Will Ticats finally move out of cellar?
2009 season preview
EAST DIVISION
Montreal Alouettes
Last season: 11-7, first place in East.
Coach: Marc Trestman, second season.
Last year: A terrific comeback from 8-10 in 2007 ended miserably losing 22-14 to Calgary in the Grey Cup.
Notable additions: DB Stanford Samuels, OL Dylan Steenbergen, RB Brandon Whitaker.
Departures: OL Luke Fritz, OT Dave Mudge, OL Jeff Keeping, RB Mike Vilimek, SB ElijahThurmon, SB Dave Stala, DB Shawn Gallant
The skinny: Can Anthony Calvillo have another MVP season at age 36?
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Last season: 8-10, second in East.
Coach: Mike Kelly, first season.
Last year: After reaching the '07 Cup final, they took a step back last year with a losing record and dropping the East semifinal to Edmonton.
Notable additions: Kelly, QB Stefan LeFors, OL Steve Morley, OL Kelly Bates, DB Shawn Gallant, OL Glenn January, DE Riall Johnson, DL Fred Perry, WR Brock Ralph, LB Siddeeq Shabazz, QB Richie Williams.
Departures: OL Dan Goodspeed, C Dominic Picard, OL Alexandre Gauthier, LB Zeke Moreno, SB Milt Stegall, QB Kevin Glenn, QB Ryan Dinwiddie.
The skinny: Will the Blue Bombers jell and be competitive this season despite their abundance of changes?
Toronto Argonauts
Last season: 4-14, third in East.
Coach: Bart Andrus, first season.
Last year: Disappointing season. Fired Rich Stubler after a 4-6 record, then promptly went 0-8 under replacement coach Don Matthews.
Notable additions: OL Jeff Keeping, OL Rob Murphy, C Dominic Picard, DL Etienne Legare, WR Matt Lambros, LB Zeke Moreno, RB Jarrett Payton, LB Jason Pottinger, CB Jordan Younger.
Departures: DB Chuck Winters, RB-KR Dominique Dorsey, LB Michael Fletcher, OL Chad Folk and Jude St. John, MLB Michael O'Shea, K-P Mike Vanderjagt, CB Byron Parker.
The skinny: Can Andrus lead them back to respectability despite no previous CFL coaching experience?
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Last season: 3-15, fourth in East.
Coach: Marcel Bellefeuille, first full season.
Last year: Earned first pick overall this year by posting a CFL-worst 3-15 record, the second straight season they finished last overall.
Notable additions: QB Kevin Glenn, OL Alexandre Gauthier, OL Dan Goodspeed, LB Otis Floyd, LB Agustin Barrenechea, OL Zac Carlson, OL Simeon Rottier, SB Dave Stala.
Departures: DL Alain Kashama, FB Jeff Piercy, QB Richie Williams, RB Jesse Lumsden.
The skinny: Is this the year Hamilton climbs out of the basement and finally contends for a playoff spot?
WEST DIVISION
Calgary Stampeders
Last season: 13-5, first in West.
Coach: John Hufnagel, second season.
Last year: Calgary capped a spectacular season by downing Montreal 22-14 to win the Grey Cup.
Notable additions: DL Alain Kashama, QB Drew Tate, LB Tristan Black.
Departures: QB Davie Dickenson, LB Jojuan Armour,
The skinny: Does Calgary have the hunger to repeat as champion?
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Last season: 12-6, second in West.
Coach: Ken Miller, second season.
Last year: After a second straight 12-6 record, the season ended with an 33-12 playoff loss to B.C.
Notable additions: SB Jason Clermont, OL Jason Rempel.
Departures: DC Richie Hall, QB Michael Bishop, SB D.J. Flick, WR Matt Dominguez, LB Maurice Lloyd, LB Anton McKenzie, OL Steve Morley, OL Glenn January, DB Scott Gordon.
The skinny: Can defence win without Hall, Lloyd, McKenzie et al?
B.C. Lions
Last season: 11-7, third in West.
Coach: Wally Buono, seventh year.
Last year: Unusual third in the West was followed by a 33-12 playoff win over Saskatchewan before losing 22-18 to Calgary in West final.
Notable additions: LB Anton McKenzie, OL Justin Sorensen
Departures: RE Cameron Wake, DT Tyrone Washington, LB Otis Floyd, RB Stefan Logan, SB Jason Clermont. OL Rob Murphy, RB Charles Roberts.
The skinny: Has the rest of the CFL caught up to the once mighty Lions?
Edmonton Eskimos
Last season: 10-8, fourth in West.
Coach: Richie Hall, first season.
Last year: Crossed over into East playoffs and after beating Winnipeg 29-21, fell 36-36 to Montreal.
Notable additions: Hall, S Scott Gordon, LB Maurice Lloyd, RB Graeme Bell, RB Jesse Lumsden, DE Kitwana Jones.
Departures: CB Jordan Younger, OL Tim Bakker, OL QB Stefan LeFors, LB Augustin Barrenechea, LB Siddeeq Shabazz, DB Shannon Garrett,
The skinny: Can Lumsden stay healthy to power running game?
2009 season preview
EAST DIVISION
Montreal Alouettes
Last season: 11-7, first place in East.
Coach: Marc Trestman, second season.
Last year: A terrific comeback from 8-10 in 2007 ended miserably losing 22-14 to Calgary in the Grey Cup.
Notable additions: DB Stanford Samuels, OL Dylan Steenbergen, RB Brandon Whitaker.
Departures: OL Luke Fritz, OT Dave Mudge, OL Jeff Keeping, RB Mike Vilimek, SB ElijahThurmon, SB Dave Stala, DB Shawn Gallant
The skinny: Can Anthony Calvillo have another MVP season at age 36?
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Last season: 8-10, second in East.
Coach: Mike Kelly, first season.
Last year: After reaching the '07 Cup final, they took a step back last year with a losing record and dropping the East semifinal to Edmonton.
Notable additions: Kelly, QB Stefan LeFors, OL Steve Morley, OL Kelly Bates, DB Shawn Gallant, OL Glenn January, DE Riall Johnson, DL Fred Perry, WR Brock Ralph, LB Siddeeq Shabazz, QB Richie Williams.
Departures: OL Dan Goodspeed, C Dominic Picard, OL Alexandre Gauthier, LB Zeke Moreno, SB Milt Stegall, QB Kevin Glenn, QB Ryan Dinwiddie.
The skinny: Will the Blue Bombers jell and be competitive this season despite their abundance of changes?
Toronto Argonauts
Last season: 4-14, third in East.
Coach: Bart Andrus, first season.
Last year: Disappointing season. Fired Rich Stubler after a 4-6 record, then promptly went 0-8 under replacement coach Don Matthews.
Notable additions: OL Jeff Keeping, OL Rob Murphy, C Dominic Picard, DL Etienne Legare, WR Matt Lambros, LB Zeke Moreno, RB Jarrett Payton, LB Jason Pottinger, CB Jordan Younger.
Departures: DB Chuck Winters, RB-KR Dominique Dorsey, LB Michael Fletcher, OL Chad Folk and Jude St. John, MLB Michael O'Shea, K-P Mike Vanderjagt, CB Byron Parker.
The skinny: Can Andrus lead them back to respectability despite no previous CFL coaching experience?
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Last season: 3-15, fourth in East.
Coach: Marcel Bellefeuille, first full season.
Last year: Earned first pick overall this year by posting a CFL-worst 3-15 record, the second straight season they finished last overall.
Notable additions: QB Kevin Glenn, OL Alexandre Gauthier, OL Dan Goodspeed, LB Otis Floyd, LB Agustin Barrenechea, OL Zac Carlson, OL Simeon Rottier, SB Dave Stala.
Departures: DL Alain Kashama, FB Jeff Piercy, QB Richie Williams, RB Jesse Lumsden.
The skinny: Is this the year Hamilton climbs out of the basement and finally contends for a playoff spot?
WEST DIVISION
Calgary Stampeders
Last season: 13-5, first in West.
Coach: John Hufnagel, second season.
Last year: Calgary capped a spectacular season by downing Montreal 22-14 to win the Grey Cup.
Notable additions: DL Alain Kashama, QB Drew Tate, LB Tristan Black.
Departures: QB Davie Dickenson, LB Jojuan Armour,
The skinny: Does Calgary have the hunger to repeat as champion?
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Last season: 12-6, second in West.
Coach: Ken Miller, second season.
Last year: After a second straight 12-6 record, the season ended with an 33-12 playoff loss to B.C.
Notable additions: SB Jason Clermont, OL Jason Rempel.
Departures: DC Richie Hall, QB Michael Bishop, SB D.J. Flick, WR Matt Dominguez, LB Maurice Lloyd, LB Anton McKenzie, OL Steve Morley, OL Glenn January, DB Scott Gordon.
The skinny: Can defence win without Hall, Lloyd, McKenzie et al?
B.C. Lions
Last season: 11-7, third in West.
Coach: Wally Buono, seventh year.
Last year: Unusual third in the West was followed by a 33-12 playoff win over Saskatchewan before losing 22-18 to Calgary in West final.
Notable additions: LB Anton McKenzie, OL Justin Sorensen
Departures: RE Cameron Wake, DT Tyrone Washington, LB Otis Floyd, RB Stefan Logan, SB Jason Clermont. OL Rob Murphy, RB Charles Roberts.
The skinny: Has the rest of the CFL caught up to the once mighty Lions?
Edmonton Eskimos
Last season: 10-8, fourth in West.
Coach: Richie Hall, first season.
Last year: Crossed over into East playoffs and after beating Winnipeg 29-21, fell 36-36 to Montreal.
Notable additions: Hall, S Scott Gordon, LB Maurice Lloyd, RB Graeme Bell, RB Jesse Lumsden, DE Kitwana Jones.
Departures: CB Jordan Younger, OL Tim Bakker, OL QB Stefan LeFors, LB Augustin Barrenechea, LB Siddeeq Shabazz, DB Shannon Garrett,
The skinny: Can Lumsden stay healthy to power running game?
