Edmonton Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard says he began journalling his kicks and outcomes this season as he heads into Sunday’s Grey Cup against the Montreal Alouettes at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium.
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Edmonton Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard says he started journalling his kicks and outcomes this season to help him focus and reduce what he carries in his mind.
Blanchard, 28, said the journal is something he decided to do in 2026 after he began writing when he has “something in my mind.” He added that writing helps him “remove more things off your head,” and helps him keep “key words” for what he needs “to kick a good ball.”
The Quebec City native has had a standout season. He was the runner-up in voting for the CFL’s special teams award behind Winnipeg returner Trey Vaval.
Blanchard also set a CFL record for field goals in a game with nine against Hamilton on Sept. 26. Earlier, he kicked a walk-off, 57-yard field goal on July 23 against the host Saskatchewan Roughriders that silenced Mosaic Stadium and sent the Elks to the top of the West Division.
In his second full season in the league, Blanchard led all kickers with 55 field goals and a 93.2 per cent success rate. He said, “I showed what I can really do in this league, I showed my potential and my real value in this league,” adding that “the job is not done” with another game to play.
Sunday’s Grey Cup is set for Calgary’s McMahon Stadium, and Blanchard noted the venue’s conditions as a factor because it can be “very windy” and the winds can shift during the game. He said he will check the forecast Saturday but that he has had mostly calm conditions when the Elks played at McMahon.
“In this type of game, when it’s the final, it’s always a tight game. One play, two plays can make a difference,” Blanchard said. “But when your name is called, you need to be ready. I was ready all year and I want to continue to be.”
Blanchard has also delivered in big moments beyond the league this season. He went 5-for-5 in field goals to help the University of Laval’s Rouge et Or beat the Saskatchewan Huskies for the 2022 Vanier Cup.
Drafted in the fourth round (31st) by the Alouettes in 2024, Blanchard was released from Montreal’s training camp that year, then returned to the practice roster in October. He was 77.8 per cent accurate on 45 field-goal attempts in his rookie season in 2025 and signed a contract extension in December.
“It’s more about the experience. When I get the experience, I can be more myself on the field,” Blanchard said, describing a gradual development at university that improved each year.
Elks head coach Mark Kilam, in his first year as head coach of the club in 2025, said Blanchard needed support. Kilam said, “Vin just needed to be supported. He is so talented. He needed people to believe in him,” adding that Blanchard is “sometimes too hard on himself” and that the coaching staff can help balance that.
Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo said he noticed Blanchard journalling in the locker room this season. Fajardo said the team has confidence in Blanchard and added, “if the game comes down to a field goal, it doesn’t matter how long it is, we believe in Vin.”
Fajardo also referenced Blanchard’s walk-off against Saskatchewan, saying he told him “after he hit the walk-off against Saskatchewan” that his performance “isn’t going to change how much we love Vin,” and that Blanchard has been “money for us this year” in close games.
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