When Jim Nill gave Joe Pavelski his contract worth $7 million, it included an NMC, but only for the first two seasons. The third year had no such stipulation. It made sense at the time. Pavelski is in the twilight of his career. Even players who attack the game with calm intelligence over brute skill still need fresher legs and a more upright back to keep producing. Leaving out the NMC gave Jim Nill the flexibility of losing him to Seattle expansion. Of course, that all assumed Pavelski would end up being a mere broadsword of veteran leadership.
For most of his first season, Pavelski offered that broadsword of veteran leadership.