Ashley Messier builds hockey legacy with sights on PWHL, Olympics
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Mark Messier is her distant cousin, but this Sask. hockey product is carving her own path.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders picked up seven new players Wednesday – the second day of CFL free agency.
The Green and White started off the day picking up national receiver Shamawd Chambers from the Edmonton Eskimos. The 6’3″ player has recorded 112 receptions for 1,234 yards and seven touchdowns through 50 career season games. He won a Grey Cup with Edmonton last year and was named the game’s Most Valuable Canadian.
Ed Gainey will join the Riders for his fifth CFL season, coming to Saskatchewan after signing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in July 2014. The international defensive back has recorded 63 defensive tackles, 25 special teams tackles and two interceptions in 43 career regular games.
The Riders also picked up defensive back Otha Foster from Edmonton. In two seasons with the Eskimos, Foster had 103 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles and two interceptions.
The Riders picked up another Eskimos receiver. Kendial Lawrence has played 35 regular season games in his first three CFL seasons. The international receiver/returner has recorded 562 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 95 carries, and 778 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 78 receptions.
Also on the offensive side of the ball, the Riders signed international running back Curtis Steele. In three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, the 5’11” RB ran for 820 yards and seven touchdowns along with 49 receptions for 383 yards and one touchdown.
The Riders picked up Bruce Campbell from the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2016 draft and the rights to a negotiation list player. The international offensive lineman was originally drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2010, and started in all 15 regular-season games with the Argos last year.
The Riders inked international linebacker Greg Jones, who has spent the last two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts. He was named a 2015 East Division All-Star after playing all 18 regular season games, leading the team with 98 defensive tackesl and 17 special teams tackles.
The team released punter Ray Early and international linebacker Jake Doughty.
On Tuesday – after signing an extension with OL Chris Best and DL Dylan Ainsworth – the Riders picked up OL Andrew Jones, DB Graig Newman, WR John Chiles, and WR Jeremy Kelley.
The Riders went into Tuesday with 12 players listed as free agents: OL Levy Adcock, OL Xavier Fulton, WR Chris Getzlaf, WR Ryan Smith, DL Dylan Ainsworth, DL Alex Hall, DL Markus White, DB Paul Woldu, OL Corey Watman, DB Don Unamba, QB Keith Price and LB Kevin Regimbald.