Probable Tiger-Cat Canadian Seven Starters in 2015

The Ticats like all CFL teams need seven Canadian starters. What seven will they choose in 2015?

With the trade for Bomben, the Ticats are likely going with three offensive home grown linemen. Dyakowski and Bomben at guard, and Filer at center. Perhaps O'Neill starts as a guard instead of Bomben.

Obviously Andy Fantuz while healthy starts at slot. This is where things get interesting. Last year they had Giguere as a second starting receiver. Former Hamilton Hurricane Matt Coates backed him up last year. This year maybe they could also potentially start Seydou Junior Haidara who they picked up in a trade with BC as a second Canadian receiver. That would mean the Cats would have five Canadian starters on offense. When the fullback Prime in, likely Haidara would come out and that would still leave them at five Canadian starters on offense. The Cats have some impressive import receivers and likely someone will emerge from camp, so Haidara may not start as a receiver and just play special teams.

Defensive starters are also interesting. In the CFL historically few Canadians have started on defence. The Cats last year had a lot of Canadian starters. Possibilities this year are defensive tackles Ted Laurent and Brian Bulcke as well as Craig Butler as safety and Courtney Stephen at cornerback. So that's four.

However for the defensive tackles with import Bryan Hall being so good only one might start. Plus former number overall Lynden Gaydosh is gone for the season. With him healthy, starting two Canadians in the middle might have made more sense.

Butler is likely a lock ans Stephen probably starts again. That's three starters on defense..

Potentially the Cats could go with the three on defense, plus the three offensive linemen, plus Andy Fantuz. If a Canadian goes down, they could always play both defensive tackles sending Hall to the bench. That's not a bad option to have.

Of course if Gaydosh and receiver Spencer Watt hadn't torn their Achille's heels before training camp, the Ticat non-imports would have been even stronger. But then they may have not traded for Bomben.