Stan Bowman kept saying it throughout the entire contract negotiation process. Every time reporters asked about Connor McDavid's extension, every time speculation ramped up about whether the captain would demand max dollars, Bowman said the same thing: it was never about the money. And now that McDavid has signed for two years at $12.5 million per season—the exact same AAV he's been making since 2017—we know Bowman wasn't spinning false platitudes about his star.

He was telling the truth.

"I would say in every other negotiation, it's focused on the money," began Bowman. "So it was really an unprecedented type of situation and it was really trying to get Connor to a comfort level where this felt right."

That comfort level wasn't about guarantees or security or maximizing earnings. It was about believing the organization was committed to winning. And Bowman spent those months showing McDavid exactly that through actions, not just words.

Look at what the Oilers signed before McDavid. Evan Bouchard got his four-year extension at $10.5 million per season, locking up a staple defenseman during his prime years. 

Jake Walman signed a seven-year, $49 million extension right alongside McDavid's announcement. That's $7 million per season for a defenseman who completely changed the Oilers' blue line after being acquired.

"He came in and he really changed the complexion of our D," added Bowman. "It kind of made everyone just fit in their spots just right."

That's not just filling a roster spot—that's upgrading the team in meaningful ways.

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Then there's Trent Frederic, who signed an eight-year extension at $3.85 million per season after being acquired at the trade deadline. There's a physical, competitive forward who brings an edge and showed up in the playoffs, locked in long-term at a cap-friendly number.

These are the building blocks McDavid was evaluating when deciding his future. These were the signings that he needed to see get done.

"In my conversations with Connor, he's curious. He likes to know what's coming, what my thoughts are, and how I see the team and how we can get better," Bowman explained. "They were very good discussions and good dialogue back and forth.

"He's a very smart guy in addition to being an amazing player. He's got a lot of good ideas, and that's why it's fun to talk hockey with him."

McDavid wasn't asking about his contract terms. He was asking about the plan. He wanted to understand the vision for building a championship roster. The Bouchard extension showed they could keep core pieces. The Walman signing showed they could upgrade the defense. The Frederic deal showed they were thinking long-term about depth and identity. These weren't accidents—these were proof points that the organization understood what needed to happen.

Ryan Rishaug for TSN reported something even more telling: until McDavid gave them the $12.5 million number, they hadn't actually talked about specific dollars. The biggest contract negotiation in Oilers history, and they never discussed money until McDavid told them what he wanted to make. He set the number himself, and that number was designed to help the team build around him, not maximize his profit.

"In the process of those discussions, it's my job to have conversations and talk to him and explain things and understand what he has to say," continued Bowman. "I'm not here to share what those conversations are, but we had a number of really good conversations with him, and it was never once about terms or dollars.

"So it's extremely unusual, but the circumstances are unusual. Connor's such a special player and special guy and leader that I think this situation called for probably a different approach."

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The two-year term is another signal that this was about belief in the plan, not security. When asked if the shorter deal changes his approach, Bowman was clear.

"No, it doesn't change anything at all for me. It's not like we're planning out five years from now to be a team that might be able to win the cup," stressed the GM. "Our focus last year was to win. Our focus this year is to win. So this doesn't change anything."

McDavid could have locked in eight years of security at significantly more money. Kirill Kaprizov just signed for $17 million per season. Leon Draisaitl got $14 million. McDavid is the best player in the world and could have demanded anything. Instead, he kept his number the same and chose a shorter term that puts pressure on the organization to deliver results immediately.

That's not about money. That's about winning. And the extensions the Oilers handed out before McDavid signed proved they understood the assignment. Bouchard locked up long-term. Walman committed for seven years. Frederic secured for eight. These weren't just contract signings—these were statements that the organization was building something sustainable and competitive.

"When you see Connor's, it's obvious what he wants, which is to win, and his actions have shown that. I think that's a pretty inspiring thing for a player to do," Bowman said. "If I'm a player who's thinking of coming to Edmonton for next year, it gets me pretty excited knowing how committed the captain is."

Stan Bowman said it throughout the whole process: it was never about the money for Connor McDavid. Some people probably thought it was GM spin, the kind of thing you say publicly while privately negotiating hard over dollars and term. But Bowman was telling the truth. The extensions to Bouchard, Walman, and Frederic showed McDavid the commitment. The conversations focused on hockey strategy and roster building. And when it came time to set his salary, McDavid chose the number that gave his team the best chance to win.

Two years. Same AAV. A roster being built the right way. Bowman was right all along. It was never about the money. It was always about the Stanley Cup. And now the Oilers have two years to prove McDavid's faith in their plan was justified.

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