While under investigation, Canadian forward leaves NHL for Europe

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Liam
October 14, 2023 (6:43 PM)

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Senators forward Alex Formenton, still technically a restricted free agent, hasn't played a game in the NHL since last season and now looks to have left North American hockey entirely for the foreseeable future.

Last Thursday, HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland's top professional league, the National League, announced that they've signed Alex Formenton on an extremely shor term contract - only until December 31st. However, Formenton's contract has a clause for the club to extend him through the remainder of the season.

In a press statement on HC Ambri-Piotta's website, the team recognized that Formenton is involved with an investigation going on in North America where it comes to the 2018 World Junior team and that at this point, there are no charges or convictions brought against him.

This entails the fact that Formenton still has a possibility of returning to the NHL if the investigation finds that he had no involvement in the incident.

Note: the following was translated from Italian.

"Formenton's situation compared to last season remains unchanged. The club is aware that there is an ongoing investigation and to date there has been no charge nor conviction against the player. The Biancoblù club reserves the right to review the contractual situation with the player should new elements emerge.

The player, for his part, has the possibility of returning to the NHL at any time if the second investigation were to resolve like the first with nothing done. Out of respect for the ongoing investigations, the player and club will not release further statements on the situation."

Formenton, 24 years old, appeared in 22 games for HC Ambri-Piotta last season, tallying 13 points, 74 penalty minutes and was a plus-three. He also appeared in the 2022 Spengler Cup with the team, helping them win their first-ever title in the tournament.

Source: HC Ambri-Piotta

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