They didn't though.
Marner produced 7% better in overall production (10% no EN).
Marner produced 11% better in overall primary production (15% no EN).
Marner produced 28% better at 5v5.
Marner produced 46% better at 5v5 primary production.
Marner produced 24% better on the PP.
Marner produced 13% better on the PP in primary production.
Marner also brought PK impacts, while Rantanen didn't.
You're making a distinction on goals that historically doesn't exist, and the only reason Rantanen even has more goals is because he was set up as the triggerman on Mackinnon's PP, while Marner was the playmaker of his. Marner scored goals better than Rantanen in every other game state.
A 17.8% bigger contract is certainly reasonable.
Mitch Marner produced 13 less goals in 11 more games. That is not more. That is less.
Marner scored 15 more points playing 11 more games.
He produced at a rate of .92 points per game and .28 goals per game.
Rantanen produced at .90 points per game and .35 goals per game.
That is reality. Marner scored 2% more points and 7% less goal rate than rantanen.
There is no precedent ever for 2 players who scored almost identically over the course of their elcs to have 1.7 million dollar differences.
You making your hypothesis “the only reason that” has no basis in fact. You are just saying it. There are all kinds of hypotheticals (Matthews gets matchups/ Marner got to play with Tavares) etc but the bottom line is.
They scored at very similar rates with rantanen scoring more goals in less games. There is nothing to suggest ever
That Marner was worth that much more.
I don’t know what stats games you are playing but you can’t score less goals in reality but somehow score more goals in every game state.
It’s not that p/60 nonsense is it?
Edit. There absolutely is a premium on goals. Tie goes to goals. Ovy. Nash. Kovy. Vanek. Heatley.
Look at all the players who got more than Marner what do they all have in common? Goals. Actually I think marner was the only player who did not have a 40 goal top 3 finish in goals on that list?
Matthews was worth his contract because he was a top goal scorer not because he was a 60-70 pt player.