I think you're right. I love my slicks on the pavement, wet or dry, though frequent trips through grass, mud, snow, or dirt may change my opinion. What I heard was that car tires, for example, have groves to allow water to pass through and prevent hydroplaning. The same concept does not apply, however, on a much, much, lighter bicycle. It's the same reason you see bald tires on race cars, they offer an increased contact patch. Anyway, I'm not sure it matters if you have knobbies, baldies, or anything between. And, in light of this, I choose the tire with the lowest rolling resistance.

My idea of the ideal commuter is a bike you enjoy riding. Right now I'm on a Specialized Sirrus , which has done the job well after some mods. I have the ubiquitous Brooks B17, which I love, and a trek rack with a Wald basket zip-tied to it. Don’t let anyone dis baskets. I can carry my backpack to work, and if I need to stop on the way home, I can wear my backpack and fill my basket with books, groceries, etc. I don’t have fenders. I can get away with it usually, because I live in the desert. Fenders, however, are on the to-do list. I put bar ends on the flat bar and it serves me very well.
I wouldn't buy another Sirrus, but I do appreciate it.