I agree with some aspects particularly how valuable both those guys are to our current roster. Additionally whether we end up 2nd, 5th or 6th doesn't really matter. You still have to win in the playoffs. Having them healthy for the first round is the most important issue.

A quality d-man has to be two things; a people mover and a puck mover. You can be both if your a big body, but you can rarely be both if your a smaller body. That's why most of the better d-men in the NHL are both big and mobile. Both Williams and Burroughs are key cogs in our defence, however I don't rate our defence in the top 10 of the WHL. The D is serviceable but not great.

Smaller d-men seem to get hurt more often than the bigger guys. Last year both Williams and Burroughs spent time on the injury list. This year Burroughs has been out a couple of times and now Williams again. The season is long and the smaller guys just seem to break down more as the season progresses. When I look at the top three teams (points) in each conference There are only two teams of those six who use one guy under 6'. Stadel and Hicketts and mainly on the PP. Nobody in the top three of the Eastern Conference use anyone under 6'. None of those six teams uses two guys under 6'.

Of the top 20 scoring d-men in the League only 2 are less than 6'. The only one in the top 10 is Honka thanks to his quick start. Most of the guys are 6'1" to 6'3" who are at or near the top. Neither of our two offensive guys even makes top 20. When you look at how championship calibre teams build their defence, the Pats might be wise to copy their foot print.