Alex Formenton Signs On To Resume Hockey Career After Acquittal in Sexual Assault Case

Alex Formenton, Ottawa Senators, gets ready for a faceoff

The National Hockey League has yet to make its decision on the eligibility of the 'Hockey Canada Five' to return to the league after their acquittal on sexual assault charges last month. But Alex Formenton has become the first of the five players to sign a contract to resume his career.

After being found not guilty for sexual assault — Alex Formenton is coming out of retirement to sign a 3.5 month deal with HC Ambri-Piotta 🇨🇭

Formenton, 25, last played professionally in 2023-24, with HC Ambri-Piotta, before retiring from ice hockey to become a construction… pic.twitter.com/tWCAvAKvpU
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) September 6, 2025

Formenton had retired almost a year ago to become a construction worker in his hometown of Barrie, Ontario. Now, he has decided to give hockey another chance, and has signed back with his old club in Switzerland, Ambrì-Piotta, where he was playing before the charges emerged in January 2024. His deal runs for just over three months, until the December international break. He then has an option to extend it until the end of the season.

"Leaving his personal experiences in Canada behind him, Alex has decided to return to hockey and has expressed his desire to relaunch his professional career wearing the number 10 jersey for Ambrì," the club wrote in an announcement.

"The Leventina club is delighted with his return and looks forward to welcoming him back to the ice of the Gottardo Arena.

"The white-and-blue family welcomes Alex back and wishes him a season full of success."

After last playing in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators in 2021-22, Formenton went to the Swiss National League and played parts of two seasons there with Ambrì-Piotta. He totalled 20 goals and 29 points in 46 games with a plus/minus of +4.

In his last season with Ottawa, he recorded 18 goals and 32 points in 79 games. His total NHL output was 23 goals and 39 points in 109 games.

Formenton, along with Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod, and Cal Foote, were all acquitted of sexual assault charges in a London, Ontario court last month, in the case surrounding the 2018 incident during a Hockey Canada World Junior Hockey Championships event.

However, the details of the incident became public during the court proceedings, leaving the NHL and any potentially interested teams with a difficult PR choice on whether to pursue any of the other players, when and if they become eligible once again.