Yeah, that's pretty much the rationale for the RNH for Seth Jones proposals that started up last year. Teams rarely give up top pairing guys unless forced to, but they might hand over one with the potential to be one.
It's a tough choice, especially considering that trading RNH for high potential futures has a strong probability of turning next season into another development year. Not sure Chia has the stomach for that.
Is too much of the focus about getting a true #1? Seems like the homerun is something this team and fan base have tried for, but really you don't need a #1, not yet anyway.
Florida's #1 has been Campbell, although that's probably changing even if he stays next year.
Anaheim, just used the old no real #1 but played a solid top 4.
Isles #1 d was Hamonic for much of the year but he doesn't appear to be one for the Oilers judging by these threads.
Philly had some sort of mickey mouse defense that relied on Del Zotto and Streit for much of the year.
That's just what I found on a few teams that made the playoffs. Neither team really had a sexy d-man, but somehow those combinations got them into the playoffs. In the Flyers case I suspect that was more due to east. If we can't get a #1 then we have to make sure we have depth and have 4 guys playing in the top 4 that can actually play in the top 4, but are guys that probably can play on a top pairing and not look out of place.