TERRY’S TAKE
Jones predicts the Brier finish
1. CANADA — Brad Gushue: 2006 Olympic gold medal winner, reigning Brier and world champion. 3-to-1. (Mark Nichols, Brent Gallant, Geoff Walker)
2. MANITOBA — Third-year skip Reid Carruthers won with Jeff Stoughton in 2011. Was 4-4 at Olympic Trials. 4-to-1. (Braeden Moskowy, Derek Samagalski, Colin Hodgson)
3. WILDCARD — Mike McEwen (lost Olympic trials final) or Jason Gunnlaugson (just beat McEwen). 5-to-1. (B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld; or Alex Forrest, Ian McMillan, Connor Njegovan)
4. NORTHERN ONTARIO — Brad Jacobs won 2013 Brier, 2014 Olympic gold. But 3-5 at Olympic trials. 6-to-1. (Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden)
5. ONTARIO — John Epping in first Brier despite qualifying in 41 Slams. Was 2-6 in Olympic trials. 8-to-1. (Mathew Camm, Pat Janssen, Tim March)
6. SASKATCHEWAN — Third at 2015 Brier, Steve Laycock was 2-6 at Olympic trials. Home team here. 9-to-1. (Matt Dunstone, Kirk Muyres, Dallan Muyres)
7. ALBERTA — Alberta had second-worst Brier record last year, at 3-8. But Brendan Bottcher 4-4 at Olympic trials. 10to-1. (Darren Moulding, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin)
8. BRITISH COLUMBIA — Out of Kelowna, Sean Geall is in his second Brier as a skip. Was 6-5 in 2009. 12-to-1. (Jeff Richard, Andrew Nerpin, David Harper)
9. NOVA SCOTIA — James Murphy skipped team that emerged from 2017 relegation round to go 4-7. 15-to-1. (Paul Flemming, Scott Saccary, Phillip Crowell) 10. NORTHWEST TERRITORIES — In his 12th Brier, Jamie Koe first North team to make final four in 2012. 20-to-1. (Chris Schille, Brad Chorostkowski, Rob Borden) 11. YUKON — Whitehorse native Wade Scoffin back from U of Alberta. Brought Tom Appelman with him. 25to-1. (Wade Scoffin, Steve Fecteau) 12. NEW BRUNSWICK
— In 12th Brier. James Grattan twice finished third playing for Russ Howard. 30-to-1. (Chris Jeffrey, Andy McCann, Peter Case) 13. QUEBEC — A Brier rookie at age 46, Mike Fournier was mostly known from mixed curling until now. 40-to-1. (Felix Asselin, William Dion, Jean-Francois Trepanier)
14. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND — Eddie (Spuds) MacKenzie has reached the Brier for fifth time (8-28). 50-to1. (Josh Berry, Christopher Gallant, Scott Ledgerwood)
15. NEWFOUNDLAND — Strange to see somebody other than Gushue from Newfoundland at the Brier. 100-to-1. (Greg Smith, Matthew Hunt, Andrew Taylor, Ian Withycombe)
16. NUNAVUT — There are two curling clubs in Nunavut, a four-sheeter and a two-sheeter. 1,000,000-to-1. (Dave St. Louis, Wade Kingdom, Peter Mackey, Jeff Nadeau)