Edmonton Oilers superfan Mama Stanley will be sitting this season out after her team signed Alex Formenton, one of five hockey players acquitted in the high-profile World Juniors sexual assault case.
Mary Loewen has become a local icon over the years, decking herself out in head-to-toe silver and sparkles to watch Oilers games as a human Stanley Cup.
On social media Wednesday night, she said she was “deeply disappointed” in the Oilers’ decision to sign Formenton, even though he and the other four men were acquitted in 2025.
“Although he was acquitted in court, I cannot ignore my conscience or what this decision represents to me,” Loewen’s post read. “As a sexual assault survivor, I must stand by my morals and stand with the woman at the centre of this case.”
“I’ve cried in waves because I feel betrayed by an organization I have proudly loved and represented for years,” she continued. “Losing Game 7 two years ago meant losing a Stanley Cup; this feels like losing a team I have loved with all my heart for most of my life.”
On Thursday, Loewen launched a petition calling for the Oilers organization to “take every lawful and contractually available step to reverse this signing and end Alex Formenton’s affiliation with the team.”
“A criminal trial determines whether the Crown proved criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt. It does not require fans, survivors, sponsors, or community members to support every employment and roster decision made afterward,” the petition read.
“Following the acquittals, the NHL itself stated that the conduct at issue ‘falls woefully short’ of the standards and values expected of NHL players and clubs … The Oilers have now chosen to make Formenton a representative of the team and our city.
“For many of us, that decision conflicts with the values we expect from an organization with enormous influence over children, families, young athletes, and the wider community.”
As of 11:30 a.m., the petition had garnered 1,117 signatures.
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) and the Saffron Centre, a sexual assault support non-profit, also released statements on social media Wednesday.
“For survivors of sexual violence, news like this can feel deeply personal,” SACE wrote. “Decisions made by organizations in our sports community matter. They send messages about consent, safety, accountability, and respect.”
The Saffron Centre said it was “deeply disappointed.”
“Professional sports organizations have tremendous influence in shaping community values,” it wrote. “Athletes are often looked to as role models and leaders, and with that comes a responsibility to uphold the highest standards of conduct … We believe this decision falls short of that responsibility.”
Tim Shipton, executive vice president of Oilers Entertainment Group communications, said at a media event on Thursday that the team “understands that people have different perspectives” on the signing.
“Not everybody is going to agree with the signing, but at the end of the day, Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson did a tremendous amount of due diligence,” Shipton said. “Alex has been reinstated by the National Hockey League, by Hockey Canada.
“Jeff and Stan have talked to Alex. Obviously, [the] expectation [is] he’ll come in and uphold the standards that we expect for Edmonton Oilers, and we’re excited to have him on the team.”
The acquisition was announced Wednesday morning. The Oilers said Formenton, who has not played in the National Hockey League (NHL) since 2021-2022, was hired for a one-year $850,000-deal.
At a captain’s skate several hours later, Formenton told reporters he was grateful the team was giving him the opportunity, saying the last eight years have been hard for him and his family.
“I think there’s lots of lessons to take from it moving forward and (I’m) looking forward to growing as a person and growing as a player on and off the ice,” Formenton said.
Captain Connor McDavid said at the skate that it was a “great opportunity” for Formenton.
“He’s gone through a process. He’s been transparent through the process and that process has led him here today,” McDavid said.
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Alex Antoneshyn
