It’s a genuine shame that the season must start like this. On the doorstep of a critically important season for the Edmonton Oilers, it begins mired in controversy and infighting among fans about the findings in a sexual assault trial and whether Alex Formenton deserves a second chance from their favourite team. 

Regardless of Alex Formenton’s acquittal and the sense that, of the Hockey Canada Five, he is perhaps the least culpable in the situation, a lot of Oilers fans are upset. I don’t blame them. 

On the one hand, this is a business for the Edmonton Oilers, and their mandate is to improve the hockey team however they can. Their actions over the last four years show — rightly or wrongly — they simply do not care about public perception. 

Just win, baby, and screw the rest. Many fans think the same way. 

But many others don’t. They come home after a long day of work and want to unwind watching their Oilers. They want to feel good about their team: not just about the wins and losses, they want to cheer for the individuals on the team. Or at least, they don’t want reasons to dislike their players actively. 

The petition calling for the Oilers to reverse the signing of Formenton now has just over 57,000 online signatures in just a few days. 

“We acknowledge clearly and without qualification that Alex Formenton was acquitted in court in 2025,” the petition reads. “This petition does not challenge that verdict, nor does it declare him guilty.  “This decision has deeply hurt many survivors, longtime fans, and community members who expect the organization to represent integrity, accountability, and respect…

“By signing this petition, you are not declaring anyone criminally guilty or overturning a court decision. You are telling the Edmonton Oilers that this organizational choice does not represent your values.”

That number keeps growing. Will it move the needle and influence OEG’s bottom line? No, probably not. But it also isn’t nothing. 

I think a lot of fans are just tired. If this were Edmonton’s first foray into troubled or problematic individuals, I don’t think the response would be quite as strong. It’s just the latest one. 

Does anyone work harder than Oilers public........

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