The Edmonton Oilers’ decision to sign Alex Formenton is the kind of move that gets people talking fast, and it did exactly that. Edmonton gave Formenton a one-year deal worth $850,000, bringing him back into the NHL after his involvement in the case tied to five players from the 2018 Hockey Canada team. Formenton addressed the reaction on Wednesday, saying his return was a process and that he was grateful for the chance.
What stood out for Elliotte Friedman wasn’t that Formenton resurfaced in the league after being reinstated by Hockey Canada. It was that he came back in Canada, and that a Canadian team was the one to sign him.
Friedman pointed to the reaction around Cal Foote’s attempt to return to Europe and said he never expected to see one of the five players land with a Canadian organization. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug also cited Stan Bowman, who said Hockey Canada’s recent support for reinstatement mattered in the Oilers’ thinking.
“I think that played a big role for us in our decision-making. They were certainly the closest to this; they had the most information, so for them to single Alex out as the one deserving of reinstatement immediately, we did feel like that played a large role.”
One other wrinkle in Edmonton’s move: the club apparently did not need NHL approval to sign Formenton.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck situation remains one of the league’s biggest unresolved storylines as training camp approaches. Friedman said he feels bad for everyone caught up in it - Hellebuyck, the Jets, and the fan base. He believes circumstances outside Winnipeg’s control after last season made the situation tougher, and he said Hellebuyck’s preferred landing spots are wider than some other recent star trade requests, though Canadian teams are not believed to be on that list.
Friedman’s read is that Winnipeg knows a trade has to happen and that there’s no turning back now. In his view, this is headed toward a split; the question is where Hellebuyck goes and which team has the assets to make it work. He also said it doesn’t sound like the New Jersey Devils are as interested as once reported.
Quinn Hughes, for his part, isn’t rushing anything with the Minnesota Wild. At the NHL Player Media Tour, he said plainly that an extension won’t be tied to a deadline or training camp pressure.
“This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done,” Hughes said, explaining that he wants to take his time and make the right call for everyone involved. He added that he doesn’t feel boxed in and will stay in contact with GM Bill Guerin.
There’s also speculation that Hughes could be watching what happens with Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, who has been linked to Minnesota. For now, Hughes sounds content to keep the door open.
And then there’s the loss of Barry Melrose, who died at 70. The ESPN analyst and former coach was one of hockey’s most recognizable voices, with his mullet, sharp suits, humor, and unmistakable opinions making him impossible to miss. His death is a huge loss for the sport.
In Other News...
Former Jets Defenceman Barry Melrose Leaves Behind A Lasting Hockey Legacy
Barry Melrose, a former NHL player, coach and longtime ESPN analyst, has died at 70 after battling Parkinsons disease. For hockey fans in Winnipeg, his name still carries the edge of a rugged playing career that stretched through the NHL and WHA before he went on to become one of the sports most recognizable voices on television.
Melroses legacy only grew after his playing days, most notably when he coached the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final and later spent nearly three decades as a prominent ESPN analyst. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman mourned his passing in a statement and credited Melrose with meaningful contributions to the game, a fitting reminder that his impact reached far beyond the bench or the broadcast booth. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Hellebuyck Standoff Now Leaves Winnipeg Facing One Huge Question
The Connor Hellebuyck situation has moved well past ordinary trade chatter, with Elliotte Friedman reporting that the relationship between the goalie and the Winnipeg Jets looks broken in a way the club cannot really fix on its own. Winnipeg knows a deal has to happen, but the market has already shifted around it as some assets that once might have helped anchor talks are no longer available.
What makes this more complicated is where the next step leads. Hellebuycks camp is believed to have a narrow view of where he wants to land, and the Jets have been weighing how to protect themselves if they do move on from him, including the possibility of a familiar face in goal. For a team that has leaned on stability at the position, the biggest question now is not whether change is coming, but how Winnipeg is going to cover the gap when it does. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Informal Skates Already Raised A Few Early Roster Questions
The first informal skates at the Hockey For All Centre offered an early look at the Winnipeg Jets mix of prospects and returning players, and they also provided a bit of offseason texture before the real ramp-up begins. Among the notable sights was free-agent addition Henry Thrun making his first on-ice appearance with the organization, a small but meaningful step as the Jets continue sorting through their depth picture ahead of prospect events in Gatineau, Quebec.
Those skates also came with a few familiar names missing from the main session, which naturally gives the early roster chatter a little extra weight. Winnipeg has already announced its group for the 2026 Prospect Challenge, a four-team field that will include clubs from Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa, and with more summer work ahead, the lineup choices made around these informal sessions could offer some early hints about where the competition is going. [Read more 🡒]