I honestly believe Pasta is the vastly suprior player for two reasons:
1. He can actually impact the game outside of slap-shot from the right circle. This is Mikko's biggest weakness. He can't do shit but one-time a puck, but he's basically a god-level cheat code at doing that, but his pay for being a one-trick poney is entirely too damn high. He is nowhere near good enough to earn Nate money.
2. As for being a stud who can run his on line... Why didn't he? We have basically gone through years with a legitimate 2C. He filled in at 2C for a season we literally had no other option and was fantastic, but the moment we could get a shitty center we put Mikko right back on Nates wing. But last season with all the shit going on with RyJo and everything, Bednar either COULD not or WOULD not take him off of Nates wing for some reason. I honestly think Rants needs a top two center to get away with being able to add absolutely no value outside of a one-timer. When he played center he did. Earlier in his career his play away from the puck was severaly lacking, last season, it actively did damage to the team. Points were still there but that line got absolulte nothing from Mikko but a one-timer. There was no forechecking, and when he back-checked his smoking habit is very, very apparent. He looks like he gives absolute no shits. As much as I'd love to keep him, if he isn't firmly attached to a line other than Nates, I actively do not want him back. If they would committ to him playing on the second line, I have no problems signing him for 10M per, but to play with Nate, you do not get Nate's money. Unimaginable to me, but I am resigned to the fact that the Avs will do that and close their window purposely.