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Oilers’ Stan Bowman details ‘unique’ Connor McDavid negotiation
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- Oilers’ Stan Bowman details ‘unique’ Connor McDavid negotiation
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The post Oilers' Stan Bowman details 'unique' Connor McDavid negotiation appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Edmonton Oilers greatly pleased their fans when it was recently announced Connor McDavid agreed to a contract extension with the team. McDavid is the heartbeat of an Oilers club that has lost back-to-back Stanley Cups. Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is giving some interesting details about what it was like to come to an agreement with McDavid.
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"This is unique," Bowman told reporters, per the Athletic. "It was really more of a dialogue and a conversation throughout the last few months and really nothing to do with the contract itself. Usually, when you have a negotiation, it's more about back-and-forths on the term or the structure of the deal, but that was never talked about."
McDavid agreed to a two-year extension with Edmonton. It carries an average annual value of $12.5 million, per the team. Many NHL analysts predicted McDavid would sign a deal worth even more, but Bowman said winning mattered more to the Oilers star forward.
"It's not about the money for Connor," Bowman added.
McDavid finished the 2024-25 season with 33 points in the playoffs. He tallied 100 points during the regular season, which was his fifth consecutive campaign with at least 100 points.
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The McDavid deal came with just days remaining before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season. McDavid is one of several players the Oilers were trying to re-sign this offseason.
"I obviously said I was committed to winning here and I meant that when I said that and two years makes a lot of sense," McDavid said Tuesday, per NHL.com. "It gives us a chance to continue chasing down what we've been chasing down here with the core guys we have in here and we have a little bit of money to work with too. I think the deal makes sense to both sides.
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"It gives us a chance to extend our window here in Edmonton. [My dog] Lenny is not going to go hungry with that money, so we'll be fine. It's about winning and that's always what I preached and I think this deal gives both sides what we're looking for."
The Oilers star leads a team that has won the Western Conference finals two years in a row. Edmonton though has lost both times in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers . Oilers fans hope this upcoming season is the year their club finally breaks through.
The Oilers begin the 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday, in a game against the Calgary Flames .
Related: Connor McDavid's two-year extension leaves Edmonton Oilers with short championship window
Related: Jake Walman, Oilers grades for $49 million contract extension
