With the CFL pre-season well underway Anwar Stewart is still hoping to make a team.

The former Alouette defensive end is the team's all-time sacks leader, nailing 66 quarterbacks before he was released by the team in February 2012.

In October 2012 the Stampeders signed Stewart for the rest of the season where he proved his worth, tackling the QB four times in four games, but was once again let go at the end of the season.

Training on his own, the 37-year-old thinks he is still a force to be reckoned with.

"It's been a little over eight weeks, I've probably gained about eight pounds of muscle. I probably lost almost double-digit body fat," said Stewart.

His new trainer, Gianluca Boldarin, says Stewart has the drive and the determination to work.

"He's what I like to call the military-type guy. Like I put him in place, I tell him what to do and he just executes and gives us 100 percent."

Stewart says he is in better shape than he was in 2009, when he won his second CFL defensive player of the year award.

He knows his age, in a time when the CFL is promoting younger players, is a factor in his not being signed, but he feels that he can play better than other players who currently have contracts.

"Two years ago, you know when I was released by the Alouettes, if I would have had an average season or if I wouldn't have played well, I would have retired then. But I had eight sacks, and like I told you earlier there's guys that had two, three sacks last year, and they're signing multi-deals."

Boldarin says it's time for managers to look past the birth certificate.

"We definitely got him younger," said Boldarin. "He's 37 but he's going on 27. I probably shaved off ten years just by improving his diet, just by the type of training we're doing."

"He pushes like he's a young dude."

With a wife, six-month-old daughter, and a mother-in-law who doesn't fly, Stewart would love to stay in Montreal, but -- fingers crossed -- is considering the Tiger-Cats and the Stampeders as solid options.

But with the exhibition season wrapping up, his fervent hope is to sign with a team soon -- and not wait until October again to play in his beloved CFL.