Mack's career average: 0.38 gpg 1.05 ppg
Pastrnak's career average: 0.49gpg 1.03 ppg
Pastrnak is arguably worth more. They are at the very least the approximate same tier.
Contracts aren’t based on career numbers. MacKinnon has been top 10 in points per game for 6 consecutive seasons, while Pastrnak has been top 10 3 times in the past 5 years, and is coming off of two seasons just over a point per game. While injury and personal reasons could explain those seasons, they still happened. MacKinnon is also a 3 time Hart finalist, while Pastrnak has a single 4th place finish (which was behind MacKinnon).
Over those 5 years for Pastrnak, he’s at 1.21 PPG. Over that same time period, MacKinnon is at 1.34 PPG. And that eliminates a season where MacKinnon finished barely behind McDavid in PPG. In the playoffs, MacKinnon is third among all active players with a 1.33 PPG, while Pastrnak is at 1.06.
MacKinnon is also a center, a better play driver, and was coming off a cup win where he led the playoffs in goals. He’s clearly worth more, and this thread is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone try to argue otherwise. The gap between their cap hits is entirely justified