The Edmonton Oilers are being linked to a controversial player amid an injury crisis. Edmonton recently announced that Mattias Janmark, Matt Savoie, Alec Regula, and Frederik Andersen would not participate in training camp later this month. The quartet is all dealing with different setbacks heading towards the new season.
While the Oilers did not get into specific details, the four players are not expected to miss significant time. Nevertheless, Edmonton has been linked to bringing in an additional NHL-ready skater, particularly at the forward position. The latest player to be named as a potential signing is Alex Formenton. The 6’2″ winger last played in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators during the 2021-22 season. He recorded 32 points on the year.
Oilers NOW host Bob Stauffer recently made the links between the Edmonton Oilers and Formenton. During a recent podcast, the team insider claimed that the winger would be a good fit with the club. “Big rangy guy that can skate, and was a good penalty killer,” Stauffer said of the forward. “I have a couple of friends that watched him play last year in Switzerland. Didn’t think he was particularly great, but the reality is: free player.”
Former NHL exec Brian Lawton agreed with Stauffer’s assessment on the show. “I would not hesitate,” Lawton said of Edmonton targeting Formenton. “I would want to make sure I did my due diligence, and I was comfortable with it. Alex Formenton, I can tell you, is a guy that I would be comfortable with.”
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As Stauffer alluded to, Formenton most recently played for HC Ambrì-Piotta in Switzerland. The once highly rated forward posted 23 points, including 13 goals, in 42 games this past season. After leaving Ottawa in 2022, he has played three campaigns with the Swiss side. The winger also contributes on the penalty kill, something that the Edmonton Oilers are looking at.
Although Formenton has talent, he would be viewed as a controversial signing by many Edmonton Oilers hockey fans. The forward was one of five NHL players to be charged, and subsequently acquitted, of sexual assault. Two of the other players involved in the case, Carter Hart and Cal Foote, were targeted with fan backlash after they signed with teams following the court’s ruling. It remains to be seen if the Oilers are ready to deal with a similar headache.
Edmonton Could Explore Other Forward Options
Formenton, however, is obviously not the only option for the Edmonton Oilers. Rupert McDonald of The Hockey Writers recently linked the club to several UFA forwards, including Luke Glendening and Reilly Smith. While Edmonton could go in several directions, The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell has regularly hinted that the Oilers would prefer to target a younger forward.
Mitchell linked Edmonton to several young forwards throughout the summer, even before the injury bug hit the Oilers. This list included Felix Unger Sörum, Matt Poitras, and Ethan Procyszyn. According to Hockey Reference, Edmonton was the eighth-oldest NHL team during the 2025-26 campaign.
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