Still thinking like a fan. GM's trade elite prospects fairly often at the deadline, because there is always a GM trying to hold onto his job that isn't too worried about 3 years down the road. Remember the Forsberg trade or many of Chiarelli's trades. Term matters, but NHL GM's don't think in silly terms like 2 year rentals. They know that if the problem is two years away they have plenty of time to work on it.
This particular trade won't happen because it doesn't make sense for either team. However, don't fool yourself into believing your dream that prospects are more valuable than established players. If a top pairing defenseman like Trouba was traded, depending on who the main piece of the trade is, you can guarantee that there would be a very good chance that a top prospect would be included.
As much as you want to believe it, prospects aren't the most valuable thing in the NHL, winning is, and an established, top pairing RHD helps you do that more than a prospect who is a couple of years away.
