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2d ago

Senators Release Alex Formenton, Making Winger an Unrestricted Free Agent

Ottawa’s registry filing ends the club’s matching rights and lets the 26-year-old pursue any NHL contract after three seasons in Switzerland.

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Alex Formenton arrives at the courthouse in London, Ont., for the start of his trial in 2025. Formenton was one of five members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior hockey team charged with sexual assault and later acquitted.

Overview

  • The Senators filed paperwork with the NHL Central Registry on May 8 that removed Formenton from their restricted‑free‑agent list and converted him to an unrestricted free agent, a move first reported June 18.
  • Formenton has not played in the NHL since the 2021–22 season and spent the past three campaigns with HC Ambrì‑Piotta in Switzerland, where he scored 13 goals and 23 points in 42 games in 2025–26.
  • He was one of five players charged in a 2018 case related to the Canadian World Junior team and was legally acquitted in July 2025, a verdict that restored his eligibility to return to pro play after prior suspensions.
  • Ottawa had tried to trade Formenton’s rights for multiple seasons with limited interest while general manager Steve Staios and agent Darren Ferris agreed last summer that a change of scenery would be best for the player.
  • The registry move allows Formenton to sign with any NHL club without an offer sheet or matching requirement, and teams previously linked to him in foreign reports include the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers though no deal has been confirmed.