I like your suggestion. That would definitely solve quite a lot of problems and also make it more interesting to train players to a high level for the NT if you can even have 2-3 trainees in a division 1 team and can still sustain their salary ...
Winner: 1x Consolation Tournament (U21), 2x Goldene Ananas, 1x Goldene Himbeere, 2x Goldener Erdapfel, 3x Bronze Medal (U21)