Versatility can be a powerful tool in the NHL. In a game as fluid as Ihmir Smith-marsette Jersey hockey, it never seems that any two games are alike. Look at the way lineups routinely change acro s the NHL. Coaches are constantly looking for ways to improve the team and find the right mix for optimal results.That's why there's such value in having a lineup full of players with versatility. Players with more rounded skill sets can be plugged into any kind of situation. Some players' versatility goes above and beyond, however. of the and of the may be among the most versatile players in the league and that is going to be put to the test this season. Both have spent time in their NHL careers at defense and forward and have had succe s at both positions.This season, they'll kind of be trading places.The Jets moved Byfuglien from his defense position to forward midway through last season. It was a move that did not seem all that welcome to Byfuglien, who has been said to prefer defense, but he does offer a unique weapon (and bigger body) for the team's top six. Burns, meanwhile, is headed back to the blue line. He was moved up to forward to great results late in the 2012-13 season. He played the entire 2013-14 campaign up front as well and proved a valuable a set on one of the league's most productive teams.After was not brought back this summer, the Sharks had a hole in their D corps again and Burns, who has played on the back end for most of his career, was the easiest to insert. The Sharks are also expecting big things from this switch.These moves are obviously not made lightly. Both Burns and Byfuglien have proven to be extremely valuable a sets to their team and these moves can have a large impact on what these teams are able to do. For the Sharks, they could mi s Burns' production up front as he scored a career-high 22 goals and 48 points while spending a lot of time with . Had he stayed at forward, there's a good chance Burns could have been a 30-goal scorer as one of the most imposing power forwards in the league at 6-feet-5 and 230 pounds. That kind of potential is tough to give up.What the Sharks will gain is probably four to five minutes per game Zak Deossie Jersey of Burns being on the ice. He has also been a really productive blueliner with 83 points in his past two full seasons on defense, which included an All-Star Game appearance in 2011. That's what the Sharks want to see him be again after more than a season away from his natural position."It will take him a little bit just to get comfortable there again," Sharks head coach . "But, when I say a little bit, we're not talking about Christmas. By the time we've done the exhibition season, he'll be an All-Star defenseman again." If Burns can get to that level again, it could go a long way for the Sharks. Having lost Boyle by choice, the Sharks are going to need points from the back end. That's where Burns should excel. Being able to use him with multiple lines as opposed to just one could make for an especially dangerous attack.The succe s of the move also depends on who the Sharks are able to replace Burns with in the top six. That job very well could go to a youngster Brian Lewerke Jersey like , a speedy winger with some skill. San Jose should also be looking for a year of full health from , which adds to the depth up front.The Jets are in a similar dilemma. Now that they've moved Byfuglien from defense on a more permanent basis, how do they replace him? Before the switch, made by Claude Noel not terribly long before he was fired and maintained by current head coach Paul Maurice, Byfuglien was logging anywhere from 25 to 31 minutes a game. As a forward, that dipped below 20 minutes per game.Does Byfuglien give the Jets enough as a forward? Or would he be able to do more as a defenseman?Now, neither Burns nor Byfuglien are world beaters when it comes to defending, but their offensive skills can be a huge weapon on the back end. Not just when it comes to producing in the offensive zone. Defensemen with better offensive skills can help when it comes to getting out of the zone and making good decisions with the puck to aid transition as the NHL goes more and more toward being a rush league. It comes down to risk-reward benefits for both teams. In the case of the Sharks, Chris Manhertz Jersey they're actually due to get more out of Burns in his current role than they can with him as a forward. That may hurt some of the top-six production, but when you still have Thornton, , and up there, it probably doesn't hurt as much.For the Jets, they don't have an overly deep team, but with , , and already occupying some space in the top six, with perhaps ready for a bigger role, wouldn't it make more sense to get Byfuglien on the ice with both top-six lines at various points in the game as opposed to just one as a forward?What makes the move of Byfuglien to forward all the more curious is that over the past three seasons in which he was a defenseman full time (2010-13), he was second among all NHL defensemen with 134 points in 190 games. Only had more points. Isn't that kind of production even more valuable from the blue line? Obviously, Maurice liked what he saw after taking over the team last season with Byfuglien. The Jets are trying Byfuglien out with Ladd and Little, while they also expect to use him on the point on power plays and in four-on-four situations. So he'll be more of a hybrid than a full-time forward.With Byfuglien up front, there could be more pre sure on to take on an even bigger role in his sophomore season. The 20-year-old blueliner showed some serious offensive potential last season with 29 points in 65 games. He can probably already eat some of the lost minutes and points from Byfuglien.In today's NHL, offensive defensemen probably deserve more credit for what they do beyond producing points. It's the ability to help a team establish and keep po se sion more than the other team. Both Byfuglien and Burns have done that from the blue line when they've logged big minutes in the past. Each has often put up positive Corsi relative numbers, which shows the team is often po se sing the puck at a better rate with those players on the ice than without them. Scoring goals is obviously important, too. The Sharks definitely goosed scoring when Burns was added to the forward mix late in 2012-13. The Jets got 10 of the 20 goals Byfuglien scored last season after the switch.How these position switches work will be extremely interesting to follow as they should be among the most scrutinized decisions when it comes to player usage. How much value is Byfuglien going to bring the Jets from the forward position? How does Burns' value change from last season to this as he goes back to the blue line full time? And for both, how long do these two teams keep these experiments going if they don't bring about the desired results?The kind of versatility Burns and Byfuglien po se s is rare, which is why it can sometimes be difficult to channel properly. It should become apparent pretty early if their current teams are harne sing that versatility in the right ways and that makes this duo particularly interesting to watch heading Eric Gray Jersey into the season.