As I said, I don't care how well you CAN skate if you don't.
Chabot is the bigger disappointment in that area because he has more potential that remains unused.
It's also why I'm not big on "pace" arguments because you aren't helping your team when you're injured and sitting in the press box.
If you want to say that Chabot is the better skater but the actual outcome on the ice is a negligible difference I'm fine with that.
Ok, I'll ignore potential abilities. I'll just use results.
I still have Chabot>chychrun and it's not even close.
Yes, Chabot paces himself. Yes, Chabot gets caught watching the play. Yes Chabot gets walked.
But I saw chychrun standing around and getting walked even more than Chabot last year. Maybe it's because chychrun played more, I admit, however I'm still fairly confident chychrun got walked more on a game by game basis. So skating ability for defense, I would still rank Chabot over chychrun as he got caught flat footed more than Chabot. But let's say I grant you it being a wash.
Then we have to look at skating ability to create offense. I can show you plenty of highlights of Chabot using his superior skating to either create offense, bring the puck up ice, or finish the play.
With chychrun, I have no examples of this, as he doesn't have superior skating ability. All of his offensive highlights will come from mostly having a wicked shot, or making a creative pass. It's never from him speeding around anyone.
Go look at game day threads. What you say about Chabot pacing himself is true, however, he still has glimpses of great skating. Plenty of times, posters said things like "see, this is what Chabot is capable. He can skate really well. Why doesn't he do this every game?" Which shows you're right that he's pacing himself, but also shows I'm right that he still occasionally shows ability to skate around the other team. Chychrun, however, never does this because he does not possess that ability.
So Chabot who occasionally skates great is still infinitely better than chychrun who can't skate great.
So even if you give their defensive skating a wash, I don't know how anyone can give their offensive skating a wash, or a win to chychrun. Chychrun simply can't do some of the stuff Chabot does when it comes to skating. Chabot had a few highlight reel goals the last year or two just walking in from the point with speed to get into a scoring position before the opposition can block it off. Chychrun doesn't. He just blasts it through the goalie.