By Nic Sgaggi
Stampeders.com

After starting the season on the one-game injury list and consequently missing the home-opener against the Alouettes, Stampeders receiver Joe West is motivated to be an impact player when he makes his return to action this Saturday in Toronto.

It wasn’t an ideal start to the 2014 campaign for West, who admitted to having a difficult training camp.

“It was definitely a challenge,” West said. “With every challenge comes change and I’m ready. I didn’t stop. I kept working; I kept up in the meeting room and paid attention to film. I feel like I haven’t missed a beat. I just have to get back in and catch the groove.”

Saturday’s road game against the Argonauts will be the first time West suits up for the Red and White since the 2013 Western Final.

“Ever since we lost against Saskatchewan in the West Final, it took a lot out of me and I’ve really got a chip on my shoulder this season,” West said. “I have something to prove. I want the team to feed off my energy when the game starts. I’m going to go hard and hopefully everybody else follows.”

Despite missing the home-opener, West enters the Stamps’ second contest of the season with momentum on his side after coming up big for his team on multiple occasions in 2013, including the Western Final when he collected 101 yards receiving and added Calgary’s only touchdown of the day.

“It’s just coming back and showing up and being productive each time I’m on the field. I feel that I am capable of doing that,” he said.

West may be back for Week 3 but he still can’t seem to manage good health at the same time as friend and teammate Maurice Price, who will not be suiting up for Saturday’s matchup due to a broken hand.

“We’ve had bad karma,” West said. “We understand it and we help each other out. If (Maurice) is down, I’m helping him and if I’m down, he’s helping me. We keep each other up whether we’re on the field or not. We wish we could have been on the field together. It’s been probably a handful of games that we’ve actually been on the field together but I know it’s a big difference when that happens. It’s tough. It’s part of the game and you just have to go with it.”

The third-year receiver out of Texas-El Paso will face the Argos for the first time in his career but still feels he knows what to expect from the Toronto defence.

“I’ve been able to watch a lot of film on their guys and see how they do things,” said West. “They’re a very aggressive team. I look forward to playing them. It’s going to be fun.”

West and the Stampeders will look to extend their record to 2-0 after their Week 2 bye.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since the off-season started.”