Perry Lefko

Perry Lefko keeps you connected to all the news in the CFL on Sportsnet.ca.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats may have signed the most impactful free agent this season with the announcement that kicker Sandro DeAngelis has agreed to a contract.

While the Ticats improved significantly last year, the erratic play of punter/kicker Nick Setta, who was money the previous two seasons, clearly hurt them.

In the Canadian Football League, you need three things to succeed: good quarterbacking, good Canadian talent and good kicking.

The Ticats have addressed two of those areas by signing DeAngelis, who had been with Calgary the last five seasons and was among the best kickers in the league. It was his consistency that factored in the Stamps' Grey Cup win two seasons ago. He nailed five field goals in five attempts, including a 51-yearder, and was voted the game's Most Outstanding Canadian.

He is not only good, he's confident, and will bring a swagger to the Ticats. He certainly likes to celebrate key field goals, including one in which he ran around like he had just scored a goal in the World Cup of soccer. It was fun stuff, although he did rub some opposing players the wrong way.

But why would he not re-sign with Calgary? Apparently they had offered him a generous deal, in the range of $115,000 a year, which would have made him the highest-paid kicker who did not also punt. The Stamps tired of his dithering and indicated before free agency began February 16th that they had ended negotiations with him.

It's been bandied about the Ticats got him for under $100,000 a year, maybe as low as $90,000, although that likely includes some bonus incentives to increase the actual offer.

Maybe the Niagara Falls native wanted to play closer to home, which will mean he can cut back on the expenses he encountered play away from home.

Whatever the reason DeAngelis had - and he had tryouts with National Football League teams - the Ticats are the beneficiaries. They add a Canadian, although they have to add a second player, too. Setta handled both jobs, but took up an American roster spot.

The Stamps lose a key member of their team, and clearly there will be an impact.

It will be interesting to see if Setta signs elsewhere.

Toronto?

Calgary?

Interesting indeed.