TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWN
TIM HORTONS BRIER
Feb. 29-March 8, Leon’s Centre, Kingston, Ont.
TED WYMAN’S PICKS
1. Northern Ontario — While it’s true that Brad Jacobs has a history of losing in the playoffs in recent years, the addition of Marc Kennedy at third makes this No. 1-ranked team a juggernaut.
2. Ontario — John Epping’s team, with the addition of third Ryan Fry, has taken a big step forward this year and has sights set on a Canadian championship.
3. Canada — Kevin Koe is the king of shot makers and the defending champion and he’s not going to give up his throne easily.
4. Newfoundland — Brad Gushue is a two-time Canadian champ who always contends at the Brier.
5. Alberta — Brendan Bottcher made it to the Brier final last year as Team Wild Card and has the ability to make another run.
TEAM CAPSULES
CANADA
The Glencoe Club, Calgary
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Skip Kevin Koe, 45, third B.J.
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Neufeld, 34, second Colton Flasch, 29, lead Ben Hebert 36, alternate Ted Appleman
Brier appearances: Koe 8th, Neufeld 5th, Flasch 5th, Hebert 12th
Brier championships: Koe 4, Hebert 4, Neufeld 1, Flasch 1
CTRS ranking: 6
Seeding: 6
The skinny: Koe and his teammates won a silver medal at the world championship last year after putting together an incredible performance at the Brier in Brandon, Man. They come in as a lower seed this year, but nobody is sleeping on a Koe foursome that always seems to come up big at the right times.
ALBERTA
Saville Community Sports Centre, ■
Edmonton
Skip Brendan Bottcher, 28, third
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Darren Moulding, 37, second Brad Thiessen, 30, lead Karrick Martin 30, alternate Patrick Janssen
Brier appearances: Bottcher 4th, Moulding 4th, Thiessen 4th, Martin 4th
Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 5
Seeding: 4
The skinny: This team has lost the final at the last two Briers and pushed Koe to the absolute limit last year. Bottcher and his teammates have played extremely well over the last few years and it seems only a matter of time before they break through and win a Brier.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vernon Curling Club
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Skip Steve Laycock (throws third), ■
37, fourth Jim Cotter, 45, second Andrew Nerpin, 33, lead Rick Sawatsky, 44, alternate Brad Wood
Brier appearances: Cotter 9th, Laycock 9th, Nerpin 2nd, Sawatsky 9th. Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 23
Seeding: 10
The skinny: This team has tons of Brier experience but has not been able to win it all. Cotter came close once, losing the final in 2014 while throwing fourth for John Morris. Laycock won seven Saskatchewan titles as a skip and took home a bronze medal in 2017.
MANITOBA
Morris Curling Club
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Skip Jason Gunnlaugson, 35, third
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Alex Forrest, 31, second Adam Casey, 30, lead Connor Njegovan, 27
Brier appearances: Gunnlaugson 1st, Forrest 1st, Casey 7th, Njegovan 1st Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 7th
Seeding: 8th
The Skinny: Gunnlaugson has been knocking at the door in Manitoba for a few years and finally broke through with a big win over Mike Mcewen this year. Gunnlaugson is a big hitter who can make all the shots and has played many games against the biggest names in curling. This team can do some damage.
NEW BRUNSWICK
Gage Golf and Curling Club,
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Oromocto
Skip James Grattan, 45, third Paul ■
Dobson, 40, second Andy Mccann, 53, lead Jamie Brannen, 44, alternate Chris Jeffrey.
Brier appearances: Grattan 13th, Dobson 3rd, Mccann 3rd, Brannen 3rd Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 49
Seeding: 11
The skinny: With all that experience, Grattan can certainly win games, but it would be a stretch to suggest this team can run with the big dogs.
NEWFOUNDLAND
Bally Hally Golf and Country Club
■ and Re/max Centre, St. John’s, N.L.
Skip Brad Gushue, 39, third Mark
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Nichols, 40, second Brett Gallant, 29, lead Geoff Walker, 34, alternate Jeff Thomas
Brier appearances: Gushue 17th, Nichols 16th, Gallant 8th, Walker 9th Brier championships: Gushue 2, Nichols 2, Gallant 2, Walker 2
CTRS ranking: 3
Seeding: 5
The skinny: A two-year run as Brier champions ended in Brandon last year, but the Gushue team remains among the best in the world. It would shock no one if they were back in contention for a third Canadian title by the end of the week in Kingston.
NORTHERN ONTARIO
Community First Curling Centre,
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Sault Ste. Marie
Skip Brad Jacobs, 34, third Marc
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Kennedy, 38, second E.J. Harnden, 36, lead Ryan Harnden, 34, alternate Lee Toner
Brier appearances: Jacobs 12th, Kennedy 9th, E. Harnden 11th, R. Harnden 11th
Brier championships: Jacobs 1, Kennedy 3, E. Harnden 1, R. Harnden 1 CTRS ranking: 1
Seeding: 1
The skinny: This has been the best team on the planet in the 2019-20 season. Jacobs and his teammates have caught fire since adding Kennedy at third and they dominated on the World Curling Tour, winning three major events and topping the money list. Jacobs has also dominated the round robin at the last three Briers, but has faltered in the playoffs. This year, the Jacobs foursome is the favourite to win it all.
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Yellowknife Curling Centre
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Skip Jamie Koe, 42, third David Aho, ■
26, second Shadrach Mcleod, 26, lead Cole Parsons, 25, alternate Matt Ng Brier appearances: Koe 14th, Aho 2nd, Mcleod 2nd, Parsons 2nd
Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 176
Seeding: 15
The skinny: Koe comes from a tremendous curling family, can play and has won a lot of games at the Brier over the years, but there’s little chance for a team that gets so few big games in each year to make noise in such a stacked field.
NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax Curling Club
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Skip Jamie Murphy, 38, third Paul
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Flemming, 51, second Scott Saccary, 32, lead Phil Crowell, 41, alternate Kevin Ouellette
Brier appearances: Murphy 6th, Flemming 8th, Saccary 4th, Crowell 4th
Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 20
Seeding: 9
The skinny: A decent year on the cash tour has this team playing well heading into the Brier. They’re still long shots to win it all, but could get themselves into the mix for the championship round with a strong start.
NUNAVUT
Iqaluit Curling Club
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Skip Jake Higgs, 44, third Dave
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Kohlenberg, 64, second Christian Smitheram, 27, lead Ed Macdonald, 47, alternate Sheldon Wettig
Brier appearances: Higgs 1st. Kohlenberg 1st, Smitheram 1st,
Macdonald 2nd
Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: Unranked
Seeding: 16
The skinny: The truth is they’ll be lucky to win a game, but there’s no doubt the teams from the north come in very eager to make a mark and sometimes that pays off with a win or two.
ONTARIO
Leaside Curling Club, Toronto
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Skip John Epping, 36, third Ryan
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Fry, 41, second Mathew Camm, 29, lead Brent Laing, 40, alternate John Morris
Brier appearances: Epping 3rd, Fry 12th, Camm 4th, Laing 14th
Brier championships: Laing 3, Fry 1 CTRS ranking: 2
The skinny: Only the Brad Jacobs team has been more successful this year and Epping is a skip on the rise. After losing the wild card game last year in Brandon, Epping added the highly experienced Fry at third and it has paid off. Very likely a playoff team and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Epping foursome in the top three.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Cornwall Curling Club
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Skip Bryan Cochrane, 62, third Ian ■
Macaulay, 55, second Morgan Currie, 55, lead Mark O’rourke, 57
Brier appearances: Cochrane 2nd, Macaulay 2nd, Currie 1st, O’rourke 12th
Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: Unranked
Seeding: 13
The skinny: Cochrane is a two-time Canadian senior men’s champion and won the 2019 world senior men’s title with largely the same team as he has for the Brier. Wouldn’t be a shocker to see them win a couple games but can’t expect much more.
QUEBEC
Lacolle/boucherville/glenmore
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Curling Clubs
Skip Alek Bedard, 23, third Louis
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Quevillon, 22, second Emile Asselin, 23, lead Bradley Lequin, 21, alternate Daniel Bedard
Brier appearances: Bedard 1st, Quevillon 1st, Asselin 1st, Lequin 1st Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 68
Seeding: 12
The skinny: A young team of Brier rookies, this team will likely have its hands full against the biggest names in curling.
SASKATCHEWAN
Highland Curling Club, Regina
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Skip Matt Dunstone, 24, third
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Braeden Moskowy, 29, second Catlin Schneider, 28, lead Dustin Kidby, 33 Brier appearances: Dunstone 2nd, Moskowy 4th, Schneider 2nd, Kidby 2nd
Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 8
Seeding: 7
The skinny: This team won a Grand Slam this year and is ready to take a step forward and challenge for the Canadian title. Dunstone and his teammates have a bright future and have shown they can beat any team in the field. A dark horse to be sure, but one that could win it all if things go their way.
YUKON
Whitehorse Curling Club
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Thomas Scoffin, 25, third Trygg
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Jensen, 22, second Brett Winfield, 25, lead Joe Wallingham, 23
Brier appearances: Scoffin 2nd, Jensen 1st, Winfield 1st, Wallingham 1st Brier championships: None
CTRS ranking: 151
Seeding: 14
The skinny: Scoffin had a strong junior career, once losing the Canadian final to Dunstone while representing Alberta. He also won a gold medal for the University of Alberta at the U Sports championships. Bottom line is, Scoffin can play, but can he play up to the level of the Brier? That remains to be seen.
WILD CARD TEAM 1
West St. Paul Curling Club, Manitoba ■
Skip Mike Mcewen, 39, third Reid
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Carruthers, 35, second Derek Samagalski, 35, lead Colin Hodgson, 29 Brier appearances: Mcewen 4, Carruthers 7, Samagalski 4, Hodgson 3 Brier championships: Carruthers 1 CTRS ranking: 4
Seeding: Wild card team will be seeded third.
The skinny: Mcewen and Carruthers joined forces before last season but the results haven’t been what they wanted to this point. They didn’t fare well at the Brier last year and this year they lost the Manitoba final to Jason Gunnlaugson. A wild card win and a strong Brier tournament this year could go a long way to changing that.
WILD CARD TEAM 2
Penetanguishene Curling Club,
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Ontario
Skip Glenn Howard, 57, third Scott
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Howard, 29, second David Mathers, 28, lead Tim March, 32, alternate Adam Spencer
Brier appearances: Glenn Howard 17, Scott Howard 3, Mathers 3, March 1. Brier championships: Howard 4 CTRS ranking: 9
Seeding: Wild card team will be seeded third
The skinny: No one in the field has more experience and no one can match the success of Glenn Howard. He hasn’t been as strong a contender in recent years, but he can still curl and win and could be a dark horse if his team can get past Mcewen in the wild card game.