(Saskatchewan Roughriders)

By Logan Lehmann

High honours

Melfort’s Ferland takes home Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award at CFL Awards

Nov 14, 2025 | 5:09 PM

Local CFL All-Star Logan Ferland didn’t leave the CFL Awards empty handed on Thursday night.

The Melfort native was handed one of the league’s most prestigious awards in the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award, given to a Canadian CFL player who best demonstrates the attributes of Canada’s veterans – strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contribution to Canadian communities.

“This means a lot. Football isn’t just for what’s going on the field but off the field. This really exemplifies the work we do in the offseason,” Ferland said after winning the award.

“I think back to when I was in high school and even elementary school, I had [Jeremy O’Day] come talk to me when I was in elementary school so the fact that many years later he is now my [general manager], it shows how much you look up to those guys and you don’t really realize what is in your future and you have a lot to look forward to.”

This is the fourth straight year a Rider has won the award, following Jorgen Hus (2024), Brayden Lenius (2023), and Dan Clark (2022).

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The former Melfort Comet serves as an ambassador for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House, where he regularly visits. Ferland was born prematurely at just 27 weeks and weighed less than two and a half pounds, so to him, winning this award is extra special.

“Seeing the impact and really reliving all those moments as a family when we went back there and toured the hospital, and being able to see everything they have with the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital now compared to the NICU that was there before, it’s really come a long way. It really adds to the importance of how close that is to my heart.”

Additionally, Ferland has spoken to thousands of kids across Saskatchewan through the Rider Reading and Win with Wellness programs, sharing his story of resilience after the loss of his father to cancer.

The honour expands Ferland’s trophy case, which also holds two CFL All-Star awards, two CFL West All-Star awards, a DeMarco–Becket Memorial Trophy as the CFL’s Best West Division Offensive Lineman (2024), along with several other awards from his junior football days with the Regina Thunder.

Ferland and the Riders now look to Sunday when they hope to bring home the league’s top award, the Grey Cup, against the Montreal Alouettes. Kick off in the winner-take-all finals is set for 5 p.m. at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.

-with files from 980 CJME’s Britton Gray

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com