Are the Oilers Really Eyeing Alex Formenton? This Move Makes Zero Sense

The Edmonton Oilers have never shied away from controversial hires or signings. Stan Bowman arrived with heavy baggage from his time in Chicago. Mike Babcock was hired despite a well‑documented, checkered past. Evander Kane joined the team in the middle of a contract dispute with San Jose. Jake Virtanen was brought in on a PTO in 2022 after being found not guilty in a sexual assault case.

Go further back and you find Craig MacTavish, who spent a year in prison for a drunk‑driving incident in 1984 before eventually becoming a coach and executive in Edmonton. Some of these gambles paid off. Others didn’t. That’s the nature of controversial moves — you hope the on‑ice results outweigh the off‑ice noise, but sometimes the hassle becomes bigger than the help.

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Insider Said What?

The latest name floated into Oil Country: Alex Formenton.

David Staples of the Edmonton Journal wrote about why the Oilers should consider signing him. Bob Stauffer discussed the idea on Oilers Now. Both seemed open to the possibility.

Edmonton Oilers could use former ex-Ottawa Senator, acquitted in sex assault casehttps://t.co/tz0QNzRVlr via @edmontonjournal

— David Staples (@dstaples) September 2, 2026

But the question is simple: why?

Formenton is one of the five players connected to the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal. All players have been acquitted, and Formenton has been reinstated to play internationally. But reinstatement doesn’t erase the controversy. Any team signing one of these players is knowingly inviting a storm of attention — and Edmonton already has more than enough headlines with Babcock alone.

If the Oilers weren’t willing to pursue Carter Hart — the best player of the group and at a position they desperately needed help in — why would they chase Formenton, who plays a position they’re already overloaded at?

Alex Formenton: The Player

On paper, Formenton checks a few boxes. He’s 26, he’s big, he’s fast, and his last NHL season saw him put up 18 goals and 32 points in 79 games. But that was five years ago.

Since then, he hasn’t played a single NHL game.

He’s currently with HC Ambrì‑Piotta in the Swiss National League. If he were truly ready to return to the NHL, he’d be dominating that league. Instead, he posted 13 goals and 23 points in 42 games last season. The year before, he didn’t play professional hockey at all. The two seasons prior — also in Switzerland — he scored 10 goals each year.

There’s no upward trajectory. No breakout. No sign of a player forcing his way back into NHL relevance.

Why the Move Makes No Sense

From an on‑ice perspective, the value simply isn’t there. If you’re going to take a gamble on a controversial player, there has to be a meaningful upside. With Formenton, that’s extremely hard to find. He’s producing modest numbers in a league far below NHL pace, and the Oilers already have a crowded bottom‑six with multiple players fighting for spots — all of whom have played NHL games far more recently than Formenton.

From an off‑ice perspective, the blowback would be enormous. Edmonton doesn’t need another storyline. They don’t need another distraction. They don’t need another controversy layered on top of Babcock.

Even for a franchise known for eyebrow‑raising decisions, this one feels like a stretch.

Yes, Stauffer mentioning it gives the idea oxygen — he’s the most plugged‑in insider in the city — but this still feels like late‑summer filler, not a legitimate roster consideration.

There are also plenty of other free agent options that provide a lot more value, talent, and time in the league.

The Bottom Line

There’s no real fit here. Not on the ice, not off it, and definitely not in the depth chart. Not in the locker room and certainly not in the public eye.

This feels like speculation born out of a quiet August, not a move with any actual traction.

I’d be shocked if the Oilers have given this more than a passing thought.

Next: Oilers Trade Package for Kyle Connor — Would You Accept?