Here comes the name calling again? You called me a clown like the first response you gave me. Don't play victim.
You can't mutually terminate a contract for no reason in the NHL. Name me one example. That's the delusional part because you don't understand how a contract works or the rules of the league.
Put up your money or make an account bet with me. I'll bet you anything you want. If it's your word on here I guarantee I wont get the money though. DM me and we'll find an app that will let us do it.
I'm going to agree with you on the contract part. Fans who don't like the deal and what you are getting for it are going to 'wish away' the contract by saying how it should be terminated, or someone else should trade for him (if his contract is THAT bad, why would someone else want it, not to mention what are the odds of him WANTING to leave the home town Leafs and at least playoff appearance guarantees for another team willing to take on his deal?)
With that said, hes old(er) but hes not a total dinosaur out there. He's 33, not 38. His scoring is down this year but he's still likely to put up 25 for you and he's coming off of 36 last year. When I watch him, my personal 'eye test' tells me he puts in as much effort and floats less than a lot of other players on the team. And in the last 2 years in the playoffs, he has only scored 2 less goals than Matthews, the same as Nylander, and more than Marner (meaning his production at least doesn't drop off once the playoffs hit, he is consistent).
So what do I mean by all that? You aren't getting $11m of performance out of him, but you aren't getting DRASTICALLY less. If you could wave a magic wand and make the last 2 years of his contract disappear, yeah, it would be great, but you almost ALWAYS have that issue with the last couple years of a contact for a star player you sign in their middle-to-late 20's. You are likely to have that issue with Nylander, Matthews, and Marner the last couple years of their deals. The fact that you are getting 25-30 goals out of JT AND he's not disappearing in the playoffs is actually pretty good for the last 2 years of his deal compared to what happens to other stars at the end of their deals.
What will he give you next year? 30+ goals? Probably not, but not out of the question. Some place between 20-25 goals, 60+ points and showing up in the playoffs? I'd bet on that. THAT is not as easy to replace as many here want to think. You don't just easily go out and find a 25 year old free agent that will give you that for half the price.
Ideally, I'd like to see him play here next year, then LOVE to see him re-sign for another 2-3 years at a much lower rate. You still aren't going to get him for the vet minimum, but a JT still playing at a decent level, who now can be your third line guy, I think that is the most likely, and the best possible outcome.