Edmonton Oilers face fierce backlash and fan petition over Alex Formenton signing

The Edmonton Oilers are facing a fierce wave of public anger and a rapidly growing fan petition after signing forward Alex Formenton to a one-year contract.

The team agreed terms with the 26-year-old on Wednesday, securing him on an $850,000 deal that marks his return to the NHL after three years in Switzerland. But the signing has instantly alienated large sections of the fanbase.

Why is the Alex Formenton signing controversial?

The intense backlash stems from Formenton's involvement in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case.

While Formenton was ultimately acquitted of the criminal charge against him, the incident remains deeply divisive. An independent appeal board previously ruled that the players involved had breached Hockey Canada’s code of conduct. Although Formenton is currently the only player from that group cleared for reinstatement to Hockey Canada-sanctioned programmes, his return to professional play in Canada has met with immediate public hostility.

How have Edmonton Oilers fans reacted?

Within hours of the announcement, an online petition demanding the Oilers reverse the signing began gaining rapid traction, quickly gathering thousands of signatures.

The decision has also cost the club some of its most loyal community support. "Mama Stanley", a celebrated local superfan known for her prominent presence at games in her Stanley Cup replica costume, reportedly cut ties with the franchise in protest.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid also drew online criticism after addressing the signing during a pre-training camp press event, with fans expressing frustration that the team's leadership accepted the roster move.

Why did the Oilers sign Formenton?

From a purely hockey standpoint, the Oilers view the signing as a low-cost gamble to address a mounting injury crisis. Edmonton's forward depth is already under pressure before the season begins, with injuries to both Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark.

Formenton, who has not played in the NHL since the 2021-22 season with the Ottawa Senators, offers proven speed and penalty-killing abilities. In his last NHL campaign, he scored 18 goals and registered 32 points in 79 games. During his subsequent three seasons with Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta, he remained productive, scoring 33 goals in 88 appearances.

However, the cheap $850,000 salary cap hit has done little to ease the public relations disaster now facing the front office. The Oilers' management has not yet commented on whether they will react to the growing petition.