Player Involved in Team Canada World Junior Scandal Files $20.5M Lawsuit Against Agent

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Gabriel Sami
November 1, 2024 (2:15 PM)

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A $20 million lawsuit has been filed by former NHL player Alex Formenton, who was a part of the 2018 Team Canada World Juniors scandal.

Five former members of Team Canada's World Juniors team, including Alex Formenton, were charged by London, Ontario, police, and are currently awaiting trial for their crimes. In an attempt to recover $20 million for what he considers to be "bad faith and high-handed conduct," the former Ottawa Senators forward has now filed a lawsuit against his former employer, Newport Sports.

One of the largest agencies in the league, representing players like Brad Marchand, Connor Bedard, and Matthew Tkachuk, is accused in Formenton's lawsuit of failing to provide the standard of care and counsel expected of a professional agent.

«As his agent, Wade and Newport Sports owed Alex a duty of care,» Formenton's lawsuit reads. «At all material times, they were negligent in exercising their duties as agent to Alex and did not meet the required standard of care expected of a professional agent. Alex pleads that the services and counsel provided by Wade and Newport Sports were done negligently, carelessly and unskillfully»

Formenton's primary grievance seems to be a 2022 contract negotiation with the Senators, in which his agent Wade Arnott failed to adequately counsel him on his next course of action, ultimately leading to his exit from the NHL.

«For the remainder of July to December 2022, Wade continued to represent and hold out to Alex that he would yet be offered a new contract by the Ottawa Senators,» the lawsuit reads. «Wade advised that even without an accepted offer or extended qualifying offer his dealings with the Ottawa Senators on behalf of Alex was �business as usual' and that Alex should rely on Wade and Newport Sports to secure a favourable offer.

«Wade's advice was wrong. The Ottawa Senators did not propose or agree to a new contract with Alex prior to December 1, 2022, and accordingly, Alex was ineligible to play in the NHL for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.»

After leaving North America for Switzerland, Formenton would counsel his agents to include a provision in his contract that would allow him to rejoin the NHL whenever he was offered a new contract. However, according to the lawsuit, his agency failed to inform him of the consequences of this action.

«During the negotiations of the Ambri-Piotta contract, Wade asked for a contract clause that would allow Alex to return to play with the NHL, should Newport Sports and Alex be able to negotiate a new NHL contract,» the lawsuit reads. «At no time during the contract negotiations with Ambri-Piotta did Wade advise Alex of the consequences or possible repercussions of transferring to a European team and the impact this may have on a continued career in the NHL.»

Formenton has retired from hockey to pursue a regular job, but the other four players involved in the lawsuit have all continued their hockey careers.

After some of the defendants requested permission to leave Canada prior to the trial for training and employment, Formenton stated in an affidavit in a series of court documents filed this spring that he is residing in the Barrie, Ontario, area, working in the construction industry, and undergoing training in both heavy equipment administration and operation.

«I have been learning to operate excavators, skid-steer loaders and rollers,» he wrote. «Having focused on hockey my entire life, it is challenging to transition to a new line of work.»

With the other lawsuit still pending, he has a lot to worry about right now.

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NOVEMBRE 1 \| 78 ANSWERS Player Involved in Team Canada World Junior Scandal Files $20.5M Lawsuit Against Agent Do you think Alex Formenton will win his lawsuit?
Yes	36	46.2 %
No	42	53.8 %
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