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Edmonton Oilers weren't the only team interested in signing Formenton: report

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Sep 22 2026, 4:17 pm
Edmonton Oilers weren't the only team interested in signing Formenton: report
Perry Nelson/Imagn Images

If the Edmonton Oilers hadn’t signed Alex Formenton earlier this month, it sounds as though another team would have.

The Oilers have taken a ton of heat for signing Formenton. The 27-year-old was one of five players from Canada’s 2018 World Junior roster charged with sexual assault. All five players pleaded not guilty and were acquitted in 2025.

Because of the charges, Formenton left the NHL and spent the last three seasons playing in Switzerland. That had many Oilers fans questioning why the team would give him a guaranteed contract rather than a PTO.

From the sound of it, however, they weren’t the only team considering bringing the speedy winger on board.

“There were other teams that wanted to sign Alex Formenton,” Darren Dreger said on The Nielson Show. “Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, I was told had considerable interest in Formenton.”

You may be wondering, with that list of teams, why Formenton would choose the Oilers. After all, the Hurricanes and Golden Knights both reached the Stanley Cup Final this past season and won’t be on the decline anytime soon.

According to Dreger, Formenton’s decision to choose the Oilers was done in large part to play with an old friend.

“Formenton chose Edmonton mostly because of his history with Evan Bouchard,” Dreger explained. “They are really good buddies, and more obviously, the time he spent with [assistant coach] D.J. Smith when D.J. was in Ottawa.”

Those existing relationships seemingly gave the Oilers an edge over the other interested teams, with Formenton opting for a familiar situation as he attempts to re-establish himself in the NHL.

Now, he’ll get that opportunity in Edmonton, where he’ll be looking to prove he can still be an effective NHL player after spending three seasons overseas.

The Oilers clearly believe he has something left to offer. And if Dreger’s report is accurate, they weren’t the only team that felt that way.

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