphed into rumors on social media.

โ€œThings can always be misconstrued โ€ฆ it wasnโ€™t accurate,โ€ Ducks winger Troy Terry said. โ€œIt was a lesson where if youโ€™re in the spotlight, those things can happen.โ€

Morrissey said that rule also applies out of the spotlight.

The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season
Wild Blackhawks Hockey

โ€œAt the rink or away from the rink, thereโ€™s always someone with a phone,โ€ he said. โ€œAnd sometimes disingenuously trying to put you in a tough position.โ€

Vegas center Jack Eichel said that comes with the territory in a wider world thatโ€™s undergone significant social change in the last few years.

โ€œYou gotta be careful what you say not only on the ice, but anywhere,โ€ he said. โ€œA lot of guys are micโ€™d up and thatโ€™s a great thing that our game does.โ€

Boston captain Brad Marchandโ€™s name came up repeatedly as one of the best trash-talkers. Terry said he had a memorable experience as a rookie in 2018-19 with Anaheim.

The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season
Canucks Flames Hockey

โ€œHe was all over me,โ€ Terry recalled of Marchand. โ€œHe was like, โ€˜Seriously, youโ€™re the call-up?โ€™ He said that multiple times โ€ฆ he knew it was my first game back.โ€

Florida winger Matthew Tkachuk said an accurate barb can sting: โ€œThe worst is when you get chirped when youโ€™re actually playing (crappy),. It just adds fuel to the fire. Thatโ€™s when a chirp works.โ€

Kadri said watching two players go toe-to-toe with colorful dialogue never loses its appeal.

โ€œItโ€™s fun to be on the bench when someoneโ€™s getting into it,โ€ Kadri said. โ€œItโ€™s the wittiness and itโ€™s the material. You gotta do your homework, you gotta know everything about who youโ€™re going after. Within reason, of course.โ€

The art of the chirp: NHL players on what makes a good trash-talker, just in time for the season
Coytes Ducks Hockey

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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