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There is a growing school of thought that offensive puck movers are better at preventing goals than stay at home defensemen. Its essentially a continuation of the belief that players with a ton of hits are actually hurting the team because they never have the puck. I'm not 100% sold on the theory, but this season is going to be a case study.
Definitely helps to have highly mobile defense that can move the puck out of the zone and chip in offensively in ozone. Even if to chip it deep to work the cycle. And typically if a guy has good skating he is more laterally agile which allows them to tighten the gap, which is less time and space for forwards bringing puck in the zone. I guess the only time we see the con side of it is if teams play a heavy puck cycle game on us. The smaller nimble guys tend to not be as strong on puck battles against the bigger forwards and clearing the net front. For example, when Lachance helped tie that game up with goalie pulled with 20 seconds left at Alfond. Plays like that I suppose. BC coach Brown said the key to beating Maine is to get their defensemen facing the wrong way. Which is as much to say get pucks behind them and work cycle down low. That more or less plays into our D’s weaker side.
McMahon mentioned multiple teams holding a roster spot open for drafted CHL players once they get marching orders from their new clubs. Maine may be in that camp.
to quote Hall of Famer Sergei Makarov, “best defense offense yours”.