The Edmonton Oilers announced on Wednesday the signing of former Ottawa Senators prospect Alex Formenton.
The 26-year-old had been embroiled in a major legal situation stemming from the Hockey Canada Scandal. That situation pretty much cost Formenton four NHL seasons, as he last played in 2021-22, appearing in 70 games, scoring 18 goals and 32 points.
The former second-round pick was a promising talent, but time away from the ice, training camps, or any sort of contact with an NHL organization may have adversely affected his game.
While Formenton did play 42 games for HC Ambro-Piotta of the Swiss League, there’s no telling how much the time away from the NHL could impact Formenton’s skills. His 13 goals and 23 points aren’t exactly encouraging, signaling that the Oilers are pretty desperate to sign Formenton.
As such, this signing is a bit of a desperate move by Edmonton, negative optics aside. The move is a flyer on the Oilers’ part and is likely a bit of a Hail Mary. It is a low-cost addition; nonetheless, Edmonton is only committing one season at $850K. Perhaps Formenton manages to find a home in Edmonton, though it’s unclear how he will fit into the Oilers lineup at this point.
Formenton had a bit of complex path to inking with Oilers
Ultimately, Formenton had a bit of a complex path to Edmonton. Formenton was the only player in the group indicted in the Hockey Canada Scandal to actually receive a Qualifying Offer (QO) from his respective team. That situation technically made Formenton a restricted free agent (RFA), with the Senators holding his rights.
However, a report by Sportsnet highlighted that Formenton only received the QO but didn’t actually sign it in 2022. Therefore, the Senators were willing to forego his rights this summer. That situation made the former second-rounder a UFA, allowing him to sign with any team willing to take him on.
Formenton becomes the second player connected to the case to sign another NHL contract. Most notably, goalie Carter Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. Also, forward Dillon Dube signed with the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, last season. This year, the Blues inked Dube to a one-year NHL contract.
Hart seemed to bounce back all right following a long absence from NHL ice. He helped the Golden Knights make the Stanley Cup Final last spring, where he was summarily outplayed by the Carolina Hurricanes backup netminder Brandon Bussi.
Dube, for his part, put up decent AHL numbers. He scored 20 goals and 37 points in 46 games with Springfield.
Perhaps that’s what the Oilers can expect from Formenton, at least at the AHL level. However, the Oilers would want to have the former Senators prospect on the NHL roster. The team could certainly use another middle-six winger.
Let’s see what happens. This move is a shot in the dark at best for the Oilers. If Formenton can rediscover the game that made him a second-round pick, well, the team and the player win. Otherwise, it could be the end of the line for a once-promising forward.
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