After a 2025-26 season full of criticism, from a slow start to a first-round playoff exit, the Edmonton Oilers opened training camp Wednesday mired in new off-ice controversy.
Hiring head coach Mike Babcock in June caused a ripple of criticism from Oilers fans but last week’s signing of forward Alex Formenton ignited a storm of social media anger.
Formenton is one of five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team who was charged and later acquitted of sexual assault.
Some fans, several of them sexual assault victims, have launched a petition asking the Oilers to end their affiliation with Formenton.
Some reports say the petition has more than 60,000 signatures. A protest outside Rogers Place is also planned for the Oilers’ first home game.
Edmonton general manager Stan Bowman says everyone is entitled to their opinion, which he respects, but the Oilers did their due diligence before signing Formenton to a one-year, US$850,000 contract.
“We knew going into it that this was something that wasn’t going to be universally accepted,” Bowman told a media conference Wednesday morning.
“That’s why we spent as much time as we did going through the details and doing our due diligence making sure legally it was the right decision to make.
“I understand that people are going to view it differently and that’s OK.
“That’s one of the things I’m a big believer in: we don’t all have to agree on everything and people are entitled to their opinions and have strong feelings. I totally respect that.”
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Bowman said the organization knew the signing would be a “polarizing topic” but after thoroughly looking into the situation the team felt comfortable with it.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with Alex,” Bowman said. “He’s grown a lot in the intervening years from where he was then to where he is now.
“He’s shown that growth.”
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Edmonton Oilers GM speaks about Alex Formenton signing -
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Edmonton Oilers sign 2018 world junior player Alex Formenton -
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Formenton’s signing is the latest in a number of controversial ones by the Oilers.
Asked how he felt about the Oilers earning a reputation over the years for being a landing spot for individuals with issues in the past, including himself and Babcock, Bowman said he was appreciative of the organization giving him the chance it did.
“There have been situations in the past several years where the Oilers have been willing to give people an opportunity to come here and get a fresh start,” said Bowman, who resigned as GM of the Chicago Blackhawks in October 2021 after an investigation found team leaders covered up sexual assault allegations against a video coach.
“I really felt the support being here myself. It’s a privilege to be working in this city, for the fans here. I have been blown away by the way the fans are so passionate. With that passion can come frustration with different things.
“The message is we’re trying to do the right thing, give us a chance to make them proud and be judged on what we do moving forward.”
The Oilers will begin official on-ice practices Thursday under the direction of Babcock, who was cleared to work for the Oilers after the league concluded an investigation into his conduct while with Columbus in 2023.
Babcock resigned from the Blue Jackets less than three months after taking the job. At the time, his requests for personal photos from players, which he said were part of an effort to get to know them, drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.
The new coach will begin his Oilers tenure without a couple of key players expected to play significant roles this season.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen, obtained in an off-season trade, and forward Matt Savoie are injured and not expected to participate in the camp.
Also absent with injuries are forward Mattias Janmark and defenceman Alex Regula.
Andersen, who helped backstop Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup last spring, is one of three goalies the Oilers plan to use this season.
Tristan Jarry, obtained in a December 2025 trade with Pittsburgh Penguins, and Devon Levi, who came over in a trade with Buffalo Sabres in July, are expected to share the duties to begin the season.
The only thing this player has going for him is at least he wasn’t the one in room 209 doing naked splits over a drunk girls face and teabagging her, small win for him I guess
Reminds me of when Canada elected a Prime Minister with a colored past he had not been found guilty for.
Great work oil, bad juju to start off the season is exactly what this team needed
I feel bad for Connor & the other players on the team, such a non necessary distraction for them :/
“The message is we’re trying to do the right thing, give us a chance to make them proud and be judged on we do moving forward”
:0 What a dumb quote
Does the oilers organization really not have any good PR people or what?
Bad signing by the Oilers, this controversy will surely taint the season. Hard to believe the organization thought they would be seen in a good light for giving this player “a second chance” They are so out of touch and now are scrambling, trying to smooth things over and sweep this controversy under the rug. They keep stating they did their due diligence but they should have just used common sense. Surely none of this is worth it for a mediocre player that’ll be gone in a year, what a joke
Innocent until proven guilty. The players weren’t proven guilty.
Wow, just wow! 1) he was acquitted! 2) he was cleared to play! If this upsets you so much boycott the games, burn your tickets and pull your hair out as you run down the street screaming heading toward the loonie bin!
What Uncle Stan has clearly forgotten, you build bridges when the times are good so when the times are bad you have those to rely on. I am seeing a lot of bridges getting burned and when this golden era ends, who will be there?
The handful of whiners are not the fans that actually buy tickets to games. Most of these people are unemployable.