RIDERS RELEASE 2017 SCHEDULE

TORONTO – Quarterback Darian Durant won’t have to wait long to face his former team.

Durant will make his Montreal debut June 22 when the Alouettes kick off the 2017 CFL regular season at home against Saskatchewan. Durant signed a three-year deal last month with the Alouettes, who acquired his rights from the Roughriders.

Durant spent 11 seasons with Saskatchewan and led the franchise to the 2013 Grey Cup title. He also guided the Riders to the CFL title game in 2009 and 2010, losing both times to Montreal.

Durant, 34, has appeared in 155 career CFL games and thrown for 28,136 yards with 149 TDs. He has also run for 2,888 yards on 369 carries (7.8-yard average) with 21 touchdowns.

Last season, the native of Florence, S.C., completed 290 of 431 passes (69.4 per cent) for 3,468 yards with 14 TDs. He added 274 yards rushing on 51 carries (5.3-yard average) with five touchdowns.

Durant will mark his return to Regina when Montreal visits the Riders on Oct. 27.

A Grey Cup rematch will highlight action June 23 with Ottawa hosting Calgary at TD Place. The Redblacks stunned the favoured Stampeders 39-33 in overtime to secure the CFL championship in just their third season of operation.

It also marked Ottawa’s first Grey Cup title since 1976. But the Redblacks will begin their championship defence with Trevor Harris under centre as game MVP Henry Burris retired in the off-season.

The Edmonton Eskimos will visit the B.C. Lions on June 24 with the opening week of action concluding June 25 with the Toronto Argonauts hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Winnipeg will have an opening-week bye and plays its first game in Regina on July 1, the Riders’ first home contest at the new Mosaic Stadium.

The Blue Bombers’ first home game at Investors Group Field will be July 7 versus Calgary.

The traditional Labour Day weekend matchups kick off Aug. 31 with Ottawa visiting Montreal. Winnipeg faces Saskatchewan on Sept. 3 with Edmonton tangling with Calgary and Hamilton hosting Toronto in a doubleheader Sept. 4.

The East and West semifinals will take place Nov. 12 with the conference finals set for the following weekend. The 105th Grey Cup game will be played Nov. 26 in Ottawa.

(CP)