Alex Formenton Impresses in First Oilers Preseason Game

Formenton wasn’t benefiting from a fortunate rebound or standing in the right place around the net. His speed was directly creating separation from defenders and forcing Winnipeg into uncomfortable situations. At times, his acceleration looked almost McDavid-like. Obviously, comparing anyone directly to Connor McDavid is unfair. McDavid’s ability to process the game, handle the puck and change direction at full speed is unmatched. But from a straight-line skating perspective, Formenton has historically possessed elite NHL speed.

In fact, this comparison isn’t new. Former Senators head coach Guy Boucher once described Formenton as having “McDavid-type of speed” because of how effortless he looked moving around the ice. The tracking data supported that reputation. NHL EDGE data from his last full NHL season in 2021-22 recorded a top speed of 24.2 mph, placing him in the 99th percentile.

Four years later, the eye test from his Oilers debut suggests that explosive element remains. That’s significant. Players can regain timing. They can work through defensive-zone details and adjust to new systems. Losing an elite physical trait like speed would have been much harder to overcome. Formenton doesn’t appear to have lost his.

Formenton and Joseph Could Become a Problem for Opponents

There was another interesting development Saturday: Formenton played alongside Mathieu Joseph again. Head coach Mike Babcock deployed Formenton with Joseph and Colton Dach, and they quickly became one of Edmonton’s most noticeable lines. Babcock went as far as calling it his favourite line of the night, praising Formenton’s ability to pressure opponents and describing him as an elite penalty-killer.

There is some familiarity between Formenton and Joseph from their time together with the Ottawa Senators. Joseph was acquired by the Senators from the Tampa Bay Lightning in March 2022, meaning the two overlapped during the final portion of Formenton’s last NHL season. Now they’re reunited in Edmonton, and stylistically the pairing makes plenty of sense.

Joseph is another excellent skater who wants to pressure defenders. Put two forwards with that kind of straight-line speed on the same unit and suddenly opposing defencemen have considerably less time to retrieve pucks and make decisions. That can become particularly useful on the forecheck. Rather than requiring Formenton or Joseph to create offence exclusively through possession, Edmonton can ask them to attack space, force turnovers and turn seemingly harmless situations into scoring opportunities.

Dach gives that line a different dimension down the middle. Against Winnipeg, he won nine of 15 faceoffs for a 60 percent success rate, while the Formenton-Dach-Joseph combination broke even in five-on-five shot attempts and controlled 45.5 percent of the expected-goal share. Those possession numbers aren’t dominant, but the line’s identity was already obvious. Speed. Pressure. Transition offence.

Formenton Could Transform Edmonton’s Penalty Kill

Perhaps the most important part of Formenton’s potential role comes shorthanded. The Oilers used him alongside McDavid on their first penalty-killing unit, with Bouchard and Ryan Shea on defence. That group actually outshot Winnipeg’s power play 1-0. It’s a fascinating concept. Traditional penalty killing focuses primarily on preventing chances. Putting McDavid and Formenton together introduces an offensive threat that opposing power plays have to respect.

A defenceman pinching aggressively at the blue line suddenly has to consider what happens if the puck gets chipped past him. With McDavid and Formenton accelerating the other way, a routine turnover can become an odd-man rush almost instantly. Formenton’s track record suggests Saturday wasn’t an anomaly. During his final NHL season in 2021-22, he spent 150:27 on the penalty kill, second among Senators forwards. More impressively, his five shorthanded goals tied for the NHL lead that season.

That’s where his speed becomes more than an exciting physical attribute. It becomes a tactical weapon. Formenton can force power-play defencemen to retreat sooner, pressure puck carriers and turn loose pucks into legitimate scoring opportunities.

There Will Still Be Rust

One strong preseason performance doesn’t answer every question. Formenton himself acknowledged afterward that getting accustomed to NHL pace is only part of the adjustment. The smaller details — particularly defensive-zone responsibilities and penalty-killing structure — still need refinement after such a long absence from NHL competition.

That’s understandable. He hadn’t appeared in an NHL regular-season or preseason game since April 29, 2022. Edmonton should therefore be more interested in how he progresses throughout camp than whether he dominates every exhibition game.

There is also the quality of competition. The Jets brought a young lineup to Rogers Place, while the Oilers dressed McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Bouchard. Edmonton was expected to control much of the game, so Saturday shouldn’t be treated as definitive evidence of what Formenton will do against regular NHL competition. But skating is different. You don’t need five preseason games to notice whether a player can still separate from opponents. Formenton clearly could.

Oilers May Have Found Another Dimension

Edmonton signed Formenton to a one-year contract with an $850,000 cap hit, making the financial investment minimal. His last full NHL season produced 18 goals and 32 points in 79 games, along with significant penalty-killing responsibility. The Oilers don’t necessarily need him to become that player immediately.

If he can provide speed, forechecking, penalty killing and secondary offence in the bottom six, he will already provide considerable value to the team. Saturday offered an early glimpse. The goal was nice. Four shots were encouraging. Earning Babcock’s praise certainly doesn’t hurt. But the biggest takeaway was simpler.

Formenton Can Still Fly

After years away from the NHL, there was reason to wonder whether one of his defining attributes would still separate him from other players. Against Winnipeg, Formenton wasn’t merely keeping pace — he was forcing defenders to chase him.

Put that speed alongside Joseph, give the pair opportunities to pressure teams on the forecheck and potentially deploy him with McDavid on the penalty kill, and Edmonton suddenly has another way of attacking opponents.

It’s one preseason game, so conclusions should remain measured. But if Saturday was any indication, Formenton’s legs haven’t gone anywhere — and that could make him one of the more important pieces of Edmonton’s revamped bottom six.