Getting rid of the desktop would be a huge mistake. Many of the same dependencies that the desktop has are also dependencies for Metro, so you're not going to save space. The desktop UI is only loaded when you use the desktop, so it's not going to save other system resources.
However, what it does provide is a highly flexible power user environment, including many of the things mentioned above like Powershell and the Management Console. If your company sets up RemoteApp on a server, it also provides a very compelling thin client setup. Even just when using Office... sure it'll be great to have WinRT versions, but often it's helpful to be able to view multiple sources while typing something up in Office, or to have a few different spreadsheets on screen to prepare a Powerpoint sales presentation or things along those lines.
By all means, they need to continue to make the desktop less necessary like they're doing with 8.1. I've even said in the past that there needs to be a lock switch in PC Settings, where it'll prevent you from ever seeing the desktop at all unless you enable this option and read a disclaimer about a non-optimized touch experience. Removing it entirely though, that just doesn't make sense.