Newcomer Jake Maier gets the start for Redblacks in season opener versus Elks

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Ryan Dinwiddie will also make his regular-season debut with Ottawa. He joined the Redblacks as their head coach and general manager following five seasons as the Toronto Argonauts head coach.

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Dinwiddie posted a 51-35 record with Toronto, leading the Argos into the playoffs four times. They won Grey Cups in 2022 and ’24 and Dinwiddie was also named the CFL’s coach of the year in 2023.

Edmonton will also be looking to erase the memory of a bitter ’25 season. The Elks (7-11) finished last in the West Division and missed the CFL playoffs in Mark Kilam’s first year as head coach.

Edmonton hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2019 when it was an East Division crossover squad.

Cody Fajardo will get the start at quarterback for Edmonton and have a dual threat in Justin Rankin. The five-foot-10, 210-pound running back ran for 1,013 yards (5.3-yard average) and nine TDs last season while adding 56 catches for 713 yards and four touchdowns.

But Fajardo was sacked a CFL-high 40 times last season despite taking over as the starter the eighth week of the ’25 season. To that end, Edmonton GM Ed Hervey looked to bolster the offensive line with the additions of Canadian Coulter Woodmansey as well as Americans Brendan Bordner and Jordan Murray.

Edmonton swept the season series with Ottawa last year 2-0 but hasn’t won a season opener since 2019. Fajardo comes in with a 9-1 record versus the Redblacks while Maier is 3-3 against the Elks.

Pick: Ottawa.

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Montreal Alouettes vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Thursday night)

At Hamilton, it’s a rematch of last year’s East Division final, which Montreal won 19-16. Quarterback Davis Alexander puts his unbeaten regular-season record as a CFL starter (11-0) on the line. He threw for 210 yards and a TD and ran for a team-high 64 yards in the East final. With the off-season departure of American Darnell Sankey, Canadian Geoffrey Cantin-Arku starts at middle linebacker for Montreal. Bo Levi Mitchell, last year’s CFL passing leader and East Division outstanding player, begins his 14th CFL season and fourth with the Ticats. But middle linebacker Wynton McManis, signed in the off-season following four seasons with Toronto, won’t play due to a knee injury. Ditto for receiver Shemar Bridges (groin) although veteran Kenny Lawler will anchor a pretty solid receiving corps for the home side.

Montreal is 7-3 versus Hamilton since 2022 but the Ticats swept last year’s season series 2-0. The Alouettes have also won their last three season openers while the Ticats haven’t started a campaign on a winning note since 2018.

Pick: Hamilton.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Calgary Stampeders (Friday night)

At Calgary, the Stampeders’ return to the CFL playoffs last season was aided by their 3-0 record versus Winnipeg. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards with 21 TDs and 14 interceptions in 2025. The ground game was paramount to Calgary’s success as it led the CFL in rushing (126.7 yards per game), anchored by league-leader Dedrick Mills (1,409 yards, 5.6-yard average, 11 TDs).

Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros, 37, begins his 14th CFL season needing just 17 passing yards to reach 36,000 for his career. Canadian receiver Nic Demski needs one more catch to reach 500 for his career while another 100-yard rushing performance by Winnipeg native Brady Oliveira will tie him with Jon Cornish for second-most by a Canadian (22) behind Andrew Harris (29).

Pick: Calgary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press