Only an idiot takes less money than they are worth.
I don't see Steve down in accounting asking for a pay cut so Stacy can send her son for extra ballet lessons.
The issue is that the NHL salary cap is horrible
"Only and idiot takes less.."
Every single star player could go to UFA and use it as leverage to squeeze every extra penny out of their organization and certainly would get more money. Mcdavid, Kucherov, Mackinnon ...could easily have gotten more if they went to the market. How many do it? Marner did it last contract and is gearing up to do it again.
Marner not only did it last contract but him and his agent released a rumor he was negotiating to sign with the same Swiss Team Matthews played for, and then also released that he received two offersheets to apply more pressure. Of course afger resigning with the Leafs, Marner and his agent refused to ever answer if the offersheets were for more money than what he ultimately got from Toronto. We all know they weren't because Mitch would've loved to tell the world he took less to sign in Toronto.
Additionally, Marner doesnt want an 8 year contract. He was a contract like Matthews. He wants a 4 year contract. So in 4 years he can maximize one more time on a bigger annual salary with a cap increase.
This is also something every NHL star player could do and it would almost certainly guarantee they maximize there money but very few do it.
Mcdavid signed for 8x12.5 for 100 million
Matthews signed 5x11.625
He then signed for 4x13.25
So in 8 years he will have 98 million
But... had COVID not occurred, Matthews probably would've pulled a substantial amount more in than Mcdavid in the 8 years.