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The CFL’s nine teams are divided into 2 divisions: East and West. Today we’ll be focusing on the 4 East division teams.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Home Stadium: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Montreal QC
Most Recent Championship: 2023
2023 Record: 11-7 in Regular Season, Won Eastern Semi-final vs Hamilton, Won Eastern Final vs Toronto, Won Grey Cup vs Winnipeg
The Alouettes came into 2023 in a very awkward position. After several years of ownership crisis and alright but not great play, it didn’t seem like this season was going to be much different. The feeling going into the season was that they’d do fine, probably make the playoffs, and then stall out. The early season seemed to be bearing that out, before the Als caught fire in the last third of the season, and went on a five game winning streak, which turned into eight games as they mopped up a mediocre Hamilton team, beat the brakes off the league favourite Toronto, and then beat Winnipeg for the Grey Cup. Going into 2024, this team remains mostly intact, though they’ve lost a few important pieces with running back William Stanback going to BC and receiver Austin Mack leaving for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. For 2024, the Al’s are out to prove last season wasn’t a fluke.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Home Stadium: TD Place, Ottawa ON
Most Recent Championship: 2016
2023 Record: 4-14 in Regular Season, Did not qualify for playoffs
The Redblacks are the most recent incarnation of Ottawa football, and have been having a rough time of it lately. After a strong start, including winning the Grey Cup in only their third year as a team, they stalled out, and then nosedived. They have not had a winning season since 2018, and are currently hanging around the bottom of the league with the West Division’s Edmonton Elks. The team isn’t all bad, and managed to pull out an overtime win against the dominant Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the regular season, but expectations are not high, especially after hiring Tommy Condell as offensive coordinator after he was unceremoniously fired mid-season by Hamilton for lacklustre and predictable play calling in the same roll on that team. It’s very unlikely Ottawa will contend for the Grey Cup this year, and I think fans will be happy if they manage to make the playoffs.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Home Stadium: BMO Field, Toronto ON
Most Recent Championship: 2022
2023 Record: 16-2 in Regular Season, Lost Eastern Final vs Montreal
The Argos are in a strange position going into 2024. They had the best record in the league last season, but lost to what everyone thought was a middling Montreal team in the Eastern Finals and it wasn’t even close. To make matters worse, their excellent running back AJ Oulette has gone to Saskatchewan and league star quarterback Chad Kelly has been suspended for a minimum nine games following a sexual harassment scandal involving a (now former) Argo’s strength and conditioning coach. With major players from both their running and passing offence gone or out for most of the season, it’s hard to say exactly where the Argos are going to land. My guess is they probably end number two in the east, but it’s all going to depend on how effective their backup QB Cameron Dukes ends up performing.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Home Stadium: Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton ON
Most Recent Championship: 1999
2023 Record: 8-10 in Regular Season, Lost Eastern Semi-final vs Montreal
Oh, my poor, poor Ticats. It has been a heartbreaking few years for Hamilton fans. The Tiger-Cats managed back to back Grey Cup appearances in 2019 and 2021 (the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID), though they were beaten both times by Winnipeg. They have the longest championship drought of any team in the league, and their recent backslide over the last couple seasons makes it seem unlikely that it will break any time soon. There have been signs of hope, though. The promotion of Scott Milanovich to offensive coordinator and then head coach is the largest change, and the one Ticats fans have been demanding for some time. In addition, backup QB Taylor Powell performed above expectations, despite being forced into starting most of the season in his rookie year due to injuries. The biggest question remains whether starting QB Bo Levi Mitchell can stay healthy and put in the kind of performances he did when he ran the league with Calgary in the late 2010’s.
