"Offensively, starting from our (defensive zone) we're moving the puck out quick. We're all on the same page - you got to play not just with your legs, you have to play with your brain," said the veteran forward.
"For defencemen, you have to know what your partner is trying to do. What his next move is, what his next play is and all of those things kind of fall together when you're playing fast."
Team speed comes in handy when the other team has the puck too.
"You've got to play fast defensively, we talk about over and above the puck a lot - checking with our legs working back into position where it feels like the opponent doesn't have any room out there," added the forward.
"They (have to) make the first pass, they have to flip it out into the neutral zone so it's a fifty-fifty puck where we can get possession."
Playing in his third full season with the club, Andrew Copp has learned the importance of playing at a high tempo.
"It's all cyclical - if we're slow then our forwards aren't on top of their forwards coming through the neutral zone. Then they chip it in on our D, and then they've got two men hard on our D. Then it's coming into the D zone instead of breaking the puck out," explained the Michigan product.
"Once you do one thing right and if you just keep doing everything, you're going to be a half play ahead of them the entire time."
Winnipeg's ability to bounce back has been impressive this season, sporting an 18-7-3 record when coming off a loss of any kind. Their capacity to rebound was on full display in the first round as they picked up a 2-0 win in Game Four.
"(Their ability to rebound) is a combination of a lot of things. But if we're mentally engaged, I think that's when we're anticipating routes and then our team speed - we're a very fast skating team - so then our team speed really comes out when we're anticipating really well and that makes us look even faster," said Copp.
Head Coach Paul Maurice echoed Copp's message.
"(Playing with speed) is our strength, it's how we define our game. The last game (Game Five vs. Minnesota) we were very fast at the start and not in the second - you can see the difference. Whether it's the flight or the day that we had going into Game Three, we weren't fast. We got beat bad. You have to do what you're good at every night in the playoffs to expect a win."
With the NHL becoming quicker in recent seasons, young players with speed to burn are making their mark. While being speedy on the ice has its advantages, playing smart is paramount.
"Some of the guys that play the fastest in the league aren't that fast. It's all about how quick you think, you're anticipation," admitted the 23-year-old Copp.
"I think my hockey IQ overall has been a strength of mine specifically positioning wise. I think in the last maybe five years my speed has gotten so much better. I was never a bad skater by any means. I would say my pure speed right now is maybe the best it's ever been. I feel like I've always played fast, but now I'm playing even faster."
Both Copp and Hendricks agree, offseason training in the gym has been vital in helping them adjust to a faster NHL. However, playing games and building chemistry with their line mates is vital to playing fast as a unit.
"(Playing fast) is a mindset we've talked about every day since training camp - we've been practicing it every day," said Hendricks.
"Being comfortable with your line mates - specifically if we're talking about Lowry and Tanev - they run such consistent routes that I know where they're going to be like 100 per cent of the time so I know where I need to be 100 per cent of the time," said Copp. "Then you're kind of not thinking anymore, you're just going out and playing - because that's just what you do."
