The CFL’s East Division has been a fascinating battleground defined by redemption stories, unblemished potential, and veteran resilience under centre.
After watching the Montreal Alouettes reach two Grey Cup finals in three seasons, the rest of the division has its hands full trying to end their run of success.
Each team in the division has playoff aspirations, and their success depends largely on how their quarterbacks perform.
No team understands that more than Toronto. Quarterback Chad Kelly is on a mission to recapture his dominant 2023 Most Outstanding Player form after missing the entire 2025 campaign to recover from a serious leg injury. His return serves as the emotional and structural foundation for Toronto, who want to move past a 5-13 season last year after winning the Grey Cup in 2024.
For Kelly, getting himself back to playing at an elite level is only a part of the battle. The path for the 32-year-old and the Argos back to the top of the East will run straight through a gauntlet of proven pivots.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are leaning heavily into the rarest asset in the East: veteran stability. Two-time MOP Bo Levi Mitchell remains locked in on helping his team end their Grey Cup drought.
The Alouettes will be looking to ride the momentum from Davis Alexander’s great season, which was unfortunately disrupted by a nagging hamstring injury. It caught up to him in a multi-interception Grey Cup loss, giving him all the motivation to make staying on the field a big goal.
Then there is the wild card in the nation’s capital. A massive coaching shakeup saw former Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie move to Ottawa. In his first act in charge of the Redblacks, Dinwiddie brought in veteran Jake Maier on a one-year deal and eventually named him the starter for the season opener.
Here’s a deeper look at the East this year, with teams listed in order of predicted finish:
1. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Last season: 11-7, first in East, lost to Montreal in the East Final.
Head coach: Scott Milanovich (entering third season).
The pulse on the Tiger-Cats
A heartbreaking 19-16 walk-off loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the East Final cut the Tiger-Cats’ promising 2025 season short.
Heading into 2026, Milanovich’s squad boasts continuity, but it continues to carry the heavy burden of the CFL’s longest active championship drought, having not won since 1999.
The defence lost Casey Sayles to B.C. and defensive back DaShaun Amos to Toronto, but still has veteran defensive end Julian Howsare. The American was a one-man wrecking crew last season, earning East Division Top Defensive Player honours with a career-high 13 sacks.
Hamilton’ secured’s big addition was prying veteran linebacker Wynton McManis away from the Argos to replace NFL-bound Devin Veresuk.
On offence, the Ticats’ aerial game remains potent. Bo Levi Mitchell, 36, is back under centre after leading the league with 5,296 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. Bringing in wideout Kenny Lawler played a big part in Mitchell’s production after posting a monstrous 1,443-yard, 14-touchdown campaign, which led to him landing a lucrative three-year extension.
The team added to its Canadian depth with Kurleigh Gittens Jr. joining Lawler, Kiondre Smith and Shemar Bridges. Expect this offence to be tough to contain, even with star running back Greg Bell jumping ship to Ottawa.
One burning question: Can Hamilton generate a reliable pass rush outside of Howsare?
CFL teams will do what they can to minimize their opponents’ most productive players, especially Howsare, who expects to see plenty of extra attention as he looks to break through double teams. Defensive co-ordinator Brent Monson will look to Philip Ossai and Miles Fox to step up in pass-rush situations.
2. Montreal Alouettes
Last season: 10-8, second in East, lost to Saskatchewan in Grey Cup.
Head coach: Jason Maas (entering fourth season with Montreal).
The pulse on the Alouettes
Montreal didn’t make flashy moves in the off-season as general manager Danny Maciocia focused on maintaining a cohesive roster, which earned its sixth-straight playoff appearance.
With Austin Mack gone, Tyler Snead, Tyson Philpot, Alexander Hollins and Jerreth Sterns continue to bring dependability for Alexander.
A big talking point all off-season and training camp has been the health of Alexander, who couldn’t shake a hamstring injury that limited Montreal’s best player in many ways. Alexander said he is in good health, but he will need to prove that he can hold up for an entire regular season.
Defensively, the Alouettes remain a force, with Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund coming off an 11-sack season, while linebackers Tyrice Beverette (83 tackles, seven sacks), Geoffrey Cantin-Arku and new free-agent pickup Micah Awe will patrol the middle of the field after Darnell Sankey’s departure.
One burning question: Will continuity be enough to get back to Grey Cup?
The Alouettes proved last season that they have a team capable of going all the way, but they did lose two key players who set the tone in many ways, in Sankey and Marc-Antoine Dequoy. Maas will also need to hope that he can keep his best players healthy and on the field because the dropoff when their second options were in was noticeable.
3. Toronto Argonauts
Last season: 5-13, third in East, missed playoffs.
Head coach: Mike Miller (first season as CFL head coach).
The pulse on the Argonauts
It’s never a dull off-season in Toronto, this time following a total organizational facelift. With Dinwiddie leaving for Ottawa, the Boatmen promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Miller to the big chair to stabilize the franchise.
The team is banking on Kelly’s health and relationship with Miller to get back into contention. While veteran Nick Arbuckle proved to be capable of stepping up during Kelly’s absence last year, Toronto’s dismal 5-13 record highlighted a desperate need for defensive reinforcements.
The front office decided to bring back some familiar faces with Adarius Pickett, Dewayne Hendrix, Ralph Holley and DaShaun Amos.
Another focus for the Argos was getting the offensive line back to its dominant form and having a more reliable rushing attack. The team brought in Dakoda Shepley after the Canadian spent the last six seasons in the NFL and a new running back room with Qualan Jones, Isaiah Smith and Samuel Hicks.
One burning question: Can Argos find stability after turbulent season?
The Argos are going to be navigating some early challenges with a move to Guelph, Ont., during the FIFA World Cup and having to spend a lot of time on the road. There will be questions about whether the defence can compete with some tough offences in the division, and how the team will respond to the new direction under Miller.
4. Ottawa Redblacks
Last season: 4-14, fourth in East, missed playoffs.
Head coach: Ryan Dinwiddie (first season with Ottawa).
The pulse on the Redblacks
After taking a big step backward in 2025, the Redblacks decided to make a bold move and hire Dinwiddie away from the Argos with the dual general manager and head coaching title.
It didn’t take long for the new coach to leave his mark, naming newly acquired veteran Jake Maier the starting quarterback for the 2026 season opener over Dru Brown. Initially, it looked like Dinwiddie’s main goal was to help Brown take the next step, but it appears that is on hold.
Maier will look to establish chemistry with receivers Eugene Lewis and newcomer Ayden Eberhardt. On the other side of the ball, the Redblacks added championship pedigree by signing key linebacker AJ Allen from Saskatchewan to spearhead a disciplined, hard-nosed defence.
One burning question: Will Maier reward Dinwiddie’s trust?
After losing out on his starting job in Calgary, Maier spent 2025 as a backup to Trevor Harris in Saskatchewan. Considering Dinwiddie’s track record with quarterbacks dating to his time with the Stampeders, it will be interesting to see if he can get Maier to provide the production needed to get his team out of the CFL basement.