Alex Formenton is headed back to the NHL.
The Edmonton Oilers signed the forward to a one-year, $850,000 contract, the team announced on Wednesday.
Formenton was one of five players accused of a 2018 sexual assault who were acquitted during a two-month trial in London, Ont., last June.
The Barrie, Ont., native hasn't played in the NHL since 2021-22, competing with HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss league since then. The Ottawa Senators held his rights but reportedly cut ties with him in May.
Formenton is the only player of the five who is immediately eligible for reinstatement to Hockey Canada, the organization announced in August.
The 26-year-old played parts of four seasons with the Senators, appearing in 109 games with 23 goals and 16 assists after being selected in the second round of the 2017 draft.
He'll join an Oilers squad already hit by a rash of injuries, including to forwards Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark.
Formenton becomes the third player from the sexual-assault case to receive a contract after the trial ended, joining fellow forward Dillon Dube with St. Louis and goaltender Carter Hart in Vegas after they signed their respective deals in July and October.
Michael McLeod is under contract in the KHL. Cal Foote signed this summer with a team in Sweden, which then terminated the deal after fans raised objections.
The NHL a year ago reinstated all five players, allowing them to play beginning Dec. 1. That came after a judge found them not guilty of sexual assault and McLeod additionally of a separate count of being a party to the offence, in connection with an event there in 2018 celebrating Canada's gold medal-winning world junior team.
--with files from The Canadian Press
EDM
