Calling for the puck and beaver taps

[MaxR11]

What do people think about this? Calling for the puck with a "ya!", ya-ya". or by name "dougie!" Or the stick tap.

Personally i think the stick tap (especially if aggressive) is annoying. I don't mind the calling for the puck though. I like the communication even if most of the time i do see the option and don't need it. Though i guess it's annoying if one guy is always calling for it. lol.

I know a few guys who absolutely hate it when people call for the puck.

Click to read more...

 

[Filthy Dangles]

What do people think about this? Calling for the puck with a "ya!", ya-ya". or by name "dougie!" Or the stick tap.

Personally i think the stick tap (especially if aggressive) is annoying. I don't mind the calling for the puck though. I like the communication even if most of the time i do see the option and don't need it. Though i guess it's annoying if one guy is always calling for it. lol.

I know a few guys who absolutely hate it when people call for the puck.

Depends on the situation, are you playing with guys who can play and they are hogging the puck? Are you playing with novices who might have a hard time keeping their head up and seeing plays develop.

If it's open hockey or shinny I'd say forget beaver taps. If you're playing more competitive and with guys you know, nothing wrong with it.

I personally never liked beaver taps, if I was trying to call for the puck I would try and communicate the specific call like chip, drop, reverse, point etc.....

 

[AIREAYE]

Calling by name/nickname or at worst generally calling are all much better than tapping. Voice/teammate recognition you know?

 

[puckpilot]

I'm very selective when I call or tap my stick. I only do it if I"m 100% open, the puck carrier has their head down, is in a tight spot, and a pass would send me in on a clear break.

I've played with people who are constantly yelling for it, and I hate it, because what happens is I pick up the puck and haven't even had a nanosecond to read the situation yet, and they're yelling or slapping their stick. I usually assume they're open, so I'll toss it up blind. As soon as I get a read, I'm pissed because the other team has the puck, and the person calling for it never had a chance because the puck would have had to go through three players to get to them.

Once that happens, I stop passing to calls and taps, but it's still annoying and distracting.

 

[MaxR11]

Depends on the situation, are you playing with guys who can play and they are hogging the puck? Are you playing with novices who might have a hard time keeping their head up and seeing plays develop.

If it's open hockey or shinny I'd say forget beaver taps. If you're playing more competitive and with guys you know, nothing wrong with it.

I personally never liked beaver taps, if I was trying to call for the puck I would try and communicate the specific call like chip, drop, reverse, point etc.....

It was just a common thing (calling for pucks) when playing competitve hockey. We're always communicating and calling for a variety of things. But i feel like now with shinny (much less so with men's league) it can rub some people the wrong way. Though there are shinny skates where most of the guys are former or current jr, pro, college etc players and everyone would still be calling for it. no biggie. i like it that way actually.

Its rare to see beaver tappers still to be honest. normally it's coming from a guy who's not the best player out there.

I do the same... just call out "chip, yup, boards, middle etc" once in a while.

 

[EightyOne]

If you do it, you better do something when you get the puck, or expect me to ignore you forever after.

 

[KyleJRM]

I like it when the call tells me where they are relative to me. "Drop" or "point" or "center" or something that gives me an idea of where to look.

 

[varano]

Calling by name/nickname or at worst generally calling are all much better than tapping. Voice/teammate recognition you know?

Agreed on this. Anyone can tap but if someone knows your name, its probably a team mate.

 

[Neutrinos]

When people hate on me for banging my stick, I'm like:

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Hate the beaver tap- means your stick isn't on the ice and I feel like the sound direction isn't as clear.

A nickname and especially a direction are helpful. If a guy overdoes it he becomes the boy who cried wolf, I hate that- "why didn't you pass to me?" Because the last 3 times you were open you were covered.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I like it when the call tells me where they are relative to me. "Drop" or "point" or "center" or something that gives me an idea of where to look.

Agreed, I'm constantly babbling to my linemates to tell them where I am. They know I don't always expect the puck, I'm just giving them the option.

If I see them look at me I keep quiet though. No need to let the other team in on where I am if they aren't paying attention.

 

[LeifUK]

I like it when someone makes a good call to let me know where they are. One lad has given me great passes, and shouts to let me know when he’s well placed for a pass.

I know someone else who regularly places himself near the goal, then bangs the stick on the ice, and shouts. It comes across as annoying, expecting someone else to do the work to set him up. But maybe others do not see it that way

 

[SJGoalie32]

I will often direct traffic verbally, whether I get the puck or not.

Most commonly I'll do this on the breakout with one or two opposing forecheckers. I'll either call out to let them know I'm open if they are under pressure, or if I'll specifically call off "No! No!" if I see my the puck carrier looking for me and I know I'm too well covered (like I made a break for an open lane but I see the defender moving in my direction and will get to me before the puck). I'll also call out "reverse" if I see an open man on the far side (whether that's me or someone else) or to just dump it.

I don't like stick taps because unless you are looking directly at the person it's hard to know exactly where it's coming from and it's easily faked by opponents.

In the offensive zone, I'll communicate verbally to direct traffic. But I usually only call for the puck to support a player in distress in the corner. I may also call for it if I am in or breaking into a prime open area, but even then I'll try to do it silently (high stick raise) because if I found a small opening I don't want to alert the defenders or goalie only to have them take it away.

I never mind when people call for the puck when I have it. I like communication. Communication is good. But I as puck carrier still have final say whether you get it.

Just because you call for it doesn't mean you're open, or in a better position, or that I can get it to you. If i see someone else in better position, I'm going to pass to them. If I don't think I can thread the needle through the closing passing lane, I'll keep it. I'm not a puck hog, I will get it to you if I can and if i think it's the right play, and I won't if I can't or don't. I offer my teammates the same courtesy when they have the puck

I communicate options to my teammates, I welcome them communicating options I might not see. Once all the options are known, I will do the best I can given the situation and trust my teammates to do the same.

 

[Kreegz2]

A quick 1-2 tap is fine if you're in the puck carrier's blind spot. The guys that spend 5 seconds rapid fire tapping their sticks on the ice while they aren't even open are the ones that annoy me.

 

[Neutrinos]

A quick 1-2 tap is fine if you're in the puck carrier's blind spot. The guys that spend 5 seconds rapid fire tapping their sticks on the ice while they aren't even open are the ones that annoy me.

And what if they're tapping their stick for 5 seconds because they are open?

 

[Neutrinos]

On the flip side, it's annoying when I'm open, banging my stick for a few seconds, and my teammate doesn't pass me the puck

There's a reason I'm calling for it. Don't over-think it. Just gimme the f***in' puck!

 

[kilowatt]

in general, i think it’s easier to discern a teammate’s voice than a random stick tap. it might not be possible in a pickup, but if you’re on a team, try talking to your teammates! tell them”hey, when you’re entering the zone i’ll be trailing you for a drop pass” or “look to me for a give and go” and then call for it when that happens.

if i had someone i didnt know tapping their stick all game, either im doing something wrong or they are

 

[MaxR11]

lol, i've never heard any call for the puck like Biebs did from Connor at about 1:26.....

 

[Rebels57]

I only beaver tap if I am back-checking and trying to dupe the opposition into dropping me the puck.

 

[kook10]

Not a fan of stick taps or "heys". Half of the time it is just the local puck hog calling for it when the pass isn't there. If anything I go with "over/yes/no", "boards/middle" or "high/low".