Kevin Koe uses his broom to clean the stone during the men's curling match against Switzerland at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea on Feb. 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Aaron Favila
February 28, 2019 - 8:33 AM
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
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019