This. Websites should use standard mechanisms by default, and optionally layer user preference stuff on top.

Every time you override some default browser behaviour you risk breaking workflows, harming interoperability and accessibility, etc.

OP would be better served with a grease/tamper/violentmonkey script to alter links (or inject a base target tag, whatever) than lobbying developers to change things. (Or, yknow, learning to use the middle mouse button).