For the first time since November, it’s game day!
And even though it’s of the preseason variety, it’ll be good to have live action back on Monday afternoon when Calgary takes on Saskatchewan. For the Stampeders, it serves as a first signpost in an important campaign where taking the next step is the goal.
After two straight sub-.500 seasons that saw Calgary’s streak of consecutive playoff appearances snapped at 19, the team bounced back in a big way in 2025. The Stamps finished 11-7 and earned a spot in the Western Semi-Final where they lost in last minute fashion to the BC Lions.
Last year set the Stampeders back on course. And as we continue highlighting one preseason storyline for each CFL team, building on a bounce back 2025 is where we land for Calgary.
Knowing the Stamps are set to host the 113th Grey Cup only adds urgency on the outside. But inside the locker room, it’s all about focusing on what’s in front of them. That’s the path to getting to a better place, according to head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson.
“I know November 15th I want to be coming out of that locker room with the guys,” Dickenson said on day one of training camp. “In order to look forward, you’ve got to kinda look where we’re at. For us, let’s make sure we handle today.”
Multiple key pieces were put in place last season and Calgary is confident they’re the right ones to keep building. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. leads a pack of crucial returnees that also includes Dedrick Mills, Clarence Hicks, Reggie Begelton, Marquel Lee, and Derrick Moncrief.
Starting Monday afternoon, the Stamps get to work on taking that next step in 2026.
THE DINWIDDIE ERA BEGINS
The story for Ottawa, who open their preseason Friday night in Montreal, is also about taking steps. But the REDBLACKS already took a huge leap in December when they hired Ryan Dinwiddie as their new head coach and general manager.
And with training camp now underway, we get to start seeing how this bet pays off.
It felt like a good bet the minute we heard the somewhat surprising news Dinwiddie was joining Ottawa after an extremely successful tenure with the Argonauts. Dinwiddie compiled a 51-35 record over five seasons in Toronto to go along with two Grey Cup wins and four Eastern Final appearances.
What will the Ottawa REDBLACKS look like in 2026 with Ryan Dinwiddie leading the chart? (Timothy Matwey/CFL.ca)
I’m fascinated to see how Dinwiddie’s coaching influence impacts the REDBLACKS. For instance, it’ll be interesting to watch Dru Brown perform in tandem with Dinwiddie, who’s reputation as a quarterback savant is well established. Brown was only able to start nine of Ottawa’s 18 games last season, but now working with Dinwiddie, it won’t come as a surprise anyone if he returns to 2024 form when he went 8-6-1 as a starter.
Dinwiddie the general manager has been hard at work, too. He’s added the likes of C.J. Reavis, A.J. Allen, and Ayden Eberhardt in free agency to help bolster a REDBLACKS squad that finished 4-14 last year. Knowing how quickly he turned things around in Toronto, it feels like Ottawa has the right guy to get where they want to go.
THE RECEIVER RUNDOWN
Our MMQB positional rankings are coming along nicely, as we added cornerback to the list last week. Here’s where we’re at so far:
And sticking with the high-profile theme, this week we’re shining the spotlight on the receivers.
Perhaps the league’s most stacked position, I know I left a significant number of worthy names off this list.
That’s the nature of whittling an extremely deep position down to just three.
1. KEON HATCHER SR., BC LIONS
After having parts of two seasons impacted by an Achilles injury, Keon Hatcher Sr. emphatically reclaimed his spot as one of the league’s elite in 2025. Hatcher led the CFL last year with 1,688 receiving yards to go along with nine touchdowns.
Knowing Nathan Rourke is his quarterback, it feels like eye-popping numbers are in store once again this season.
2. KENNY LAWLER, HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
The only reason Hatcher didn’t lead the league in receiving touchdowns last season is because Kenny Lawler had that on lock. Lawler paced the CFL with 14 of them, which included nine different games with at least one touchdown catch.
But it’s not like Lawler was just a pitch-and-catch merchant; he also finished second overall with 1,443 receiving yards.
3. NIC DEMSKI, WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
When I think of a guy who needs to make a big catch regardless of score, down, field position, or quarter, I think Nic Demski.
Perhaps the league’s most versatile receiver, Demski can be used in so many ways, which makes him a threat on every single snap. Last year saw Demski record 1,001 yards, his third straight over the millennium mark, to go along with seven touchdowns.
