Williams and Durzi are identical in that both are slight, foot slow, but engage in the physical areas of the ice without concern while using outstanding edge work to create very small spaces in tight spots to move the puck. Watch them, they look the same - always moving forwards, very little shifting from side to side. They skate almost identically.
Neither has physical gifts but both rely on guile and guts to make their plays, and those plays are made without frivolity, they are direct movements to move pucks into high danger areas. No extra passes or hope plays. Its all business with the puck, constant funneling to the net.
Both rely on timing and vision to create their chances, both see things offensively a beat faster than others and confidently attack despite being a step slower than most of their opponents.
Durzi demonstrated a knack for big time clutch plays, no need to describe Williams to you there. Its a character thing, being direct, confident, edgy, willing to take abuse and give it back - to stand up for their teammates despite smaller statures. Being not just well liked by their teammates, but infectiously positive and 100% "ferda".
Both have "it" on spades and thats what carries them past their physical limitations. Williams wasn't a Cup winner until he was - but as an avid Canes fan who was ecstatic when we got him, you know a gamer when you see one. Williams always had it, Durzi has it too. The team was elevated by his presence, he lifted them. Its an intagible this team had frankly been missing without Williams and Richards, guys who punch above their weight. Adding Durzi and Danault made a massive difference.
Make sense yet?
That being said, Durzi has some obvious issues but almost all defensemen do early on. All he has to do is reach competency in his own zone. Its a ways away for sure, but his other attributes are too valuable to lose even if Clarke and Spence are "better" players.
