The Edmonton Oilers decision to sign a hockey player who was acquitted last year of sexual assault has sparked a wave of disappointment and calls for the team to “do better.”
The intensely negative reaction started rolling in Wednesday after the team announced it had signed Alex Formenton to a one-year contract worth $850,000 US.
Formenton was one of five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team accused of sexual assault, charges that stemmed from an encounter with a woman after a Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont.
“The initial reaction from the fan base has been really, from what I’ve seen on social media, pretty overwhelmingly negative,” Daily Hive sports journalist Preston Hodgkinson told CBC News on Thursday.
“I remember the pushback for Corey Perry was one; Mike Babcock just happened this summer, even Stan Bowman. There was a lot of pushback for all that. This one seems more intense.”
On an Oilers Instagram post about the signing, commenters said they were “embarrassed,” “disgusted” and “disappointment.” While some defended the Oilers’ signing, many said they would not support the team as long as Formenton was on it.
“To the Oilers organization: you need to do better for your female fans,” said a comment posted by @ireland1102 that had received more than 4,200 likes as of Thursday morning.
“This isn’t just about hockey, it’s about the message you are sending to the women and girls who wear your jersey, buy your tickets and have supported this team their entire lives.”
One of the team’s most high-profile fans echoed the sentiment in her own social media post.
“Although he was acquitted in court, I cannot ignore my conscience or what this decision represents to me,” wrote Mary Loewen, who dresses up during NHL playoffs as a sequined Stanley Cup known as “Mama Stanley.”
Loewen wrote on her Instagram page that she was a sexual assault survivor, adding, “For that reason, as long as Formenton remains an Oiler, I CANNOT AND WILL NOT support or cheer for this team.”
On Thursday, she launched an online petition calling for the Oilers to end Formenton’s affiliation with the team. Loewen did not immediately respond to a request from The Canadian Press for an interview.
The five accused hockey players — Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Michael McLeod — were acquitted in July 2025. The NHL later reinstated all five players after charges were dropped.
Last month, an independent appeal board ruled that all five breached the Hockey Canada code of conduct, and recommended continued suspensions from any Hockey Canada-sanctioned program for four of the players.
Only Formenton was named eligible for immediate reinstatement.
Formenton has said he is grateful to join the Oilers after what he called a “difficult road.”
Acquitted world junior player Alex Formenton signs one-year deal with Edmonton Oilers
The 26-year-old native of Barrie, Ont., spent three of the past four seasons playing in Switzerland for HC Ambri-Piotta and the other not in hockey at all. He recorded 33 goals and 19 assists for 52 points over 88 games with HC Ambri-Piotta. He last played in the NHL during the 2021–22 season with the Ottawa Senators.
Hodgkinson said he is baffled why Oilers management would take on the “baggage” of signing Formenton given his on-ice performance in recent years.
“It’s not like you’re bringing in a star player,” he said. “You’re bringing in a bottom lineup guy and you have to deal with all this. It doesn’t really feel worth it to me.”
While the outcry has been fierce, Hodgkinson noted that there are some people who have expressed support for giving Formenton a chance in light of the acquittal.
He also pointed out that among those vocally criticizing the signing are people, like Loewen, who have identified themselves as being survivors of sexual assault “and this is a blatant ‘eff you.'”
Late Wednesday, the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) issued a statement that noted Oilers announcement “may be difficult for many survivors and members of our community.
“If this news is bringing up hard feelings or emotions, please know that you don’t have to carry them alone. SACE is here. We hear you, we believe you, and we stand with you.”
