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Senators Saw Trade Interest In Formenton Before Deadline Passed

Alex Formenton was not traded by the deadline to make him eligible to play in the NHL this year, but was there interest?

Alex Formenton was not signed by an NHL team by 5 pm ET on Thursday and is therefore ineligible to play in the league this season. That doesn’t mean teams didn’t speak with the Ottawa Senators about a potential trade that would see him moved and possibly signed before the deadline. In fact, multiple NHL insiders are noting there was interest from a few teams, even though a trade didn’t ultimately take place.

Teams were curious and did kick tires on a deal, but the ask was too high for their liking and it appears his best bet would have been to take his qualifying offer back when he had that option.

Ottawa Senators’ Alex Formenton when he was part of Team Canada

Darren Dreger noted during the recent TSN Insider Trading segment that there was some trade interest in Formenton before the deadline passed. Frank Seravalli wrote on Twitter that it sounds like the Ottawa Senators were asking teams for a second-round pick for the rights to the RFA. The issue was that uncertainly surrounding his future in the NHL meant that clubs were only willing to give up so much and face both the risk of him not being cleared to play and the public backlash that might come from trading for and signing a player that has been linked to the Team Canada 2018 World Junior Championship team’s sexual assault case.

Now, with Formenton out for the season, there are a few options on the table. The Senators can still sign him, but he won’t be able to play. That seems unlikely. The team can trade him, but they won’t get much in return because the acquiring team can’t play him in the NHL this season. Or, he could go to Europe and play. That final option seems like the most realistic scenario, but there’s been no word from the player or his agent about what his immediate plans might be.

Next: Penguins Unlikely to Make Trade Post Kris Letang Stroke News

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