A team-by-team look at teams competing in the Canadian men’s curling championship March 1-10 in Brandon, Man.
TEAM CANADA
Skip: Brad Gushue
Teammates (third to lead): Mark Nichols, Brett Galland, Geoff Walker.
Club: Bally Haly Golf and Curling Club, St. John’s, N.L.
Background: Going for the three-peat, only Randy Ferbey’s Edmonton team has won three straight Canadian titles (2001-03).
CTRS Ranking: 5
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
Skip: Jim Cotter
Teammates: Steve Laycock, Tyrel Griffith, Rick Sawatsky.
Club: Vernon and Kelowna Curling Clubs.
Background: After skipping Saskatchewan seven times at the Brier, Laycock changed provincial colours to curl with Cotter.
CTRS Ranking: 32
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ALBERTA
Skip: Kevin Koe
Teammates: B.J. Neufeld, Colton Flasch, Ben Hebert
Club: The Glencoe Club, Calgary
Background: Koe can join Ferbey, Kevin Martin and Ernie Richardson as the only skips to win four national championships.
CTRS Ranking: 1
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SASKATCHEWAN
Skip: Kirk Muyres
Teammates: Kevin Marsh, Daniel Marsh, Dallan Muyres
Club: Nutana Curling Club, Saskatoon
Background: While Muyres is a rookie skip at the Brier, he’s competed in four previous national championships with Laycock.
CTRS Ranking: 11
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MANITOBA
Skip: Mike McEwen.
Teammates: Reid Carruthers, Derek Samagalski, Colin Hodgson.
Club: West St. Paul Curling Club.
Background: This was Team Carruthers until the Manitoba provincials when McEwen, who was already throwing fourth rocks, took over play calling.
CTRS Ranking: 8
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NORTHERN ONTARIO
Skip: Brad Jacobs
Teammates: Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden.
Club: Community First Curling Club, Sault Ste, Marie, Ont.
Background: This foursome won the 2013 Canadian championship and an Olympic gold medal in 2014.
CTRS Ranking: 2
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ONTARIO
Skip: Scott McDonald
Teammates: Jonathan Beuk, Wesley Forget, Scott Chadwick.
Club: Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, Kingston, Ont.
Background: Went 11-0 to win Ontario, beating John Epping three times and Glenn Howard en route.
CTRS Ranking: 9
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QUEBEC
Skip: Martin Crete
Teammates: Philippe Lemay, Eric Sylvain, Philippe Menard.
Club: Etchemin Curling Club, Saint-Romuald, Que.
Background: Crete was Jean-Michel Menard’s vice in seven Briers and took over at skip when Menard retired.
CTRS Ranking: 37
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NEW BRUNSWICK
Skip: Terry Odishaw
Teammates: Jordan Pinder, Marc Lecoq, Grant Odishaw.
Club: Curl Moncton, Moncton, N.B.
Background: Odishaw will skip his province for the third time in a 21-year-span.
CTRS Ranking: NR
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NOVA SCOTIA
Skip: Stuart Thompson
Teammates: Colten Steele, Travis Colter, Taylor Ardiel.
Club: Dartmouth Curling Club, Dartmouth, N.S.
Background: Ardiel, a former Canadian junior bronze medallist, coached Jill Brothers to a Nova Scotia women’s championship the same day he won the men’s title with Thompson.
CTRS Ranking: 23
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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Skip: John Likely
Teammates: Anson Carmody, Steve Burgess, Robbie Doherty.
Club: Charlottetown and Western Community Curling clubs.
Background: Likely went 2-9 skipping P.E.I. at the Brier in 2002. Third Anson Carmody won a Canadian junior title in 2009 with Gushue second Brett Gallant.
CTRS Ranking: NR
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NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
Skip: Andrew Symonds.
Teammates: Chris Ford, Adam Boland, Keith Jewer.
Club: St. John’s Curling Club.
Background: Gushue’s back-to-back Brier titles opens the door for a second Newfoundland team to make its Brier debut.
CTRS Rank: 137
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YUKON
Skip: Jon Solberg.
Teammates: Bob Smallwood, Clinton Abel, Scott Odian.
Club: Whitehorse Curling Club.
Background: Solberg threw fourth stones for Craig Kochan in 2017, when Yukon lost to Nova Scotia for the final berth in the main draw.
CTRS Ranking: NR
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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Skip: Jamie Koe
Teammates: David Aho, Matthew Ng, Cole Parson.
Club: Yellowknife Curling Club.
Background: Older brother of Alberta’s Kevin Koe, Jamie makes his 13th appearance as a territories skip. Reached playoffs in 2012.
CTRS Ranking: NR
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NUNAVUT
Skip: Dave St. Louis
Teammates: Peter Mackey, Jeff Nadeau, Lloyd Kendall.
Club: Iqaluit Curling Club.
Background: St. Louis, an Iqaluit resident for 16 years who now lives in Ontario, went winless last year in Regina.
CTRS Ranking: NR
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WILD CARD
Skip: John Epping
Teammates: Mathew Camm, Brent Laing, Craig Savill.
Club: Leaside Curling Club, Toronto.
Background: Epping, who finished third in his Brier debut in 2018, replaced his front end prior to this season with super duo Laing and Savill.
CTRS Ranking: 3
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Skip: Brendan Bottcher
Teammates: Darren Moulding, Brad, Thiessen, Karrick Martin.
Club: Saville Community Sports Centre, Edmonton.
Background: Bottcher skipped Alberta to the final of last year’s Brier in Regina before falling to Gushue. Defeated Epping in the semifinal.
CTRS Ranking: 4
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
