Alex Formenton almost didn’t end up with the Oilers as new details surface

The Edmonton Oilers landed forward Alex Formenton earlier this offseason in a controversial move, but it sounds like they weren’t the only team interested in the free agent.

According to TSN insider Darren Dreger, both the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights had significant interest in signing Formenton before he ultimately chose Edmonton.

Dreger revealed that the forward's decision came down to relationships rather than rosters. "There were other teams that wanted to sign Alex Formenton: Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, I was told, had considerable interest in Formenton, and Edmonton," Dreger said during an appearance on The Nielsen Show.

Formenton however made his choice based on his close friendship with Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard.

"Formenton chose Edmonton mostly because of his history with Evan Bouchard. They are really good buddies," Dreger explained.

Beyond the personal bond with Bouchard, Formenton also has a professional connection to the Oilers coaching staff. His familiarity with head coach D.J. Smith, dating back to Smith's time behind the bench in Ottawa, reportedly played a role as well.

Formenton spent time with the Senators organization earlier in his career, where Smith served as head coach before eventually landing in Edmonton. That prior working relationship appears to have given Formenton added comfort in choosing the Oilers over two other strong options.

It is worth noting that Carolina and Vegas both represent teams in very different competitive windows. The Hurricanes remain perennial contenders in the Eastern Conference, while the Golden Knights continue to build on their Stanley Cup championship from 2023. Either destination could have offered Formenton a meaningful opportunity. But they would probably would have had to deal with significant backlash and it could have been a tough blow to the defending Stanley Cup champions in Carolina…

We will have to see how Formenton fits into Edmonton's plans going forward and whether the comfort of those existing relationships translates into on-ice production for the Oilers.