Screengrab courtesy: Edmonton Elks

Ed Hervey has a well-established reputation as a press conference curmudgeon, but it seems like nothing can kill his vibe these days.

The Edmonton Elks’ general manager has been in a strikingly good mood in recent appearances, and his post-free agency availability was no exception. Grinning wryly like the cat who caught the canary, Hervey made no secret as to why this offseason has been different as he introduced the team’s eight new additions.

“This year was very simple for us; it was just about football moves,” he said. “Last year was coming in and tearing down walls, painting walls, and getting the stench of whatever was going on out of here.”

A not-so-subtle shot across the bow of his predecessor, Chris Jones, is hardly new territory for Hervey, whose stated mission upon accepting the job was to ensure the Elks would no longer be a “laughing stock.” However, his renewed aura of confident optimism suggests he feels much closer to that goal than the franchise’s 2025 record might suggest.

“I don’t necessarily live in hope. I live in expectation,” he remarked. “The guys that we brought in, we believe in our hearts that they will get the job done, and that’s what the whole process is about. When you have a chance to speak to them and talk to them, they’ll tell you they didn’t come here to hope to do anything right. They came here with the expectation of getting to business.”

Hervey made a gigantic splash during his first free agency period as Elks general manager in 2025, adding 18 players to the lineup. That list included a dozen starters and a handful of impact Canadians, though the lavish spending spree didn’t necessarily equate to victories. Edmonton struggled out of the gate and went 7-11 despite a strong finish, equalling their record from the year before while finishing one spot lower in the West Division standings.

Several of last year’s additions didn’t pan out, as three did not survive past the opening weeks of the season. The likes of Jake Ceresna, Gregor MacKellar, Steven Dunbar Jr., and Jonathan Kongbo have all either officially departed or appear set to. But true to president Chris Morris’ promises about reduced player turnover, the majority will be back for year two and have started to build chemistry with a group of budding youngsters.

This season’s slimmer crop of acquisitions was meant address specific areas of need, rather than facilitate a massive talent infusion. Austin Mack and Joe Robustelli should be pencilled in as starters in an otherwise lean American receiving corps, while Brendan O’Leary-Orange will provide the depth necessary to start two Canadian pass-catchers. Coulter Woodmansey shores up a problematic guard spot, while Brendan Bordner and Jordan Murray should compete for the starting left tackle job. Malik Carney provides the premier rush end that the team was missing, while Taylor Powell shores up the backup quarterback job.

Lost on nobody was the fact that five of those additions came directly from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats — the team that Hervey managed prior to his return to Edmonton. He helped install some of the pieces that allowed the Tabbies to finish first in the East Division last year and has now leveraged his trademark frankness to lure a portion out West.

“You never take players. Players choose, let me start by saying that. Players have a choice in this process. Players can stay, they can go elsewhere,” Hervey said. “I think the process is that we kind of establish ourselves as people that the players know that they can trust. We don’t B.S. the guys; we’re never gonna do that. Sometimes you’re not gonna like everything that is said, but when you walk away, at least from a conversation with me and my crew, you’re going to know that you’re getting the truth. Can’t speak for everyone else.”

It doesn’t hurt the trust that Hervey’s blunt assessments are often accompanied by a thick stack of bills. Even with this year’s more refined approach to free agency, the Elks made Carney the highest-paid American defensive player in the salary cap era and shelled out to make Woodmansey the top-earning offensive lineman in the CFL.

“You talk to those guys about their decisions that they’ve made. I imagine that money plays a big part in it as well, and you guys know I’m not afraid to spend it,” Hervey chuckled. “I’m okay with whatever the decisions are, but those guys are here with us, and I’m fired up about it.”

While excitement is warranted, it remains to be seen just how high Edmonton can rise now that it has been thoroughly de-stinkified — at least in Hervey’s estimation. The team’s core is compelling, gelling, and they have found a franchise QB in Cody Fajardo, but that doesn’t change the fact that the organization hasn’t posted a winning record since 2017 or made the postseason since 2019.

“I want nothing more than to win here again and again and again, but we’ve got to start from where we are. Let’s make certain that we realize where we are,” the GM said. “We were on the outside looking in, and we’re knocking at the door. Our expectation is that we open the door, we survey the land, and then we kick the asses of the people in it.”

So, what does that mean for the Elks in 2026? Only good things, according to the man in charge.

“The expectation is to make the playoffs. The expectation is to compete for championships. We’re not doing this to have press conferences to lose,” Hervey cracked. “Am I going to make a prediction in front of you? Absolutely not. But I will say that our team will be better. I think that’s fair to say.”