Josh Cooper

jcooper2@tennessean.com

Predators defenseman Seth Jones was pointed and direct.

When asked whether he enjoys playing for Peter Laviolette, Jones — a blueliner on Laviolette's Team USA World Championship squad — gave a ringing endorsement.

"He has been great," Jones said of the recently hired Predators coach. "He's a great speech-maker. He knows how to motivate us. He wants to win, and that's the most important thing. We came here to win a tournament."

Jones and Predators forward Craig Smith — another Team USA player — both have the ability to give Laviolette a proverbial test drive before the coach comes to Nashville. And both have spent time starting to mesh with Laviolette at the tournament, which takes place in Minsk, Belarus.

"He's a pretty high-octane, high-powered offensive coach," Smith said. "He wants to outscore the other team versus trying to win 1-0, so I like that type of run-and-gun style and take care of your own end. It's a little different right now. We're playing on a big sheet. We're going to run different systems, but we're trying to score goals."

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The system that Laviolette has run with Team USA probably will be different than the one he will use in Nashville, primarily because of the international ice surface. European sheets of ice are about 15 feet wider than the ones in North America.

Still, the two Predators said they have seen trademarks of Laviolette-coached teams — an aggressive attacking system that allows forwards freedom to roam and defensemen to jump into the play.

Laviolette's offensive style is a main reason why Nashville hired him to replace Barry Trotz as the team's coach.

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"He definitely likes for the defense to join the play and get in the offense," Jones said. "But he makes it clear that our job is defense first. We have to keep pucks out of our net, and then we can go on the attack and score."

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Laviolette is also known as an excellent motivator — someone who uses stirring pre-game speeches and timeouts to push the right buttons with his team. Jones and Smith have been introduced to this side of the coach as well.

"He's to the point," Smith said. "He's pretty deliberate. He knows where you stand, and he gets it across on a good note. He's easy to read, and that's what makes him a good coach."

Laviolette's energetic style, also has gone into practices, where Smith and Jones note that they're in constant motion.

"Very high tempo," Jones said. "You don't spend much time sitting around."

Both said they haven't had much time to chat with Laviolette about Predators-related subject. But both have had minor discussions, but nothing too in-depth at this juncture of the tournament.

"I like him so far," Smith said. "It's interesting and it's going to be fun next year."

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

TEAM USA

• Record at World Championships: 2-1-0, which features wins over Belarus (6-1) and Switzerland (3-2) and a loss to Russia (6-1)

• Next game: 8:45 a.m. today against Latvia on NBC Sports Network