The Stampeders will play their final pre-season tune-up on Friday night when they travel to Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium to face the Eskimos.

Calgary will be looking to show how much the team has progressed since a June 22 pre-season loss to the BC Lions on a cold and wet night at McMahon Stadium.

“It’s the last pre-season game before they really start counting,” said running back Joffrey Reynolds. “It’s an opportunity for myself and the entire team to get better. We didn’t have the showing we wanted to have here at home against BC in the pre-season opener and I’m looking forward to seeing how much the guys improve.”

The Eskimos also lost their pre-season opener, dropping a one-point decision to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Tonight’s kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game is being broadcast on QR77 and TSN2.

In addition to being the final team test before the Stamps play their regular-season opener July 1 against the Toronto Argonauts at McMahon Stadium, it’s also the final opportunity for the roster hopefuls to make an impression on head coach/general manager John Hufnagel and his staff.

The CFL’s cutdown day is this Saturday, which means the clubs must get down to their 46-man rosters (not including injured players).

The Eskimos made significant off-season changes after finishing last in the West Division during the 2010 campaign with a 7-11 record. For starters, former Saskatchewan and Winnipeg assistant Kavis Reed was brought in to replace Richie Hall as head coach.

While Ricky Ray remains the main man at quarterback, Edmonton changed things up on the depth chart by cutting loose Jared Zabransky and accepting the retirement of Jason Maas. Coming aboard was 2007 Most Outstanding Player award winner Kerry Joseph.

Other notable departures were Kamau Peterson, Adam Braidwood, Kai Ellis, Tristan Jackson, Maurice Lloyd and Kelly Campbell.

Newcomers include former University of Calgary receiver Nathan Coehoorn, who was a 2011 first-round pick of the Eskimos, and import offensive lineman Junius Coston, who spent two weeks in camp with the Stamps until being traded to Edmonton for future considerations on June 18.