Hamilton Tiger-Cats Pre-Season Game #2

Visiting Team: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Home Team: Toronto Argonauts

Game Date and Time: Friday, May 30th at 7 pm EDT

Game Location: BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario

Where to Watch: CFL+

DraftKings Betting Line: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+1.5), Toronto Argonauts (-1.5), O/U 45.5 points

Last week, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats played an excellent game at home against the Toronto Argonauts during their first pre-season game of 2025. Offensively, the Hamilton did a great job of establishing their run game, and their pass protection excelled at protecting Hamilton’s quarterbacks. There was also instant chemistry between Hamilton’s quarterbacks and receivers, Kenny Lawler and Tim White.

During the Tiger-Cats 2nd pre-season game of 2025, Hamilton will make the short trip to Toronto to once again face the Argonauts. This week, winning or losing is secondary to getting playing time for young players on Hamilton’s roster so that head coach Scott Milanovich and his coaching staff can evaluate each player. After this pre-season game, the Tiger-Cats coaching staff will need to cut players who did not earn a roster spot, move some players to the practice roster for future development, and determine which players will start the season on the Tiger-Cats active roster.

This week, there will be a few key position battles being carried out on the field for the Hamilton, including at Centre on the offensive side of the ball and linebacker on the defensive side of the ball. Hamilton will also need to continue running the ball effectively against a strong Argonauts defensive front seven and provide adequate pass protection for Hamilton’s quarterbacks. Defensively, Hamilton will need to force the Argonauts’ offence to turn the ball over, compared to their first matchup last week.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats Depth Chart

Toronto Argonauts Depth Chart

Point of Emphasis #1: Competition at Centre

Coming into this pre-season game, Coulter Woodmansey will likely be the Tiger-Cats starting Centre on the offensive side of the ball. Throughout a long CFL season, depth at all of the positions on the offensive line can be critical. This week in Toronto, National offensive linemen Nathaniel Dumoulin-DuGuay and the recently re-signed John Kourtis will compete for their spot at the Tiger-Cats backup Centre position. Winning a place on the roster will require consistently snapping the ball, helping establish the running game, and continuing to excel at pass protection for Hamilton’s quarterbacks.

Point of Emphasis #2: Keep the Running Game Rolling

An important aspect of Hamilton’s offensive performance last week was their ability to establish the running game and their willingness to rely on it throughout the game. The Tiger-Cats ran the ball 24 times and gained 187 rushing yards. Averaging 7.8 yards/carry is an excellent performance, and it reflected Hamilton’s commitment to reinforcing their offensive line. For Hamilton to win consistently in 2025, they will need to maintain the momentum they established in the running game.

Point of Emphasis #3: Protect the Quarterback

Hamilton’s offensive line also provided outstanding pass protection last week and did not allow the Tiger-Cats quarterbacks to get sacked the entire game. That is a massive advantage for a Tiger-Cats team whose offensive game plan focuses on the performance of their pocket-passing quarterbacks. This week, backup quarterback Taylor Powell will be the Tiger-Cat’s starting quarterback. If Hamilton’s offensive line can provide the pass protection it did last week, then Powell will likely perform at a high level of efficiency against the Argonauts this week.

Point of Emphasis #4: 1st Round Draft Pick Devin Veresuk

It is rare for a Tiger-Cats 1st-round draft pick in the CFL draft to make an instant impact on the field for Hamilton. This year’s first-round pick, Devin Veresuk, will get his first start in his CFL career, and he will have a chance to show that he has what it takes to be a playmaker in the CFL. Last week, Veresuk was at the top of the Tiger-Cats defensive stat sheet with four defensive tackles and one special teams tackle. Improving consistency at the linebacker position is essential for Hamilton on the defensive side of the ball, and Veresuk has a chance to step in and elevate the play of the Tiger-Cats defensive front seven.

Point of Emphasis #5: Force More Turnovers

Last week, the Tiger-Cats forced the Argonauts’ offense to turn the ball over once when they recovered a fumble. There needs to be improvement in this area, and forcing more interceptions and fumbles would be a significant success for Hamilton. Not only would the turnovers help stop the Argonauts on the offensive side of the ball, but they would also put the Tiger-Cats in a better position to succeed with their offensive production.

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