By Perry Lefko, Sportsnet.ca

The theme in the East this year is head coaches.

There are rookie head coaches in both Montreal, where long-time NFL assistant coach Marc Trestman receives his long-awaited first chance to become a head coach at the professional level, and Toronto, where Rich Stubler gets his promotion to the top spot after a long apprenticeship as an assistant at the CFL level. Stubler at least knows the Argos personnel, having been with the team since 2003.

In Hamilton, Charlie Taaffe is in his second year as head coach but he has radically overhauled his staff following a season to forget last year.

The senior in the East is Winnipeg's Doug Berry, now his third season. It says here Berry's continuing evolution as a head coach will play a major factor in the Bombers' success this year. The Bombers are my pick to win the East and capture the Grey Cup after losing in the Cup last year, but it appears to be a crapshoot which teams will finish second, third and fourth.

WINNIPEG:

Much has been said about the quarterback position with the Blue Bombers, specifically Kevin Glenn. If he's healthy - he's often injured and is coming off surgery after breaking his throwing arm in last year's East Division final - the team is solid at quarterback.

Backup Ryan Dinwitty showed his ability under fire when he made his CFL debut as a starter in last year's Grey Cup and standing up to the pressure. That will help his confidence and the team's confidence in him should he be pressed into duty.

With Charles Roberts at tailback - and he's the pick here to be voted the CFL's Most Outstanding Player - the offence doesn't have to rely exclusively on Glenn's arm. Roberts is capable of rushing for 2,000 yards and picking up added real estate as a receiver.

While veteran receiver Milt Stegall starts off what will be his final CFL season on the injured list with a wonky knee, the overall receiving corps is not dependant on him.

Defensively, the Bombers are led by as good a defensive line as there is in the league and the linebacking corps is solid with Barrin Simpson in the middle. While hard-hitting safety Kyries Hebert, who is one of the most punishing and intimidating special teams players I've seen in recent years, will be missed while he tries out in the NFL, the Bombers are strong enough to overcome his loss.

The big story has been Berry's decision to boot kicker Troy Westwood, who may have been the team's best special teams player in the playoffs. This will be an area of concern if Westwood's replacements - veteran punter Duncan O'Mahony, who has bounced around the CFL and has been bothered by off-field issues, and rookie Alexis Serna - can't do the job.

The Bombers' biggest motivation this year will be ridding themselves of that awful feeling of losing last year's Cup. Teams sometimes need to lose in the championship to learn how to win it the next year.

TORONTO:

A new era begins in Argoland with Stubler taking over from Pinball Clemons, who has moved into the role of chief executive officer. Stubler, a career coach, will be more of a technical coach than Clemons, who was big on motivation. It is also a new era following the retirement of quarterback Damon Allen after five years with the team. There's an interesting controversy with Kerry Joseph, acquired from Saskatchewan, and incumbent Michael Bishop battling for the starting job. Don't be surprised if both are employed in different situations in the same game.

Maybe the biggest improvement for the Argos is in the running game after relying too much on tailbacks whose best years were behind them. Dominique Dorsey and Jamal Robertson are an excellent combination, backed up by veteran Canadian Jeff Johnson. The receiving corps has been upgraded - Bethel Johnson is a stud - but the offensive line will be a work in progress. Left tackle Jerome Davis has bounced between the Argos and Hamilton, while Brian Ramsey is extremely raw at right tackle. The loss of left tackle Glenn January to Saskatchewan in a trade and the sudden retirement of right tackle Mike Pearson are significant changes.

Defensively, the core is still there, and second-year linebacker Willie Pile is one of the best in the league in coverage.

With Noel Prefontaine traded to Edmonton, the Argos won't suffer too much in the overall kicking game with veteran dual-purpose kicker Mike Vanderjagt back in the CFL following a 10-year stint in the NFL.

HAMILTON:

The Tiger-Cats will be better if only because of new general manager Bob O'Billovich and his ability to identify talent, his multitude of contacts and his ability to make sound trades.

Taaffe has wisely brought in some experienced CFL coaches, notably offensive co-ordinator Marcel Bellefeuille and defensive co-ordinator Denny Creehan.

Significant attention will be on quarterback Casey Printers, who really didn't have a fair chance to showcase his talents after his mid-season signing last year from the NFL. He was neither physically nor mentally ready to be put into the starting position. Expect him to be more confident, particularly after a solid off-season to train and learn the offence. Bellefeuille likes to run the ball, as proven in previous stops in the CFL, and with Jesse Lumsden settled in at running back and scatback Terry Caulley offering a different change of pace this is an area of strength. The receiving corps, though, is still lacking a true speed burner who can scare defences.

Defensively, the line has been an area that needed addressing and it will be okay as long as rush end Nautyn McKay-Loescher is physically sound. He has been plagued by back problems which still bother him. Middle linebacker Zeke Moreno has emerged as the team's leader and will be even better this year.

The back end has been a problem for the Tiger-Cats in recent years. It will be interesting to see how well it improves under Creehan and his ability to throw various looks into the mix.

Dual-purpose kicker Nick Setta is dependable, but the Cats need to find more ways to score touchdowns instead of field goals.

MONTREAL:

This team has trouble written all over it. It has an injury list a mile long going into the season and most are believed to be legit, although we also think some are injuries of convenience to start the season. The team still has six quarterbacks, including three on the injured list, but it's veteran backup Marcus Brady, who is the only one of the three that matters. The offensive line, once the hallmark of the team, appears to be a problem. It certainly was last year and veteran starting quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who turns 36 this year, took a pounding. Whether it's Calvillo, whose lack of mobility will be compromised if the offensive line can't provide protection, or someone else, it could be open season on the Als quarterbacks.

The Als begin the season minus Old Reliable, receiver Ben Cahoon, who has a hamstring problem. Avon Cobourne begins as the feature back, although Canadian Kerry Carter is capable of starting, too. Jarrett Payton starts off on the injured list, but he'll have to improve his consistency after some costly fumbles last year.

The receiving corps has enough veterans, but long gone are the days when collectively it was the best unit in the league.

While Trestman is considered an offensive guru, he'll need all his smarts to return this aging offence to the form it had a few years ago. It may take the offence as a whole time to figure out Trestman's ideas on what works in the CFL compared to the game he knew so well in the U.S.

The defence just didn't respond last year to head coach Jim Popp, now back as the general manager, so it will be interesting to see how it evolves this year. Again, expect a variety of changes in personnel.

Once the dominant team in the East, the Als have started to slip in the standings and will have to work hard for every victory this year. The most valuable asset may be dual-purpose kicker Damon Duval.