A petition demanding the Edmonton Oilers reverse Alex Formenton's signing has passed 19,000 signatures.
Longtime Oilers superfan Mary Loewen, known as "Mama Stanley," started the petition and says she will no longer support the team while Formenton remains on the roster.
The Oilers signed Formenton to a one-year, $850,000 deal Wednesday. He was one of five former world junior players acquitted last year of sexual assault charges tied to a 2018 incident.
The petition is careful in how it frames its request. "We acknowledge clearly and without qualification that Alex Formenton was acquitted in court in 2025," it reads.
"This petition does not challenge that verdict, nor does it declare him guilty," the petition continues.
"A criminal trial determines whether the Crown proved criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt. It does not require fans, survivors, sponsors, or community members to support every employment decision made afterward," it adds.
The Oilers have defended the signing, citing Formenton's acquittal and reinstatement by both the NHL and Hockey Canada, along with what the team called a lengthy due diligence process.
More than 19,000 fans sign petition demanding Oilers reverse Formenton deal
The team said it spoke directly with Formenton and others close to the matter and was "comfortable providing Alex with the opportunity to return to the NHL."
"Alex is grateful for the opportunity and, like every Oilers player, he is expected to uphold the standards and expectations of our organization," the team said.
An independent appeal board ruled last month that all five players actually breached Hockey Canada's code of conduct, even after the criminal acquittal.
Formenton was the only one of the five immediately eligible for reinstatement from that separate suspension. The board recommended continued bans for the other four.
Two others from that group have already returned to the NHL this year, with Carter Hart signing in Vegas and Dillon Dube joining St. Louis in July.
This is actually Edmonton's second high-profile hire this offseason tied to a controversial recent history.
GM Stan Bowman hired Mike Babcock as head coach in June, a coach who hadn't worked an NHL game in seven years after resigning from Columbus amid a separate privacy investigation.
Bowman's own hiring in 2024 drew scrutiny too, following his resignation as Chicago's GM after an investigation found the organization mishandled a sexual assault allegation involving player Kyle Beach.
Is stacking multiple hires with this kind of baggage in one offseason a coincidence, or a pattern this front office needs to actually reckon with?
My take: the hockey rationale behind these signings is separate from the organizational judgment question, and Edmonton keeps inviting scrutiny on the second one.
The petition wants a public explanation and survivor-informed standards going forward. Whether Edmonton responds to either request remains to be seen.
Source : Thousands sign petition calling on Oilers to reverse Formenton signing
Should the Oilers reverse the Alex Formenton signing?
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