Vincent Blanchard enters the 2026 Grey Cup week with a 93.2% field-goal accuracy rate, leading the Canadian Football League with 55 successful kicks.
Visualizing The Game-Winner
The Edmonton Elks kicker heads into the 2026 championship week as the most accurate precision boot in the CFL, preparing to face the Montreal Alouettes at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
“It’s fun to be able to play against the home team and sure, there’s a little extra motivation,” Blanchard told RDS after an Edmonton practice session at McMahon Stadium.
“But I approach everything like other games and I always prepare myself to be able to make the determining kick,” Blanchard told RDS.
Record-Setting Accuracy in Edmonton
The specialist from Saint-Germain-de-Grantham set a Canadian league record this season with nine field goals in a single game. He converted 55 of his attempts during the regular schedule.
During the West Final, Blanchard added five more successful kicks without a miss. That production follows a difficult 2025 campaign, which marked his first full season in the league and yielded a 77.8% success rate.
“I experienced a lot of adversity in my first year,” Blanchard told RDS, recalling a three-miss performance in his debut. “It’s still hard to bounce back from that. But I often started quietly and then I find my rhythm.”
Building Trust With Coaching Staff
Special units coordinator and head coach Mark Kilam helped guide Blanchard through his early struggles in Edmonton.
“I love Vincent!”
Carl Brennan, offensive line coach for the Laval Rouge et Or, also noted Blanchard’s persistent work ethic from their university days. “He’s a worker and his success doesn’t surprise me,” Brennan told RDS.
Chasing Past NFL Trials
Blanchard previously attended a rookie mini-camp with the New England Patriots in 2024. The kicker maintains ambitions of reaching the NFL.
“I know I have the talent and the power in my leg,” Blanchard told RDS. “I think I have my place.”
The Elks enter the final with established special teams execution, leaving the Alouettes with the task of neutralizing Edmonton’s kicking game.
Worth a look
