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The CFL awards took place on Thursday night at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina ahead of the 109th Grey Cup between the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Below is a list of those who were honoured.
Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
Most Outstanding Rookie — REC Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ receiver Dalton Schoen has been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie after becoming the first first-year player to lead the league in receiving in over two decades.
Schoen made 70 receptions for 1,441 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first season, averaging 20.6 yards per catch. No player has led the league in both receiving yards and average yards per catch since Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee Milt Stegall achieved the feat in 2002. He is the first member of the Blue Bombers to win this award since Chris Matthews did so in 2012.
The former Kansas State walk-on made 12 receptions of over 30 yards and 41 second-down conversions this season. He is the first rookie to lead the league in receiving yards since Curtis Marsh of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2000.
Schoen received 48 first-place ballots, beating out Montreal Alouettes’ receiver Tyson Philpot. Schoen is expected to receive significant NFL interest this offseason.
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Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Affairs — OL Dan Clark, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders’ centre Dan Clark has been awarded the prestigious Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award in his hometown of Regina.
The award honours a Canadian player who embodies the attributes of Canada’s veterans, including strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship, and contribution to local communities. It is named after long-time CFL commissioner Jake Gaudaur, a Second World War veteran.
“Dan represents the wealth of character and strength found among the tremendous players in our league,” said the CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie. “He stands tall in the Riders’ locker room as a veteran and as a leader, and every bit as important is what he stands for in the community. He is an incredible role model to his teammates, the entire league and all Canadians.”
In his tenth CFL season, Clark battled back from a broken fibula and shifted ankle bone suffered in Week 2 to play four more games for the Riders in 2022. It was his second major injury in four years after he suffered a serious car accident in 2019.
Clark remained heavily involved in Saskatchewan’s day-to-day operations while rehabbing his injury. He is also extremely active in the community, leading several team initiatives that champion mental wellness, healthy relationships and anti-bullying, including work with the Red Cross, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, and the Game Changers Playbook.
He was selected for the award by a panel made up of representatives from Veterans Affairs Canada, TSN broadcaster Glen Suitor, CFLPA executive director Brian Ramsay, and commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
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Most Outstanding Defensive Player — DL Lorenzo Mauldin IV, Ottawa Redblacks
Ottawa Redblacks’ defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin IV has been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player following a breakout season in 2022.
The 30-year-old terrorized opposing quarterbacks all year long, making 43 tackles, a league-leading 17 sacks, and two forced fumbles over 18 starts at defensive end. This was Mauldin’s first year as a full-time CFL starter, signing with the Redblacks following a two-year stint as a rotational player with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“So proud of what you did on the field for the club,” Ottawa general manager Shawn Burke tweeted to Mauldin on Thursday. “Just as proud of what you brought to our team in the locker room and our Ottawa community off the field.”
A pending free agent, Mauldin told the media on Wednesday night that he intends to pursue free agency this winter. He is the first member of the Redblacks ever to be named the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
The former third-round NFL draft pick garnered 32 first-place votes at the league level to beat out the West Division’s nominee, Calgary Stampeders’ defensive end Shawn Lemon, for the award.
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Most Outstanding Special Teams Player — KR Mario Alford, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders’ return specialist Mario Alford has been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player after establishing himself as a dominant return man in Riderville.
The 30-year-old was traded to Saskatchewan in July after losing his job with the Montreal Alouettes to Chandler Worthy, his opponent for this award. He played 13 games for the Riders, returning 44 punts for 530 yards and a touchdown, 38 kickoffs for 990 yards and two touchdowns, and three missed field goals for 129 yards and one touchdown.
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Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman — OL Stanley Bryant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offensive lineman Stanley Bryant has been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman for a record fourth time in his career.
The 36-year-old started 17 games at left tackle this season, missing one game due to rest. He anchored an offensive line that allowed 29 sacks on the season, which was the second-fewest league-wide. The Blue Bombers recorded an average of 113.5 yards per game, which also ranked second in the CFL.
Bryant is the only offensive lineman in CFL history to win this award more than twice. He is a seven-time league all-star and three-time Grey Cup champion.
The East Carolina product received 34 first-place ballots to defeat Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ offensive lineman Brandon Revenberg for the award.
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Tom Pate Memorial Award — REC Emmanuel Arceneaux, Edmonton Elks
Edmonton Elks’ receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux has been awarded the Tom Pate Memorial Award, recognizing his outstanding sportsmanship and significant contributions to his team and community.
The 35-year-old returned to the CFL in 2022 after a two-year absence, taking on a leadership role with a young Elks team. He caught 39 passes for 513 yards and one touchdown in 12 games.
The award is given out by the Canadian Football League Players’ Association in honour of former Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ Tom Pate, who passed away in 1975 at age 23 after being critically injured in a game.
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Coach of the Year — Mike O’Shea, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ head coach Mike O’Shea has won the Annis Stukus trophy as the CFL’s Coach of the Year for a second consecutive year, beating out his Grey Cup opponent Ryan Dinwiddie of the Toronto Argonauts.
O’Shea led his team to a West Division title for a third consecutive year, posting a club record 15 wins. He is the first coach to lead the Blue Bombers to double-digit wins in six straight years since the legendary Bud Grant.
The native of North Bay, Ont. is the first individual to win this award in back-to-back years since Charlie Taaffe did so in 1999-2000. O’Shea received 44 first-place votes for the award.
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Most Outstanding Canadian — Nathan Rourke, B.C. Lions
B.C. Lions’ quarterback Nathan Rourke has been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian for the 2022 season.
The 24-year-old entered the season as a first-time starter and took the league by storm through nine weeks, establishing a record-setting pace while leading his team to an 8-1 record. He finished the year having completed 255-of-324 passes for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 games while adding 39 carries for 304 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Rourke’s season-long trajectory was derailed in Week 11 when he suffered a Lisfranc sprain to his right foot. He returned late in the year and led B.C. to a victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final.
The native of Victoria, B.C. received 41 first-place votes for this award to beat out Toronto Argonauts’ receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., the East Division’s nominee.
Rourke is the seventh member of the Lions to win this award, joining linebacker Bo Lokombo, defensive lineman Ricky Foley, receiver Jason Clermont, defensive lineman Brent Johnson, running back Sean Millington, and receiver Jim Young.
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Most Outstanding Player — QB Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The 34-year-old threw for 4,183 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions through 17 games this year, missing one late-season contest due to rest. His single-season passing touchdown total ranks second all-time in team history, trailing only the 48 touchdowns thrown by Khari Jones in 2002.
Collaros was acquired by the Blue Bombers via trade in October 2019 ahead of their postseason run that culminated in a Grey Cup victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He led Winnipeg to another championship in 2021 after beating the Ticats at Tim Hortons Field, this time as four-point favourites.
The Cincinnati product suffered an ankle injury late in the West Final and was unable to take the field for the final drive of the game. He did not participate in Winnipeg’s first two practices of the week but is expected to do so on Friday. He confirmed on Thursday that he will start in the Grey Cup on Sunday despite the injury.
Collaros received 47 first-place votes for this award to claim it over Montreal Alouettes’ receiver Eugene Lewis.
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.
WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).
Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.
“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.
“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”
Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.
Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.
Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.
Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.
The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.
Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.
The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.
WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.
The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.
Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);
Backs
Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
