Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes: CFL Week 1 Preview (June 6, 2025)

The 2025 Canadian Football League season has arrived. The defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts take on the Montreal Alouettes tonight at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. An immediate rematch from last year’s dramatic 30-28 Argos Eastern Final victory in Montreal over the Alouettes.

The Double Blue exacted revenge against the Als from the previous year. Still, it appeared they suffered a potential death blow to their championship hopes when they lost superstar signal-caller Chad Kelly to a season-ending injury. The Argos ultimately overcame the ultimate adversity to win their club’s 19th Grey Cup.

For three consecutive years, the winner of the East Final has hoisted the Grey Cup. Toronto last season, and in 2022. Montreal in 2023. Tonight’s game, the first of three regular-season clashes between the two teams in 2025, should set the tone, which could ultimately see Toronto and Montreal standing in each other’s way again for another shot at CFL glory four months from now.

Week 1 Toronto Argonauts Depth Chart

Week 1 Montreal Alouettes Depth Chart

How to Watch

• Time: 11:30 PM UTC (7:30 PM EDT), June 6, 2025
• Location: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Montreal, QC
• Broadcast: Check CFL.ca or TSN for live coverage; streaming available on CFL+
• Live Scores: Follow on Sofascore or Flashscore for real-time updates

Game Notes

Unlikely Grey Cup hero Nick Arbuckle is back leading the Argonauts while Chad Kelly remains on the mend. But there isn’t the level of familiarity with Toronto’s lineup that one would expect after a team wins it all. The Argos have thirteen new starters on Opening Day. They parted ways with some key contributors from 2024, while also losing players from last year’s championship squad to CFL and NFL teams this offseason. There is also a bit of realignment taking place in the lineup. To make way for new starters, such as George Moore’s arrival at left tackle, it has led to stalwart Ryan Hunter shifting to the right side.

There have also been some tweaks to the Argos coaching staff, but the team’s leader, Ryan Dinwiddie, remains. The winner of 2 Grey Cups in four seasons, Dinwiddie leads all current CFL head coaches in career win percentage at .676. He is 4-0 in season-opening games, winning those openers with three different starting day quarterbacks. A recurring familiar theme for one of football’s best strategists and play callers.

Despite closing out the 2024 CFL season as league champs, Toronto starts the 2025 season in the same underdog role they thrived in a year ago. Many experts, including all five CFL.ca writers, have the Alouettes topping Toronto tonight. The Argos are 4.5-point road underdogs to a very good Montreal team that also has some tweaks.

Alouettes, Head Coach Jason Maas has handed over the full-time flight controls to part-time starter Davis Alexander. It’s his team now. Former Argo McLeod Bethel-Thompson backs him up after Montreal traded Cody Fajardo to Edmonton for his services.

Another Ghost from Toronto’s past, Shawn Oakman, now dons the red, white, and blue. The Alouettes 2025 lineup also has some shades from the future, with the team leaning on younger players such as rookie Tiawan Mullen at linebacker.

Game Prediction

On paper, Montreal should win tonight’s game. The CFL’s best regular season team in 2024 are at home and has tons of motivation stemming from last season’s East Final loss to Toronto. The favored Alouettes are facing a Toronto team in transition, still without Chad Kelly, as they break in new starters on both sides of the ball, including a new kick returner on special teams in Calvin Turner, who replaces the dynamic Janarion Grant, who is currently out with an injury.

Therefore, all signs point to an Als victory over a Toronto team that could be suffering from a hangover from last year’s Grey Cup. However, the one prevailing aspect the Argos have is head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. Under his regime, the Double Blue have always been at their best when they are doubted and disrespected.

Toronto Argonauts 29 Montreal Alouettes 27