Sports Betting Odds

When you visit a regulated online sportsbook, you’ll find a host of numbers to dig into. While the CFL is one attraction, the menu of options will go much deeper than that.

Best online Sportsbooks in Canada

[n-list id=on-sportsbook-toplist]

From daily moneylines, spreads, and totals, to props and futures, a sportsbook is nothing if not a collection of different sets of odds. With betting expanding in Canada and a number of mobile betting sites in Ontario available, more and more people will be gaining experience with these apps, whether they are just casual bettors or hardcore sports fans.

Regardless of where you land on the sports betting experience spectrum, a full understanding of the odds board and what it’s telling you is key.

This guide will cover everything that you need to know about betting at Canadian sportsbooks when it comes to reading betting odds, the different bet types available to you, and how to place wagers now that the number of options has expanded in Ontario.

How to read betting odds

Sports betting odds will appear in one of two ways at Canadian sportsbooks: American or decimal. You can typically toggle between the two formats, depending on preference. For a standard moneyline bet, here’s an example:

[table id=62 /]

On the American side, negative numbers indicate favourites, and underdogs usually are positive. When reading decimal odds, the lower of the two values is for the favoured side. While it’s possible to find a discrepancy here or there, the numbers on both sides will generally line up and are easily convertible.

To convert American odds to decimal:
- Positive: (Odds/100) + 1 = decimal
- Negative: (100/-odds) + 1 = decimal

To convert decimal odds to American:
- Odds of 2.00 or greater: (Odds – 1) * 100 = American
- Odds from 1.01 to 1.99: -100 / (Odds – 1) = American

Even if you typically stick to one format, it’s still a good idea to have a handle on how to read both styles of odds. While doing research, you may see one form or the other in certain spots. If you don’t understand both formats, you’re setting yourself up for confusion and mistakes.

How to bet on sports in Canada

Once you open your application, you’ll be able to view a menu of sports that will display game lines for any sport that is offered by the site. You’ll notice that for the most popular ones, the sportsbook displays three bet types: the moneyline, spread, and total (over/under).

If you’ve ever been anywhere near a sportsbook, you’ve likely seen or heard these terms before. These are the three most basic bet types out there, and this is the place to start if you’re looking to understand how to read odds for any market you see.

There’s no better way to understand than by using an example, so let’s take a look at a set of odds for a Canadian Football League matchup to help describe what each bet type looks like using American odds.

[table id=63 /]

Moneylines

Betting moneylines involves simply picking which side you think will win the game. Oddsmakers project favourites to win the game and they will have a negative line, while underdogs will have a positive symbol next to their odds. The moneyline itself can be used to calculate potential wins and losses, based on the number $100.

With favourites, the negative line indicates how much you have to wager to get back $100 on a winning bet. So you’d have to risk $160 on Toronto to win $100 in profit for a total return of $260 counting the initial wager.

When the odds are positive, the number equals how much you’d win if risking $100. So a bet of that size on Saskatchewan at +140 could win $140 in profit and a total return of $240.

Spread betting

Because not all teams are equal, the point spread is the oddsmakers’ way of evening out the game from a gambling perspective. In order to ‘cover’ the spread, favourites must win by more than the spread indicates. Underdogs can lose by a lesser number than the spread and still cover the number and win your bet.

When it comes to calculating wins and losses, use the price that accompanies the spread and calculate as you would a moneyline to determine what your risk and reward will be.

A bet on Toronto at -3.5 (-110) means the Argos need to win by four or more points, and it will require a $110 risk to win $100 in profit. A wager on the Roughriders +3.5 (-110) means needing a victory or a loss by three or fewer points to cover the spread.

While many point spreads will feature matching -110 lines on both sides, the price you pay for a spread (also known as the juice) will vary between -125 and +100 on most occasions before a given spread changes by a half-point in whatever direction it is being pushed. Always shop around to make sure you get the best possible line.

Another thing to note is that if a point spread is a whole number and the winning margin of the favourite lands exactly on it (i.e. Argos are favoured by three and win by a field goal), the bet is graded as a push and all wagers are void. Whatever you risk will be returned to your account.

[n-cta id=bet365-sportsbook-on]

Totals betting

Totals, also known as over/unders, involve betting whether the combined score of a sporting event will go over or under the predetermined total set by oddsmakers. The total will be the same for both the over and the under, but similar to the point spread, there’s a chance the juice could swing toward one side or another.

A bet on the Argonauts-Roughriders over 47.5 (-105) needs 48 or more points to cash your ticket, and you’ll have to risk $105 for every $100 in profit. Betting on the under 47.5 (-115) requires a $115 risk to win $100 and 47 or fewer combined points in the game.

Similar to spreads, there are two components to consider: the number itself and the actual odds for placing the bet. One site could have the same total and slightly different juice or the number could be different along with the prices, and you need to choose between your options.

Futures

A futures bet is a long-term wager that isn’t settled until sometime, well, in the future. Not only are these wagers popular because they have the potential to be lucrative, but they also provide a rooting interest for more than just one game or day.

The most common examples are futures bets on league championships, but that extends to tournaments for individual sports and even individual awards in team sports.

You can place futures bets on a league’s championship such as the winner of the Super Bowl or Grey Cup, individual tournaments such as the Masters or Wimbledon, or even on player accomplishments like who will win the next NBA MVP.

When discussing team sports, odds for futures usually come out in the offseason. If we use the winner of the next Grey Cup as an example, you can expect to see futures odds soon after the current edition is in the books. Lines will remain active throughout the season, adjusting based on the results each week.

Line shopping is always important, but perhaps never more so than when you’re betting futures. Because these bets are such a long way from settling, there’s much less certainty in how it will turn out, both for bettors and oddsmakers.

That means there’s tons of variance in these lines from site to site, and having multiple accounts will help ensure you get the best line.

How live sports betting odds work

Once upon a time, all bets had to be placed before the game began. That’s no longer the case, thanks to the innovation of live betting. You can wager in real-time as the action plays out on the field.

It’s a very fast-moving market in which the odds and offerings will change frequently, and there are even bonuses and promotions that can be offered around live betting.

Moneylines, spreads, and totals are the most commonly-bet live lines, but there are also certain props available with updated odds, depending on the sport. When betting on the NFL or MLB, there could even be what is referred to as ‘flash bets’ or ‘micro bets’ which focus on the very next play, drive, inning, or at-bat.

There are multiple ways to use live betting to your advantage. Some bettors just weren’t able to get a wager in before the game began, while others strategically want to see how the game plays out and potentially pounce on one side or the other if the line gets to a certain value.

Maybe a big favourite falls behind early and all of a sudden, the price isn’t so bad. Or a game gets off to a ton of scoring and you’re sure it will slow down, so you take the under at an inflated price. There are plenty of ways to gain value on the live line compared to the pregame line.

Live betting is also a tool for those who want to hedge previous bets. If you’re down to the last leg of a parlay, you may bet a small amount on the other side to guarantee some kind of profit for yourself. It can also be used as a way to ‘middle’ a previous bet, which involves betting both sides of a game with some middle ground to land you a win on both.

Live betting can make the games that you’re watching more entertaining, but a note of caution applies: It can be easy to get caught up in the action. Always remember to bet with your head and never over it.

Prop betting

Proposition bets, known as props, are virtually any single-game wager that isn’t the moneyline, spread, or total. Props could include the final score or total in some way, but it usually involves other elements.

Props are usually broken down into player, game, and team props, with the former being the most popular. This would include over/under for player passing, receiving, and rushing yards in a CFL or NFL game, and would extend to team totals for each of the two halves, and beyond.

For NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games, the number of props is seemingly endless. They provide alternative ways to wager on the game and find value on lines that aren’t being looked at quite as closely.

If you’re someone who is interested in fantasy sports and player stats, or any part of the game aside from who wins and the final score, props are worth checking out and are widely available at online sportsbooks in Canada.

[n-cta id=betrivers-sportsbook-on]

How to calculate betting wins and losses

As long as you win enough bets, the odds don’t matter all that much, right? Wrong. What you need to be thinking about is: how can I tell how much my odds will payout?

The amount you receive back on your winning bets depends on the odds at which you placed those bets. In short, every tick of difference adds up. Let’s consider the profit on a successful $100 bet at a few different price points in a narrow range for both American and decimal odds:

-105/1.95 = $95.20
-108/1.93 = $92.60
-110/1.91 = $90.90
-112/1.89 = $89.30
-115/1.87 = $87.00

For a single wager, the difference may not seem all that dramatic. However, if you add it up over the course of many bets, there’s a marked difference to your bottom line. Whenever you plan to wager, always take the time to compare the odds to make sure that you’re getting the best possible price.

Once you add a wager to the slip and plug in the amount of your stake, the sportsbook will display the potential return. After you place the bet, it moves over to the open bets section, where you can track the progress throughout the contest. Many sportsbooks offer early cash-out options, so it’s always good practice to keep an eye out for offers you like.

As contests go final, sportsbooks will settle bets soon after. You can expect to see any winnings hit your account quickly. In the event of a push, there’s no winner or loser, so the sportsbook will credit the amount of your stake back to your account.

For single wagers, calculating the potential payout based on the odds is simple with a little bit of practice. That’s not the case with parlays, which combine multiple sets of odds, and the prices will vary based on the number of selections and the line for each. For example, take the following three-leg CFL parlay:

Ottawa Redblacks -275 or 1.36 over Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Toronto Argonauts +205 or 3.05 over Montreal Alouettes
Winnipeg Blue Bombers -260 or 1.38 over BC Lions
Total parlay odds: +475 or 5.75

The returns on winning parlay bets can be great, but that comes with a big caveat: You have to be right on all of your selections to win. If you’re wrong on just a single pick, the entire bet is a loss. At odds of +475 or 5.75, a winning $100 bet would cash $475. For a smaller amount, a $20 bet would bring back $95 in profit.

When it comes to calculating odds for you, especially with parlays and other exotic bets, the sportsbook will be able to do it for you. That’s one of the beauties of wagering online, you can easily shuffle selections in and out of a bet slip with instant calculations of what you could win.

Who sets or calculates sports betting odds?

For the uninitiated, the odds at an online sportsbook may seem like a random assortment of numbers. The reality is vastly different. A great deal of care goes into setting the lines for public consumption.

Sportsbooks set their own numbers in-house, but they may have some assistance from an outside provider. As you would expect, computers and algorithms do a lot of the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

Every factor that you can think of that could possibly impact the proceedings is part of the consideration. This can include simple matchup statistics, historical betting trends, weather concerns and much more.

Taking all of the data into account, the sportsbook will set the market and thoroughly review it before releasing it to the public. After the odds go live, the betting public has its chance to weigh in. Sportsbooks may then adjust the odds in response to where the money is going.

As you gain experience with sports betting, your understanding of the odds board will only increase. By extension, you’ll be able to more easily spot instances in which oddsmakers may be on or off the mark — at least in your own personal opinion.

How to find the best odds

As mentioned earlier, you should always take the time to make sure that you’re getting the best odds prior to placing your bets. How exactly do you do that?

Engaging in what’s known as line shopping, simply means that you are comparing the odds for a specific bet at multiple sportsbooks. Our live odds feed is a fantastic tool to use for that.

As a quick example, let’s say that you’re ready to place a moneyline bet on the Toronto Raptors over the Boston Celtics. When you check the odds at DraftKings, you can get Toronto at odds of -130 or 1.77. As you check other books, you notice that BetMGM and Caesars are at the same price point, but FanDuel is offering the Raptors at -125 or 1.80.

On its own, the small difference isn’t a game-changer, but it can directly impact your bottom line. Since one of the goals of sports betting is to be profitable on a long-term basis, each edge in your favour adds up. When considering the above scenario, the only place you would want to be placing your Raptors moneyline bet is at FanDuel.

[n-cta id=caesars-sportsbook-on]

Two-time All-CFL running back William Stanback retires

American running back William Stanback has retired after seven seasons in the Canadian Football League.

The 31-year-old spent the 2025 season with the Ottawa Redblacks, rushing for 698 yards and four touchdowns on 147 carries. He also made 36 receptions with 278 yards and on score in 17 games.

Stanback set a career-high in yards from scrimmage in 2024 with the B.C. Lions. He carried the ball 231 times for 1,175 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching 46 passes for 413 yards and two majors.

The native of Hempstead, N.Y. spent the first five seasons of his CFL career with the Montreal Alouettes, interrupted only by a brief stint with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. He recorded 625 carries for 3,716 yards and 11 touchdowns over 62 regular-season games with the team.

Stanback was twice named All-CFL, led the league in rushing in 2021, and won the Grey Cup in 2023. In total, he rushed for 5,589 yards, caught 189 passes for 1,749 yards, returned 20 kickoffs for 476 yards, and scored 25 touchdowns over 97 CFL regular-season games.

He released the following statement on social media.

From my time at UCF, to my college days at Virginia Union, to chasing the dream in the NFL, to finding my home in the CFL — this game has taken me places I once only prayed about. There were moments I stood on NFL fields feeling like that little kid’s dream had come true. And there were moments I was fighting just to prove I still belonged.

There were seasons of celebration… and seasons of heartbreak.

Losing my parents while still chasing this dream was the hardest battle of my life. There were days I didn’t know how I’d keep going. Days I felt empty. Days I questioned everything. But I carried their love with me every time I stepped on that field. Every run, every rep, every comeback — I did it with them in my heart.

There was a time I hit rock bottom. Injuries, setbacks, doubts — I truly thought it might be over. I wondered if the dream had slipped away. But something inside me refused to quit. I kept working. Kept believing. Kept striving for greatness even when nobody was watching.

Football tested me. It humbled me. It built me.

To my teammates — thank you for being brothers. To my coaches — thank you for pushing me when I didn’t see it in myself. To every organization that gave me an opportunity — thank you for believing in me. To the fans — you gave me strength when I needed it most.

And to my parents — everything I am is because of you. I hope I made you proud.

This game didn’t just shape my career. It shaped my character. It taught me resilience, faith, and how to stand tall when life knocks you down.

I leave the field knowing I gave it everything I had.

The dream doesn’t end here — it just evolves.

Thank You Football

Ottawa Redblacks open to trading No. 1 pick in 2026 CFL Draft

The Ottawa Redblacks hold the first overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft and the team is willing to trading the selection if they receive the right offer.

“We’re going to be open to listening to anything — you always do until you make that final decision and we obviously want to make that the night before the draft,” head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie told the media via videoconference on Wednesday.

“I think anything you look at as far as value — is it going to help our football club this year and in the future — and if that’s an opportunity for us to get better and get any type of value at it, we’ll look at that.”

“The draft talk always heats up as you get closer (to draft day),” vice-president of football operations Shawn Burke added.

“Teams go through the process down here with the (CFL Combine) and pro days and I think in the last week to two, we’ve maybe got some clarity on some guys on their pro days, developments and whatnot. You’re always going to have conversations through the offseason, but I think it does heat up as you get closer to the draft.”

This year’s draft class is chock-full of NCAA players, some of whom transferred to U.S. schools after beginning their collegiate careers in U Sports. Others had unusually long NCAA careers after garnering extra eligibility amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed their respective draft years.

Though he doesn’t believe NCAA talent is arbitrarily better than that coming out of U Sports, Dinwiddie suggested it might be easier to evaluate given that the level of competition is more standardized.

“You look at the level of talent that they played against, so as far as evaluating the film (from the NCAA), that’s a little bit easier to evaluate, so that’s exciting about it, but I don’t hang our hat on the fact that the kid went to a U.S. school,” said Dinwiddie.

“You look over the draft, a lot of the players that have turned out over the last five, six years have been (U Sports) players, so I don’t put any pedigree in, ‘This guy played in the MAC Conference (so put him) over a kid that played at Laurier.’ They’re all good football players, we’re gonna evaluate them the same.”

Things didn’t work out when Ottawa made the first overall pick in the draft three years ago, though that was a relatively weak class. This time around, things are much different.

“It’s a very strong draft,” said Burke. “The (CFL) draft’s probably one of the toughest drafts in the world because you’re not necessarily selecting the best player at No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — you’ve gotta wait for the dominoes to fall from where they end up in the NFL — but the talent level, if you looked at every Canadian available right now, it’s very high.”

If you delve further back into Redblacks draft history, the team had success trading the No. 1 pick away in 2014. The selection was shipped to the Calgary Stampeders in exchange for veteran offensive lineman Jon Gott, who served as an anchor at centre for the next five seasons, earning two All-CFL selections and helping the team win the 104th Grey Cup.

When asked if they would consider trading the pick away in exchange for a proven player, Ottawa didn’t shut the idea down.

“I think if you would look at a proven veteran, what’s his age? There’s a lot of things that you’re going to look at. What’s his contract? Is that going to be too much for us to take with the salary cap?” said Dinwiddie.

“There’s all kinds of stuff that goes into it, but we’re looking to get a player that’s going to be in camp this year and help us get better for the season with that No. 1 pick.”

Dinwiddie politely declined to identity which positions he considers the strongest in the draft, saying Ottawa “likes them all.” For what it’s worth, as discussed on the most recent episode of the 3DownNation Podcast, the positions most scouts have identified as strengths are fullback/tight end, offensive line, and linebacker.

The 2026 CFL Combine will take place from March 27 to 29 in Edmonton, Alta., while the 2026 CFL Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

Edmonton Elks believe Taylor Powell can be franchise CFL quarterback

The Edmonton Elks believe Taylor Powel has the traits required to be a franchise quarterback in the Canadian Football League.

“I think so. I think there’s a lot of strong feelings about that across the league. Good player, lives and breathes football. He prepares the right way and we’re excited to have him on our team,” head coach Mark Kilam said from the CFL Combine in the Alberta capital.

The 27-year-old Powell signed a two-year contract with the Green and Gold in CFL free agency. He’s a bonafide backup behind Cody Fajardo with starting abilities in case injuries happen. If Fajardo, who was weighing retirement prior to signing a one-year contract extension with Edmonton, moves on from football, the Elks feel the next man up at QB is in the building.

“When we signed him, we felt like he had the potential to be a starter in this league. Given the situation last year when Cody was talking retirement, we can’t be in a position where we’re without a quarterback,” general manager Ed Hervey said.

“When a player starts talking about retirement, they’re usually halfway there. I wanted to make certain that the organization was in a good place. We felt that Taylor was the appropriate guy and the best player that was available for us. We know him and we’re excited about having him within the locker room.”

Hervey was Hamilton’s assistant GM in 2023 when Powell came to the CFL, then held the GM role with the Tiger-Cats in 2024. He’s seen how the six-foot-one, 208-pound QB approaches playing quarterback as a professional, which gave him confidence to bring him to Edmonton as a possible heir apparent to Fajardo at football’s most important position.

Edmonton was one of the CFL’s most active teams in free agency with key signings including quarterback Taylor Powell, receivers Austin Mack and Joe Robustelli, offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey, and defensive lineman Malik Carney. The team’s main departures included quarterback Tre Ford (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), and defensive lineman Jake Ceresna (Winnipeg Blue Bombers).

The Elks hold the third overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m. ET. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Edmonton will play its first preseason game against the B.C. Lions on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday, June 6.

In 2025, Edmonton finished fifth in the West Division standings with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.

Chris Morris: Edmonton Elks can be profitable in not-too-distant future

The Edmonton Elks appear to be on the upswing after enduring the darkest chapter in franchise history, so much so that team president and CEO Chris Morris believes the team can be profitable in the relatively near future.

“Last year was our first year. Within five years, I would expect that we’re profitable — if not before that. I think that year three and four is where we have to start looking at where that would be a viability,” Morris told 3DownNation in a recent wide-ranging interview.

“I feel very strongly that this place can be not just profitable, but very profitable within a three-to-five-year window. The first year (2025), we knew … we were going to have to sort of rally and do the best we can and start turning some minds and hearts. This next year (2026), we feel we have a nice base in that area. Now we’ve started to build our roster the way we want to — we start winning some games this year, and then next year (2027) is where we should start approaching where we’re getting closer, we’re somewhere in that range (of breaking even).

“Then, years four (2028) and five (2029) is where we should be looking to be profitable again. We have a huge stadium here. We have lots of seats here. … They have the wrong guy here if he’s sitting here telling you, ‘We don’t care about being profitable.’ There’s a whole bunch of pieces to building it and you have to build it right, but if you build it right in this city, you should be a profitable sports franchise, especially with football and especially with this facility.”

The 57-year-old revealed that the Elks lost around two-thirds of their season ticket base over the last decade, falling from over 20,000 to 7,000. Morris cited a “catastrophic series of events” as the cause of the collapse, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a record-setting 22-game home losing skid, and what he termed the “shocking, alarming, and disrespectful” manner in which the team changed its name.

Edmonton has missed the playoffs in six of the last seven CFL seasons, including each of the last five. For longtime fans of the team, this is an unthinkable failure. The club made 34 consecutive postseason appearances from 1972 to 2005, winning 10 Grey Cups during that time. Morris played along the offensive line for 14 of those seasons. He won three Grey Cup rings and never missed the playoffs.

“When you’re that bad, it takes time to regain credibility. You start off by building the foundational pieces, doing the right things and doing business the right way, but the reality is now we gotta start showing on the field,” said Morris. “We feel very good about heading into this next season and I think a lot of our fan base are starting to see that, but the reality is some of them are going, ‘I gotta wait and see what’s going to happen here.'”

“Close to 90 percent of the people who come in here who fill out surveys around their game-day experience are not just happy, they’re over-the-moon happy with the game-day experience. There’s a lot of positives going on … but it’s like perfume on a pig if you’re not winning games.”

Edmonton was once the CFL’s financial stalwart, consistently drawing crowds between 30,000 and 40,000 and posting annual profits of up to $6 million.

In the rare instances that the team lost money, there were always mitigating factors. Edmonton reported a $2.3 million loss in 2010 but paid $7.5 million toward the construction of the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre, $1.3 million for new turf at Commonwealth Stadium, and bought out the contracts of then-head coach Richie Hall and then-general manager Danny Maciocia.

After the last few years, it’s hard to envision the Elks consistently getting back to crowds of that size. On paper, CFL attendance has dropped 7.5 percent league-wide since 2015, though a significant portion of that decline can be attributed to the collapse in Edmonton. If the Elks are removed from the dataset, CFL attendance has fallen only 1.9 percent over the last 10 seasons.

This raises the question: what kind of attendance do the Elks need in order to be profitable? The answer is lower than what one might expect.

“20,000 would be close (to making us profitable). At 20,000, depending on what your partnership is, depending on your merchandise, what your other streams of revenue are, you could be close. 22,000 to 25,000 is where you’re like, ‘OK, now we’re making money, now we’re going to be a profitable organization,'” said Morris.

“Averaging 25,000 if the team’s winning? I don’t think that’s something that’s beyond belief even in the next couple of years, but there’s no amount of fairy dust that I can spread around here if we start off 0-7 again. It just doesn’t matter, you have to be good. You have to have a good football product.”

In addition to dwindling crowds, it’s clear the Elks suffered similar losses in the area of corporate sponsorship. Shortly after he was hired following the 2024 season, Morris took it upon himself to try to reconnect the team with the local business community. He was met with significant pushback and skepticism.

“I had a meeting with several key prominent business owners and movers and shakers in the city when I first got here, and they were all just so angry about different things that had been done from a business standpoint and from a relationship standpoint,” said Morris.

“Sitting in that room listening to all the things, all I could really say was ‘Look, it’s gonna be different.’ You could tell by the looks on their faces, like, ‘OK, there’s been a bunch of presidents through here saying all that sort of stuff,’ but I think over the last year, I’ve become really good friends with several of them and it’s been meeting after meeting and connection after connection, and now several of them are so invested with us right now.”

Morris indicated there’s an upcoming gathering of close to 100 prominent local business owners scheduled to take place at the home of Grant Fedoruk, the owner and president of Leading Edge Physiotherapy. Entry is contingent upon interest in some form of partnership with the team.

For what it’s worth, Fedoruk’s biography on Instagram describes him as an Oilers and Cowboys fan. The Elks, apparently, didn’t make the cut.

“These are people who were so disappointed with the way we were doing things that they just didn’t want to be connected. For me, I can’t as one person stand on top of a building here in Edmonton and yell out, ‘The Edmonton Elks are going to be a great organization! We’re going to be awesome, character, integrity, all these things!’ and have people listen,” said Morris.

“I have to touch as many people as possible that have prominent and influential roles and get them to help me, and have them be out in the community saying, ‘Hey, I talked to Chris and these are the things they’re doing. This is how this business is gonna run moving forward, and the Thompson family is committed to this community.’ (We need to) have them go out and be market multipliers saying, ‘Look, this is why it’s good to come back and be part of this thing.’ I think we’re well down the road on that. I think we’ve got a lot of really good things going on here right now.”

Morris said the team has retained over 95 percent of its season ticket holders from last season, which was a priority given how the base had dwindled. With so many renewals secured, the team is now making a push to garner new season ticket holders ahead of the 2026 season.

“We’re way ahead on season tickets (relative to last year). We’re way ahead on partnerships. There’s a lot of positive vibes in the city right now about how we’re doing things,” said Morris. “We’re getting a bunch more (season ticket holders) in the hopper here. It’s going to be a process, but we’re making huge traction and huge headway this year.”

The Elks were publicly owned from their inception in 1949 until 2024, when lifelong fan and local construction magnate Larry Thompson became the team’s first private owner. A little over a year after the purchase was announced, Thompson died after suffering severe complications following surgery. He was 65.

Deb Thompson, Larry’s wife, released a statement following his death expressing the family’s enduring commitment to supporting the team. According to Morris, nothing has since changed.

“Deb is very, very committed to making sure that this goes forward. I think she loves the community and she loves what it does for the community, but she also has that sense of, ‘I know how important this was to Larry.’ I think that’s important to her because it was so important to Larry. She loves the sport, and her kids as well. They are fully committed to making sure this happens,” said Morris.

“That’s what it should be. It should be all of us together with the same sort of vision for how this looks like and building it out together, and I think we’re well on our way.”

The Thompson family is also involved in the revitalization of nearby Clarke Stadium. The Elks will play their home preseason game there in May while Commonwealth Stadium plays host to the Canadian Men’s National Team. Morris indicated there are plans for the venue to be domed and serve as a high-performance centre and community outreach hub, where kids from the local community will be able to visit Elks players every day.

“The Thompson family vision is to build out this section of Edmonton and to make sure that it’s taken care of and to make sure that the kids here and the families here have opportunities,” said Morris. “The Clarke revitalization is part of it and the family is very, very motivated and excited about what we can do to have an impact on the surrounding community.”

One could argue that Commonwealth Stadium is an obstacle to the team’s future success. Built in 1978, the venue is far larger than necessary by modern Canadian sports standards. Empty seats are bad for generating an engaging atmosphere, which is key to attracting fans.

Though a new stadium is badly needed in Calgary, Morris doesn’t believe the same is true for Edmonton. Instead, he would like to see the venue receive upgrades to modernize its amenities.

Two years ago, mock-ups of a refurbished Commonwealth Stadium began circulating online. The images depicted expanded concourses, renovated washrooms and concession areas, and large windows surrounding the venue’s exterior in place of its existing green panels.

At the time, the City of Edmonton told 3DownNation that the proposed upgrades would cost $250 million and there was no funding of any kind in place. It’s unclear if any of these upgrades will ever be executed, though new turf is currently being installed at the venue at the expense of the city.

“I think there needs to be some upgrades for sure, and I think if there’s gonna be a new stadium down in Calgary, usually the provincial government would look at a way to sort of go, ‘OK, we gotta take care of both sides.’ We do need some significant upgrades here. The city does a great job of maintaining what we have, but it’s older,” said Morris.

“The 30,000 lower deck is good. There’s lots of things we can do in the upper deck to build premium seating and to build different products for seating where it’s not necessarily always going to be like, ‘OK, if we don’t have 55,000 people here, it looks empty.’ I think that the biggest things are just the amenities, like the concessions and all those different things just need to be upgraded a little bit. I think that’s a part of what the city would do.”

It remains to be seen if the efforts of Morris and his staff will pay off. The Elks didn’t become a disaster overnight, and it’ll take lots of time for the team to reach the heights from which they fell.

Regardless, Morris seems optimistic about the team’s future. With a new media rights deal in the works, the team should receive a boost to its coffers for 2027 regardless of their attendance.

It’s also easy to envision crowds starting to return to Commonwealth Stadium if the Elks prove they can make the playoffs. The team is coming off back-to-back 7-11 seasons, both of which featured miserable starts.

In 2024, Edmonton began the year 0-7, then went 7-4 over its remaining games. A similar story played out in 2025 when the club started 1-6, then went 6-3 over its next nine games.

“I think this club, even though it’s a private owner now as opposed to being a community-driven club, we’re about serving the community of Edmonton. We’re about bringing value to our community — value in having a good football product that people can be proud of, having a huge charitable arm that serves the community directly. Whatever business interests are in the city, they should be able to say, ‘Let’s partner with the Edmonton Elks,'” said Morris.

“How can we make an impact on kids? How can we make an impact on the community? … We want to be a contributor here as opposed to standing here and being like, ‘We’re the Edmonton Elks, what can the city do for us?’ I think that is a massive shift and I think that, for me, the Thompson family has embodied those sorts of beliefs as long as they’ve been around. I think one of the reasons that the job was such a great fit was that that’s what I believe in. I believe that this whole thing, everything about the Edmonton Elks, should be about serving the City of Edmonton, the people here, the community here, the kids here, the families here, and I think we’re getting people in the building who believe in that.”

“I’m extremely confident (we can fill a good portion of Commonwealth Stadium again someday). The City of Edmonton loves football, the City of Edmonton loves to be connected, and they love to rally around something that’s important to them.”

Role reversal: Dakoda Shepley called Toronto Argonauts about signing CFL contract

Teams typically have to work hard to recruit top free agents, especially when coming off a losing season. In the case of the Toronto Argonauts and Canadian offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley, however, things worked quite the opposite.

“We were very fortunate to take an inbound call from his team — and him directly, as well. In this life, we were very fortunate to get this opportunity, and it didn’t take long (to agree to a contract). He knew where he wanted to play,” general manager Mike ‘Pinball’ Clemons said via videoconference.

“He reached out. We responded. It was magic from the first go, the first conversation, and in even the last conversation. He just had his first child born. He’s very mature and a guy that will not only help us on the field, but in the locker room and community as well.”

The native of Windsor, Ont. was originally a first-round pick in the 2018 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He signed with the team in 2019 after a stint with the New York Jets and played all 18 regular-season games, eventually becoming a starter at guard.

The six-foot-five, 305-pound blocker opted out of his CFL contract amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He ended up spending six years down south as a member of the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, and Indianapolis Colts, dressing for 16 regular-season NFL games and earning close to $2 million.

Shepley and his representation may have initiated conversations with the Argonauts but he didn’t come cheap. Per sources, he’ll earn $285,000 in hard money in 2026, tying him with teammate Ryan Hunter as the second-highest-paid offensive linemen in the CFL. Coulter Woodmansey, the league’s highest-paid offensive lineman, will earn $300,000 with the Edmonton Elks.

The Argonauts allowed a league-worst 56 sacks in 2025 and averaged 3.9 yards per rush — almost one fewer yard than every other team. Toronto identified the offensive line as a position that needed to be upgraded this offseason, making Shepley a perfect fit.

Clemons didn’t address why Shepley wanted to sign with the Argonauts, suggesting the veteran blocker will speak for himself come the start of training camp. With that said, the 31-year-old has professional acting experience and recently welcomed his first child. It seems fair to speculate he chose Toronto for professional and/or family reasons.

Regardless, judging by Clemons’ mile-wide smile, it’s clear the Argonauts are thrilled to have him.

The Toronto Argonauts added several key free agents this winter, including offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley, defensive lineman DeWayne Hendrix, strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett, and defensive back DaShaun Amos. The team’s key losses included receiver Dejon Brissett (Calgary Stampeders) and linebacker Wynton McManis (Hamilton Tiger-Cats).

The Argonauts hold the second overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Toronto will play its first preseason game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday, May 23, then its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, June 12.

In 2025, Toronto finished third in the East Division standings with a 5-13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Mike Miller was promoted to the role of head coach following the departure of Ryan Dinwiddie.

Calgary Stampeders sign Tyreik McAllister after UFL release

The Calgary Stampeders have signed American running back and return specialist Tyreik McAllister following his recent release from the UFL’s Columbus Aviators.

The 27-year-old had a breakout season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023 when he led the CFL in kickoff return average and all-purpose yards. He recorded 13 carries for 52 yards, 27 receptions for 364 yards, 41 kickoff returns for 1,037 yards, 56 punt returns for 602 yards, seven missed field goal returns for 408 yards, and scored three touchdowns.

The native of Latta, S.C. signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and dressed for three regular-season games that season, rushing twice for 11 yards, returning two punts for 24 yards, two kickoffs for 49 yards, and making one tackle. He finished the year on the practice roster and was released the following spring.

The five-foot-ten, 185-pound speedster recently attended training camp with the Aviators but was released amid final roster cuts.

McAllister played collegiately at the University of Charleston, where he was once named the Mountain East Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and twice named first-team All-Conference. He reportedly ran a 4.40-second forty-yard dash at his pro day.

The Calgary Stampeders weren’t very active in CFL free agency, though they signed former Toronto Argonauts receiver Dejon Brissett, who set a career-high with 907 receiving yards in 2025. The Stampeders didn’t lose any free agents to other CFL teams but had three players sign in the NFL: receiver Damien Alford (New Orleans Saints), defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings (Minnesota Vikings), and linebacker Jacob Roberts (Minnesota Vikings).

The Stampeders hold the sixth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Calgary will play its first preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, May 18 and its first regular-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, June 5.

In 2025, Calgary finished third in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.

Trevor Reid wants to prove rookie CFL season was no fluke following pectoral injury

Trevor Reid partially tore his pectoral muscle while bench pressing last offseason, which caused him to be sidelined for the entire 2025 football season.

Reid earned a starting role with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and garnered the team’s Most Outstanding Rookie award in 2024. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in January 2025, but was waived in April. The six-foot-five, 312-pound offensive lineman spent the rest of the year rehabbing.

The 25-year-old originally inked a two-year contract with the Green and White, which ran out in February and CFL teams were prepared to offer him free agent deals. According to the Griffin, Ga. native, he had communication with Saskatchewan, Ottawa, and the Tiger-Cats when the window opened.

“We took Hamilton because they showed that they wanted me and they even talked about bringing my babies up there. It was family-oriented and that put a different spirit in me — I’m willing to go all in for this team, this organization,” Reid told 3DownNation.

Joining the Ticats pairs him with a familiar bookend tackle, Quinton Barrow. Both men played in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl and have been reunited in the Steel City. Hamilton signed Reid to a two-year contract worth $170,000 in hard money for the 2026 CFL season. He’s scheduled to earn $185,000 in hard money for the 2027 campaign.

“He was open-minded. He knew that we had an opportunity. There’s a lot that goes into it, there’s conversations with Scott [Milanovich], with myself, with the personnel department, there’s a relationship with the agents, all those things come into play. Ultimately, the player has to make a decision,” football operations president Orlondo Steinauer said.

Steinauer stated the Tiger-Cats had been tracking Reid for months prior to him signing with the Black and Gold. He did not want to speak for other teams, but Hamilton was aware there was competition to sign the ultra-athletic big man. The 52-year-old football executive had seen his new left tackle’s viral backflip video, but head coach Scott Milanovich had not.

“I’m impressed by anybody that does a backflip,” Steinauer said.

“I know he’s long, athletic, and he plays left tackle pretty good. I did not see the backflip, but he’s long and athletic on film,” Milanovich said.

Reid’s backflip abilities have stuck with him since learning on a hill near his grandma’s house and translating the movement to flat ground. He bumped his head a “few times,” which made him feel his backflips did not come naturally, but you wouldn’t know it when witnessing the ease with which the big man pulls off the move. That’s the consistency he wants to display on a Canadian Football League field, again.

“I’m coming to the CFL to prove to myself that it wasn’t a fluke. I want to show everybody, even myself, that it wasn’t a fluke,” Reid said.

“I want to prove to myself that I’m one of those guys that you can never sleep on. I’ve been looked over a lot within these few months that I haven’t been on a team and I’m hungry, I’m so hungry. I don’t like to talk about it, I’m one of those guys that go out there and do.”

After suffering his pectoral injury, Reid wasn’t sure if he would have another chance to play football. Hamilton has given him the opportunity to extend his professional career.

Calgary Stampeders waiting on ‘big year’ from injury-plagued first-round CFL Draft pick Ben Labrosse

The Calgary Stampeders have owned the CFL Draft over the past two seasons, adding impactful Canadian talent at a rate that few opponents can rival.

Last year’s first overall selection, Damien Alford, has already departed for the NFL after flashing game-breaking ability as a rookie. First-round picks Christy Nkanu and Christopher Fortin have become valuable starters on the offensive line, while depth selections like Ludovick Choquette and Quincy Vaughn have carved out impactful roles.

However, one top pick has yet to live up to expectations. Calgary took a big swing when they selected uber-athletic defensive back Ben Labrosse with the fourth overall pick in 2024. Now entering the final season of his rookie contract, long-term decisions will have to be made.

“It is a big year for Ben. He knows that,” head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson acknowledged.

Labrosse posted impressive numbers at the 2024 CFL Combine, winning the broad jump with a leap of 11 feet, two inches. He tied for first with a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and finished second in the vertical jump with a leap of 38.5 inches while recording a 6.76-second three-cone, 4.31-second short shuttle, and 12 reps on the bench press.

That led Calgary to wager its top pick on the Greenfield Park, Que., native, despite the fact that he had played just 18 collegiate games between Syracuse and McGill, and sat out the 2023 season due to academic issues. Initial results were promising, as Labrosse started nine of the 14 games that he dressed for as a rookie and recorded 34 defensive tackles. However, his streaky play contributed to the Stampeders’ last-place finish.

After being listed as Calgary’s starting field cornerback to begin the 2025 season, Labrosse was benched early in favour of free agent addition Adrian Greene. He dressed in just eight games due to injuries that had plagued him since the previous season, recording five defensive tackles and two on special teams.

“I’m excited for Ben to come into camp healthy. Essentially, he’s been dealing with the foot problem ever since we drafted him,” Dickenson explained. “He was playing without a ligament in his foot, and then it just wasn’t going the way we were hoping, so we got surgery. When he came back last year, he just wasn’t himself, and then at the end of the year, he was. He started making an impact covering our punts and kicks, and watching him in practice.”

The Stampeders started three different Canadians at cornerback over the course of last season, but never went back to Labrosse. Greene started 12 games and earned himself a nice contract extension. Veteran Godfrey Onyeka stepped in for seven games, while undrafted free agent Dolani Robinson defied the odds by starting three games.

That is a crowded group for Labrosse to reestablish himself within, but Calgary has demonstrated a greater willingness to start National talent in the secondary than most CFL teams. That could allow the once-highly touted draft pick a chance to revitalize his career in a contract year.

“We’ve got options, but we don’t have any trepidation at all playing Canadians in the back end, and Ben should get a great opportunity,” Dickenson insisted. “I’m looking forward to him coming in healthy, strong and ready to compete. I trust that he’ll make an impact for us.”

The Stampeders hold the sixth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Calgary will play its first preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, May 18, and its first regular-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, June 5.

In 2025, Calgary finished third in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.

B.C. Lions ‘happy’ with backup QB situation after misses in CFL free agency

The B.C. Lions don’t anticipate adding more depth to their quarterback room ahead of training camp, despite not having a single player with starting experience behind Nathan Rourke.

“I envision going in with the quarterbacks that we have right now,” head coach Buck Pierce told the media from the CFL Combine.

“We’re happy with where we are with the current guys we have under contract. We’re excited about the competition for that position in training camp. As of right now, we’re excited about the guys that we have.”

3DownNation recently ranked the Lions as the fourth-best quarterback room in the CFL, a number inflated primarily by the presence of the reigning Most Outstanding Player. Their depth behind Rourke remains among the least proven in the CFL, as they join Saskatchewan and Winnipeg as the only teams with projected backups who have never started a game.

That was an issue that B.C. tried to address in CFL free agency, entering the sweepstakes for a couple of top backup options. Dual-threat Canadian pivot Tre Ford has stated on the record that his decision came down to offers from the Lions and Tiger-Cats, which ultimately led to him signing in Hamilton. Sources indicate that a similar situation played out with Dustin Crum, who chose to go with the Montreal Alouettes instead.

After both opted to go in a different direction, the Lions inked incumbent backup Chase Brice to a contract extension. The 28-year-old is the team’s only other experienced CFL passer on the roster, having completed 25-of-33 attempts for 261 yards and a touchdown over three years.

“Obviously, you’re always looking to add depth, and you’re always looking to add talent, whether that’s growth, whether you’re trying to develop certain guys. We looked at that position, there were certain guys available, and we had those conversations,” Pierce said.

“When you look at our current depth chart, we’re very excited about the guys that we have. Chase Brice has been with us for a number of years now and has shown a lot of growth throughout limited reps, continuing to get a better feel for what we need and what our offence looks like.”

With Rourke cemented as the long-term face of the franchise, it would have taken a bidding war to make Vancouver the most attractive destination for any quarterback still harbouring starting aspirations. Given some of the other contracts that the Lions have on the books, there was a firm limit to what they could offer.

“Unfortunately, in the salary cap world, you have to make decisions based on what your salary cap is,” vice-president of football operations Neil McEvoy said. “We all have to make it fit within the parameters that the league gives us, and we are within those parameters, and we’re comfortable going forward that we’ll be able to have a very competitive football team based on what the league mandates will be.”

As a result, no other veterans are expected to be added to the mix at quarterback before camp opens in May.

Newcomers Gevani McCoy and Tommy Rittenhouse are slated to compete with Brice for the two backup jobs. Both arrive with intriguing resumes — McCoy was the Jerry Rice Award winner as the top freshman in the FCS in 2022, while Rittenhouse was a two-time all-conference honourable mention with Illinois State — but that will provide little reassurance if Rourke is forced to miss any length of time.

The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23, and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.

In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

‘Must Love Dogs’ with CFL star Brady Oliveira to debut April 20

One of the CFL’s most popular players is set to star in a new television show chronicling his passion for rescuing dogs.

Brady Oliveira and his partner, Alex Blumberg, are the faces of Must Love Dogs, a 10-episode television series that will debut on April 20.

“Together with the dedicated volunteers of K9 Advocacy, this Winnipeg power couple rescues and finds forever homes for dogs in need across Manitoba,” reads a press release from the CBC.

“Must Love Dogs offers an intimate look at how this Winnipeg power couple navigates high-stakes rescues, Brady’s drive to win another championship for the Blue Bombers, and their race to rehome as many dogs as possible before a brutal winter sets in.

It’s a love story—between two people, their hometown, and every four-legged soul that steals their hearts.”

The couple has documented their dog rescue efforts on social media for several years, boasting a combined 367,000 followers on Instagram. Now, they’re going to be featured on CBC Gem.

“When you watch a dog go from surviving to truly belonging, it changes the way you see adoption,” said Blumberg in a press release. “They’re not ‘rescue dogs.’ They’re just dogs who need a chance — and once they get it, they thrive.”

“The series gives an intimate look at our relationship, our dogs, our life and Brady’s career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers — all woven together as a love letter to the city we call home.”

Oliveira has played six seasons with his hometown Blue Bombers, becoming the full-time starter at running back in 2022. He has rushed for 5,480 yards, caught 188 passes for 1,830 yards, and scored 27 touchdowns over 83 career regular-season games, winning two Grey Cups, two CFL rushing titles, two Most Outstanding Canadian awards, and one Most Outstanding Player award.

At age 28, he is already the eighth all-time leading rusher in CFL history among Canadian players. He was rewarded earlier this offseason with a three-year contract extension worth $290,000 in 2026 and $300,000 in both 2027 and 2028.

“If the series encourages even a few people to get involved, support a rescue, or simply become more aware, then it’s done what we set out to do,” he said.

Late Ticats GM Ted Goveia posthumously inducted into Burlington Sports Hall of Fame

Former Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Ted Goveia has been posthumously inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame as a builder.

Goveia passed away on September 12 at the age of 55 after a battle with cancer. The Burlington native was diagnosed with the disease in April 2025, less than five months after he was hired as the Ticats’ GM, and publicly announced it in June.

Prior to his time with Hamilton, Goveia spent eleven years as an assistant general manager with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, playing a fundamental role in shaping the team that won back-to-back Grey Cups and reached five in a row. He also worked for four seasons as a coach and in player personnel with the Toronto Argonauts, winning his first Grey Cup in 2012.

At the amateur level, Goveia broke into coaching at his alma mater, Mount Allison University, before spending three seasons as head coach of the Burlington Braves of the Canadian Junior Football League. He returned to the U Sports ranks as an assistant at McMaster University in 2001, before moving to the University of British Columbia in 2005, where he took over as head coach for four seasons.

Later in life, Goveia spent time on Football Canada’s Board of Directors, helping to shape the game at the amateur level. Since his passing, a CJFL rivalry trophy and an award for excellence in CFL football operations have been named in Ted’s honour, while scholarships have been established at McMaster and Mount Allison as a tribute.

In addition to Goveia, former CFL offensive lineman Chris Gioskos was also enshrined. He won the J.P. Metras Trophy as Canada’s top university lineman in 1989 with the Ottawa Gee-Gees, before playing 10 professional seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ottawa Rough Riders, and Toronto Argonauts. He won back-to-back Grey Cups with the Argos in 1996 and 1997.

Toronto Argonauts’ Chad Kelly working to be physically, mentally ready for 2026 CFL season

It has been close to 18 months since Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly last played a professional football game, but fans may not have to wait much longer to see him on the field.

“I’m feeling really good. I feel like I can go,” the former Most Outstanding Player told the media via video conference. “To finally be healed up fully in January was a big step forward mentally that I needed to overcome. I’m just trying to build the tank as much as I can, keep on working out with the guys, and throwing to them as much as I can. Just being ready, mentally and physically, to go through a long season. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

Kelly last saw action in the 2024 Eastern Final, where he suffered a broken tibia and fibula. That injury required surgery and intensive rehab, with the QB’s health becoming one of the major storylines of the 2025 season.

Despite optimism that he could return to the lineup early in the campaign, Toronto never cleared Kelly for contact practices, and he spent considerable time away from the facility in order to work with his own trainer in Buffalo. The 32-year-old teased a comeback on social media in Week 15, but the Argos elected not to put him at risk and instead shut him down for the remainder of the year.

All parties have indicated that Kelly will be the Week 1 starter this year, barring any unforeseen setbacks. However, the Ole Miss product wasn’t particularly forthcoming about the details of his physical and mental recovery on Thursday, declining to speak with 3DownNation.

“I won’t be answering any of these questions,” he said when asked to confirm whether his leg is 100 percent recovered.

While that opacity might cause fans some degree of trepidation, Kelly’s teammates don’t appear to have any doubts regarding his recovery.

“Chad’s gonna be Chad. He’s hungry, he’s determined. He’s got that will to win and will to be the best. He’s gonna go out there and lead us, and he’s gonna do really good things this year,” receiver Makai Polk said in a sitdown with 3DownNation‘s Justin Dunk.

Last week, Argonauts’ head coach Mike Miller told reporters that he believes Kelly will be able to return to his M.O.P. form from the 2023 season, restoring a career trajectory that has been derailed by suspension and injury. Top target Damonte Coxie, who has worked out with his quarterback regularly throughout the offseason, thinks that is an accurate assessment.

“Definitely. I believe he’s gonna get there because Chad is one of those guys that you tell him no, he’s gonna find a way to do it,” he explained. “I believe that wholeheartedly, and I think he’s locked in to a point where everything else really doesn’t matter but football. He’s calling, he’s ready to go throw every other day. We are already throwing every day. I think he gonna be ready, man, I do. I’m excited for him. It’s all a mindset and with him, when he flips that switch, ain’t no turning it off.”

When Toronto opens the regular season on Friday, June 12, in Montreal, it will mark 580 days since Kelly last played a meaningful game. Perhaps more importantly, the milestone will occur on the same field where he suffered his injury, potentially bringing back painful memories.

Nonetheless, Coxie has little concern regarding Kelly’s mental state entering that contest.

“I think Chad’s already past it. Honestly, I think at this point it’s more of him proving to himself,” he said. “I think the hurdles that he faced, he’s over them. I think he’s more at a point where he’s even come to peace with the situation. He sees the line, the starting point. The season’s getting here, it’s time to lock back in. We had a long time off, he had a long time off, and I think he’s ready.”

For his part, Kelly acknowledged that patience will be key as he readjusts to game speed, though he stopped short of examining the emotional toll that his return may exact.

“You’ve got to just let the game come to you. Take what the defence gives you and use your strengths to your strength,” he said. “I know what I can and can’t do, and I know how to manage the game from a quarterback’s perspective. Getting these guys the ball makes my job a lot easier, so that’s what I’m looking forward to doing.”

That excitement is mutual, and his receivers don’t seem to think he has any reason to hold back.

“He’s a professional. There’s no need to be going out there being nervous or passive or whatever,” Polk insisted. “All the work you’ve put in, that’s the preparation, and when you’re prepared, you’re gonna play like it. He should have no doubt in his mind that he can go out there and be Chad Kelly again.”

All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Toronto will play its first preseason game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday, May 23, then its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, June 12.

Saskatchewan Roughriders sign long snapper Aaron Crawford

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed Canadian long snapper Aaron Crawford.

The six-foot-four, 250-pound native of Medicine Hat, Alta. spent the past five seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, dressing for 68 regular-season games and recording 16 special teams tackles. He was named a CFLPA all-star in 2022.

The 39-year-old was originally selected in the sixth round of the 2012 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts. After stints with the Argonauts, Roughriders, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and spent seven seasons with the team, playing 98 regular-season games.

In total, Crawford has played 166 regular-season CFL games and recorded 39 special teams tackles. He has appeared in two Grey Cups.

Jorgen Hus, Saskatchewan’s longtime long snapper, became a free agent in February. In January, he told The Sportscage that he’s considering retirement, though he’s yet to make a formal announcement regarding his future.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders kept most of their big names in free agency but still suffered some key losses, including quarterback Jake Maier (Ottawa Redblacks), receiver Tommy Nield (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), defensive lineman Malik Carney (Edmonton Elks), linebacker A.J. Allen (Ottawa Redblacks), and strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis (Ottawa Redblacks). Micah Johnson retired to become the team’s defensive line coach, while receiver Dohnte Meyers departed for an NFL shot with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Roughriders hold the ninth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Saskatchewan will play its first preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders on Monday, May 18 and its first regular-season game against the B.C. Lions on Saturday, June 13.

In 2025, Saskatchewan finished first in the West Division standings with a 12-6 record. The team went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg, marking the club’s first championship in 12 years.

Saskatchewan Roughriders mourn Grey Cup champion Garner Ekstran

Garner Ekstran has died at the age of 86.

The native of Bow, Wash. played linebacker and defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1961 to 1967, earning four All-West Division selections, three All-CFL selections, and winning one Grey Cup. He also played for the B.C. Lions in 1968.

The six-foot, 225-pound product of Washington State University played 118 regular-season CFL games over the course of his career, recording 11 fumble recoveries, one interception, five catches for 75 yards, and two kick returns for eight yards.

Tackles and sacks were not recorded as official statistics during Ekstran’s career.

“The Saskatchewan Roughriders were saddened to learn of the passing of 1966 Grey Cup champion Garner Ekstran,” the team wrote in a statement. “The club extends its sincere condolences to Ekstran’s family, friends and loved ones.”

Ekstran was inducted into the SaskTel Plaza of Honour in 1990.

Longtime CFL players Bralon Addison, Jonathan Rose join Diversity in Football Program

The CFL has unveiled its 2026 class for the Diversity in Football Program, which is now in its fifth year.

Each of the members will join football operations departments around the league for approximately four weeks. The full list of participants can be found below.

The group includes several longtime CFL players, most notably Bralon Addison. The 32-year-old recently retired after playing seven seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Redblacks, making 303 receptions for 3,543 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was named All-CFL in 2019.

Jonathan Rose, who played four seasons at defensive back with the Redblacks, will return to the team as a coach. The 32-year-old native of Leeds, Ala. was a two-time All-East Division selection who helped the team win the Grey Cup in 2016.

“Much like our country, the CFL and the Canadian football community fully support diverse viewpoints and experiences,” said CFL chief revenue officer Tyler Keenan in a statement. “Football is for everyone and its lessons of leadership and teamwork can impact anyone from every walk of life. Through this program, we can provide our participants with the opportunity to further their professional careers in the industry, and more importantly, to help better connect our sport with their communities.”

Some past participants who have gone on to earn full-time roles in the CFL include Ottawa Redblacks special teams assistant and quality control coach Nate Taylor and Edmonton Elks running backs coach Jabari Arthur.

Montreal | Micah Brown | Coaching | Sherbrooke, Que.
Ottawa | Jonathan Rose | Coaching | Ottawa
Toronto | Leroy Ackom | Video | Mississauga, Ont.
Hamilton | Myles Manalo | Special Teams, Ops and Personnel | Burlington, Ont.
Winnipeg | Bralon Addison | Coaching | Ottawa
Saskatchewan | Mary Adarkwa | Strength and Conditioning | Malton, Ont.
Calgary | Shaq Johnson | Coaching | Brampton, Ont.
Edmonton | Jacob Nandan | Strength and Conditioning | Brampton, Ont.
BC | Marianne de Vera | Athletic Therapy | Brampton, Ont.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign receiver Jaelen Gill, one other

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed American receiver Jaelen Gill and American linebacker Jayden McDonald.

Gill has had stints with the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Ottawa Redblacks, and San Antonio Brahmas, though he’s yet to record a statistic at the professional level.

The 26-year-old native of Westerville, Ohio finished his collegiate career at Fresno State in 2023, where he made 49 catches for 516 yards and six touchdowns. He previously played at Boston College, where he made 80 receptions for 1,092 yards and two touchdowns, and Ohio State, where he caught seven passes for 51 yards and one score over eight games.

McDonald finished his collegiate career at the University of Connecticut, where he made 125 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four pass knockdowns, and one interception over 13 games.

The six-foot, 235-pound native of Suwanee, Ga. previously played at Troy, where he made 191 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass knockdowns, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and one forced fumble over 35 games. He also attended Iowa in 2018, though he didn’t register any statistics.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats added several talented players in free agency, including quarterback Tre Ford, receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., linebacker Wynton McManis, and returner Mario Alford. The team’s key departures included running back Greg Bell (Ottawa Redblacks), receiver Tim White (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey (Edmonton Elks), and defensive back DaShaun Amos (Toronto Argonauts).

The Tiger-Cats hold the fifth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Hamilton will play its first preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 4.

In 2025, Hamilton finished first in the East Division standings with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes.

B.C. Lions finalize 2026 coaching staff, hire Mark Washington

The B.C. Lions have hired veteran CFL coach Mark Washington as their linebackers coach, the team announced on Wednesday.

The 52-year-old most recently served as the defensive coordinator of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, though he was fired partway through the 2024 season.

The native of Washington, D.C. started his coaching career in B.C. in 2008, spending six seasons as defensive backs coach. In 2014, he was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator, a position he held until he departed for Hamilton in 2019.

The five-foot-nine, 180-pound defender played eleven seasons in the CFL as a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Lions. He recorded 483 defensive tackles, 48 special teams tackles, 17 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries, and one sack over 156 regular-season game. He earned an All-West Division selection in 2003 and won the Tom Pate Memorial Award in 2006.

“We’re very excited to have continuity on our staff, which will be greatly beneficial in the pursuit of our end goal in 2026,” said head coach Buck Pierce in a statement. “Coach Washington also brings another experienced football mind and has familiarity with how we want to build our defence. He will fit in perfectly with the linebackers on our roster.”

The rest of B.C.’s coaching staff remains essentially unchanged from last year.

Buck Pierce — head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach
Mike Benevides — defensive coordinator
Cory McDiarmid — special teams coordinator
Kevin Bourgoin — receivers coach, pass game coordinator
Paul Charbonneau — offensive line coach, run game coordinator
Kristian Matte — running backs, assistant offensive line coach
Ryan Phillips — secondary coach, pass game coordinator
Randy Melvin — defensive line coach
Mark Washington — linebackers coach
Derek Oswalt — assistant receivers coach

The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.

Montreal Alouettes sign former NFL defender Daniel Wise

The Montreal Alouettes have signed American defensive lineman Daniel Wise to a two-year contract.

The six-foot-three, 279-pound defender played 17 regular-season games with the Washington Commanders in 2021 and 2022, recording 11 tackles. He was also a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, and Kansas City Chiefs, though he never dressed for a regular-season game with those teams.

The 30-year-old played for the Michigan Panthers in 2024 and was named All-UFL after recording 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks over five games.

Collegiately, the native of Carrollton, Texas played at the University of Kansas. He recorded 150 tackles, 18 sacks, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble over 47 games with the team, earning three All-Big 12 selections.

Wise is the son of former CFL player Deatrich Wise and the brother of longtime NFL defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr.

The Alouettes also confirmed that American running back Aaron Shampklin has chosen to retire.

The five-foot-10, 195-pound ball-carrier signed with the team earlier this offseason after spending parts of four seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Miami Dolphins. He rushed six times for 17 yards and returned four kickoffs for 101 yards in three games.

Shampklin spent five collegiate seasons at Harvard University, registering 402 carries for 2,251 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns in 29 games for the Crimson. He also added 29 catches for 296 yards and three touchdowns, becoming a two-time first-team All-Ivy League selection.

The Montreal Alouettes were relatively quiet in free agency, though they still added quarterback Dustin Crum, receiver Jerreth Sterns, and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon. The team also suffered some key losses, including Austin Mack (Edmonton Elks), linebacker Darnell Sankey (B.C. Lions), defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy (retirement), and return specialist James Letcher Jr. (Saskatchewan Roughriders).

The Alouettes hold the eighth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday, May 22 and its first regular-season game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday, June 4.

In 2025, Montreal finished second in the East Division standings with a 10-8 record and beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Final before losing the 112th Grey Cup to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

3DownNation

Sports Betting Odds

Best online Sportsbooks in Canada

How to read betting odds

How to bet on sports in Canada

Moneylines

Spread betting

Totals betting

Futures

How live sports betting odds work

Prop betting

How to calculate betting wins and losses

Who sets or calculates sports betting odds?

How to find the best odds

Sign up for the 3DownNation daily newsletter

B.C. Lions

B.C. Lions

Edmonton Elks

Edmonton Elks

Calgary Stampeders

Calgary Stampeders

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Toronto Argonauts

Toronto Argonauts

Ottawa Redblacks

Ottawa Redblacks

Montreal Alouettes

Montreal Alouettes

B.C. Lions

Toronto Argonauts

Toronto Argonauts

B.C. Lions

B.C. Lions

B.C. Lions

Montreal Alouettes

Montreal Alouettes

NFL

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Saskatchewan Roughriders

CFL Draft

Montreal Alouettes

U Sports

B.C. Lions

Calgary Stampeders

B.C. Lions

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

3DownNation Podcast

From 3DownNation Reporters

Two-time All-CFL running back William Stanback retires

Ottawa Redblacks open to trading No. 1 pick in 2026 CFL Draft

Edmonton Elks believe Taylor Powell can be franchise CFL quarterback

Chris Morris: Edmonton Elks can be profitable in not-too-distant future

Role reversal: Dakoda Shepley called Toronto Argonauts about signing CFL contract

Calgary Stampeders sign Tyreik McAllister after UFL release

Trevor Reid wants to prove rookie CFL season was no fluke following pectoral injury

Calgary Stampeders waiting on ‘big year’ from injury-plagued first-round CFL Draft pick Ben Labrosse

B.C. Lions ‘happy’ with backup QB situation after misses in CFL free agency

‘Must Love Dogs’ with CFL star Brady Oliveira to debut April 20

Late Ticats GM Ted Goveia posthumously inducted into Burlington Sports Hall of Fame

Toronto Argonauts’ Chad Kelly working to be physically, mentally ready for 2026 CFL season

Saskatchewan Roughriders sign long snapper Aaron Crawford

Saskatchewan Roughriders mourn Grey Cup champion Garner Ekstran

Longtime CFL players Bralon Addison, Jonathan Rose join Diversity in Football Program

Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign receiver Jaelen Gill, one other

B.C. Lions finalize 2026 coaching staff, hire Mark Washington

Montreal Alouettes sign former NFL defender Daniel Wise