Josh Cooper

jcooper2@tennessean.com

Barry Trotz has followed the Predators this offseason. He has analyzed their additions and formed his own critiques, but he plans on keeping them to himself.

"I'll get to see how that plays out," the Washington Capitals coach said via phone. "I don't look back. I just look forward."

From the hiring of coach Peter Laviolette, to the trade for forward James Neal, and some signings at center, the Predators have been all about offense since parting with Trotz, the franchise's original coach, in April.

They're the types of moves the Predators didn't make in recent years under Trotz, as management gave him more two-way grinding players.

He insisted there are still no sour feelings about being ousted from the team he coached for 15 years, though he said he speaks less often with friend and Predators general manager David Poile these days out of respect for the new staff.

"David and the people who are there will always be friends. But I think there needs to be some separation right now so everybody can come in there and be comfortable," Trotz said. "I'll be cheering like crazy for them because I want them to be successful."

As for his new job and situation, Trotz and his family sold their home in Brentwood and moved into a house in Arlington, Va. They've already noticed the significantly higher cost of living.

"It has been a lot of work, just, you're in one house for so long, and a lot of stuff you need to move. We moved to a house that is different in size. We had to downsize quite a bit," he said.

As for the hockey side, much has been made nationally about Trotz and his relationship with Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin. The Russian sniper led the NHL last season with 51 goals, but he plays mostly an offensive game, not the two-way system Trotz championed in Nashville.

Trotz admitted the situation bears watching.

"I think people make too much out of it," he said. "I do know how I operate will be different from previous staffs. Until we go into the season and start playing real games, our relationship will be fine."

Reach Josh Cooper at 615-726-8917 and on Twitter @joshuacooper.