September 9, 2026 • 12:03 PM EDT
Updated 2 hours ago
Alex Formenton is back in the NHL, signing a league-minimum $850,000 deal with the Edmonton Oilers for this season. He’s the third player acquitted in the high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault case to secure an NHL contract since the trial wrapped in July 2025. If you’ve been following this saga, you know just how charged the atmosphere has been with every update.
The Oilers’ move signals that teams are balancing on a razor’s edge between giving players a second chance and managing inevitable questions from fans and the media. Formenton’s return comes after three years spent skating in Switzerland and one season away from hockey entirely, showing how fast reputations and careers can rise and fall when legal troubles hit. Along with Edmonton’s signing, fellow acquitted players Dillon Dube and Carter Hart landed contracts with St. Louis and Vegas, respectively, shortly after the verdict. According to Yahoo Sports, Formenton’s deal came after the league gave the green light for all five players involved to return to play starting December 1, well after a judge found them not guilty in connection to the 2018 event that attracted national scrutiny.
If you’re betting on how Formenton will perform after his European stint and the layoff, understand that transitions like these are unpredictable. He’s 26, which still leaves a decent NHL window, but reestablishing his place in a league that moves fast and doesn’t wait for anyone won’t be simple.
Here’s what changed in a hurry:
- Alex Formenton signed an $850,000 deal with Edmonton, his first NHL contract since 2022.
- Dillon Dube (St. Louis) and Carter Hart (Vegas) also signed after their respective acquittals.
- Formenton spent three of the last four years in Switzerland, one year not playing hockey at all.
- Other players from the group found contracts abroad, though some had those deals terminated following fan backlash.
- The NHL reinstated all five players in late 2024 after acquittal, permitting them to return on December 1.
The roster shuffle shows NHL teams are tracking public sentiment closely, but they’re not ignoring talent either. Take Formenton’s situation as a prime example: after time away and off-ice headlines, he’s getting a minimum deal. If he wins over the coaches and shows he’s still got NHL pace, he could stick around. If not, the risk for Edmonton is low at this price point.
How teams are approaching signings post-acquittal
Signing these players isn’t just about second chances — it’s a public risk assessment by NHL front offices. Edmonton, St. Louis, and Vegas are betting the verdicts will blunt criticism, or at least that the hockey community believes in moving forward after the justice system weighed in. For bettors, this matters: ice time, locker room dynamics, and PR-sensitive moves all affect who gets minutes and how teams perform over the season.
The ripple effect from Hockey Canada trial
The other two acquitted players, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, turned to European leagues instead. McLeod signed in the KHL, while Foote went to Sweden — only for his contract to be cancelled after heavy fan objection. This scattered response underlines how teams gauge what’s palatable in their markets.
Key takeaways for NHL bettors and fans
- Formenton, Dube, and Hart are all back on NHL ice after the high-profile acquittals.
- The league and its teams are moving cautiously, with most deals coming in at league minimums.
- European leagues may offer fewer second chances if fan backlash is severe.
- Reputational risk remains high, so pay attention to how much ice time Formenton actually gets in Edmonton.
- December 1 was the league’s starting gate for reinstated players. Keep an eye on game logs from that date on for betting action.
- Watch roster moves for other players formerly involved to see if more return to the NHL, or have to stick it out overseas or in lower leagues.
- If history says anything, players with time out of the league need to prove they still have NHL speed and defensive reliability.
- Don’t bet big on massive production from Formenton right away — there’s usually rust after a layoff, regardless of experience abroad.
More coverage: NHL news coverage, NHL analysis and odds and today’s NHL picks.
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