I get it but sadly asking players to waive NM / NT clauses they have in their contracts is not something many of them will do.
In addition as fans we own SOME of this blame – the rink sells out every game, seasons tickets have a 10 year or more wait list and despite the insane prices on just about everything Maple Leafs from popcorn at the rink to a jersey we pay it and the Leafs are the most profitable or at least the most valuable franchise in the league. The Leafs were worth 4 Billion last year, half a billion more than the closest team (Rangers) while the ‘average’ team is valued at 1.9 Billion.
I wish the Leafs could instill that culture of taking a bit less so the team can use that saved $ cumulatively to get more of what it needed to win but that needs to start with one big star player and quite honestly we just haven’t seen it from the Leafs yet. Some will argue JT took less to come home (and he reportedly did) but he still got 11M on max term on a team that has way too much invested in talent.
We can only hope they can get that cultural to eventually be something that happens but it’s going to take time I fear and the other thing which many of us just don’t have much left of – patience.
Marner could do it now, but we all know he won’t.
Matthews and Willy and Reilly all could have done it in past years but they didn’t.
Maybe one day but then again if this team just keeps making the most money in the NHL and remains the most valuable franchise the real ? is is MLSE / Rogers even motivated to?