"There's an element of show business in the NHL," Capitals alternate captain Tom Wilson said.

ARLINGTON, V.A. — Standing in the penalty box on a cold Tuesday night in Calgary, Washington Capitals alternate captain Tom Wilson put on an absolute masterclass in the art of chirping, going back and forth with Flames blueliner Rasmus Andersson.

Andersson had mocked Wilson, having imitated the 30-year-old after he was cross-checked in the back, so Wilson had some words of his own to say in return.

"I'm like, 'Okay, if we're going to start mocking each other, I got a couple for you,'" Wilson grinned.

Hockey's an emotional game, and sometimes, words come out amid the hits, tension and rivalry that comes with each period.

"Sometimes, it's more serious. Sometimes, it's more playful," Wilson said."At the end of the day, there's an element of show business in the NHL."

That said, chirping isn't as easy as it looks. There's a certain rhythm and etiquette behind it, an unwritten code that players follow.

First, there's such a thing as "too far."

"There's a line. I think you always try and ride the line where you want to kind of go after his feelings a little bit, but you don't want to go too hard. You want to be able to laugh about it and have a beer after," Wilson said. "You never want to cross a line and make it something too personal. You want it to sting a little bit, but you gotta make sure that it's not too far."

For example, Andersson's no stranger to running his mouth, and neither is Wilson, so there was no ill will that either had for one another as they jawed back and forth.

Then, there's having the right lines. Brandon Duhaime, who's played the part of the "tough guy" since entering the NHL, will always have something to say in the heat of the moment but will often put his chirps together based on what's happening in the game or on the ice. But at other moments, referencing pop culture, TV shows and movies can help bring a good chirp to light, too.

"It's on the fly. You don't really rehearse things," Duhaime said, adding, "Whatever comes to mind. You can get into (references). I guess everyone's got their different flavor."

For Dylan McIlrath, though, who has heard just about everything at all levels, the most important aspect of a good chirp is delivering it right.

"Oh boy, that's the biggest thing," McIlrath said. "If you stumble on your words, you're screwed and they're laughing at you."

That said, McIlrath, who towers at 6-foot-5 also makes sure to throw in reminders about what will happen if things escalate, and that usually does well.

"I don't even know what's coming out of my mouth. It's not premeditated, it's just whatever you can think of that's witty in the moment and trying to get under their skin," McIlrath said. "I usually try to tell them how I'll mess them up physically."

And when it comes to the goalies, they usually like to stay out of the scrums.

"I don't like giving the opposing players any sort of fuel at all. I keep my mouth shut unless I get really upset," Charlie Lindgren noted.

When it comes to Washington, though, one player in particular is better at chirping than his teammates, as several in the room agreed that John Carlson is the master.

"He's always got something for everyone. No one's safe, he'll go after whoever," Wilson said. "He can be relentless, he's always good for a laugh. He's always in the middle of it, he's got a great sense of humor, and he's a guy that if anything's going on behind the scenes, he's always bringing it to the forefront for everyone to laugh about and joke about."

"He's pretty witty. He's always clever and he's not afraid to say anything, whether it's the ref or opposing players," Lindgren said.

Carlson downplayed it, though.

"I would tend not to disagree (with them). I think I'm more of a stirrer than a chirper," he smiled. "I keep the fire going more than leading the charge. I just like to keep things moving, you know?"

Over time, though, chirping in the league has taken a bit of a backseat, according to Wilson, so when it does happen, he's always ready to engage.

"It's kind of fun... honestly, the last five years or so, it's gotten a lot quieter. There's a lot less guys that kind of go at each other, so it's always fun when that happens," Wilson said.

But he did admit with a smile, "Sometimes I should just learn to shut up. Figured I'd grow up at this point, but every once in a while, the kid in me comes out."