Curling Lineup Changes: Keep up to date with all the moves
Published
Updated
With the 2024-25 curling season over, teams across the country are making changes to their lineups.
Follow all the roster moves here with TSN.ca's curling roster tracker.
Derek Samagalski Steps Back
Nov. 12
Reid Carruthers Team Wild Card 2
After a decade playing with Reid Carruthers in Manitoba, second Derek Samagalski has made the decision to step back from competitive curling.
“Derek and I have curled together for 14 years through the ups and downs and everything in between,” Carruthers said in a statement. “He’s been one of my best friends for a very long time and I will truly miss him out on the ice. I have learnt a ton from him and am very grateful for the work he’s put into the sport on and off the ice.
“One hell of a teammate and even better friend. Thank you for everything.”
The 40-year-old Winnipeg native has competed in nine Montana's Brier, including eight with Carruthers.
Team Sluchinski Disbands
Oct. 27
Kyle Doering
After losing skip Aaron Sluchinski to Team Kevin Koe, the remaining members of Team Sluchinski have decided to part ways.
Brendan Bottcher Teams Up With Brad Gushue
Oct. 15
Brad Gushue and Brendan Bottcher
Team Brad Gushue have found their replacement for second E.J. Harnden and it is former skip Brendan Bottcher.
The three-time defending Montana's Brier champions, also featuring third Mark Nichols and lead Geoff Walker, made the announcement official on social media.
Bottcher, who has spent his entire curling career as a skip, will play second for Team Gushue. His first event with the St. John's rink will be the Pan Continental Curling Championship taking place in Lacombe, Alta., from Oct. 27-Nov. 2.
Team Gushue was in search of a new second after parting ways with Harnden in surprise fashion last week. The 32-year-old Bottcher was available after his former team of Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert cut him at the end of the 2023-24 season after two years together.
"This new role presents fresh challenges and exciting opportunities," said Bottcher in a statement. "I am pleased to bring my experience and passion to one of the most respected teams in curling, to collaborate with my new teammates, and to build up this next chapter together."
Bottcher added that he will continue to play mixed doubles with Rachel Homan, but will no longer coach Homan's four-person team this season.
Team Brad Gushue Parts Ways With E.J. Harnden
Oct. 10
Brad Gushue and E.J. Harnden
In a stunning move, Team Brad Gushue, the three-time defending Brier champions, have announced they've parted ways with veteran second E.J. Harnden.
"We are grateful for E.J.'s unwavering commitment and the tremendous impact he has made on our team," Team Gushue said in a statement. "We wish him all the best in the future."
The 41-year-old Harnden joined Gushue's rink ahead of the 2022-23 season as a replacement for the departing Brett Gallant. Representing Canada, Harnden and Team Gushue have won back-to-back Brier Tankards, also settling for silver at the World Men's Curling Championship both times.
"It has been an incredible journey with Team Gushue," Harnden said in a statement. "I am proud of what we've accomplished together, and I wish Brad, Mark and Geoff the very best."
Team Gushue are expected to make a decision on their new teammate in the "coming weeks" according to the release.
Aaron Sluchinski Joins Team Kevin Koe
Oct. 8
Team Kevin Koe have added provincial rival Aaron Sluchinski to their lineup after cutting Jacques Gauthier last month ahead of the PointsBet Invitational.
The 37-year-old Sluchinski skipped his former team to a Alberta provincial title last season after defeating Team Koe in the final.
With Koe's squad, Sluchinski will throw second and hold the broom for Koe.
In a statement, the remaining members of Sluchinski's squad said they would "continue to explore their options going forward."
Team Kevin Koe Parts Ways With Jacques Gauthier
September 24
Jacques Gauthier
In a surprising move, Alberta's Team Kevin Koe announced ahead of the PointsBet Invitational that they were parting ways with second Jacques Gauthier.
The 25-year-old Gauthier spent just one season with Team Koe after skipping British Columbia at the 2023 Brier in London.
At last year's Montana's Brier, Team Koe missed the playoffs with a 2-6 record.
Kerry Galusha Announces New Lineup
September 4
Kerry Galusha Northwest Territories
Kerry Galusha announced last season that the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts would be her last with her team of Jo-Ann Rizzo, Margot Flemming and Sarah Koltun.
The 46-year-old, who has represented Northwest Territories at 21 Scotties in her career, said she would play at least one more season, announcing her new lineup for the 2024-25 curling campaign in September.
Third Megan Koehler and lead Shona Barbour, who have both played in numerous Scotties with Galusha in the past, have came out of retirement for this season while Galusha's daughter, Sydney, will play second on the squad.
Ella Skauge will serve as an additional frontend player.
Clancy Grandy Stepping Away
June 25
Clancy Grandy is stepping away from competitive women's curling.
The 33-year-old skip, who has captained British Columbia at the last two Scotties Tournament of Hearts, announced on Tuesday that she will focus on "other opportunities" moving forward.
"Clancy has made the difficult decision to step away from women’s curling to focus on other opportunities," Team Grandy said on their official Instagram page. "Clancy would like to thank the team for two great years together and wishes them all the best as they continue to compete. She would also like to thank all our sponsors and fans for their support and encouragement. The team would also like to thank Clancy for her hard work and dedication over the last two years. We wish her the best in her future endeavours."
An announcement regarding their new lineup for the 2024-25 season will be made on Friday, according to the post.
Darren Moulding Joins Team Van Amsterdam
June 20
Darren Moulding
Former Brier champion Darren Moulding is returning to high-level curling as the 41-year-old will join the newly formed Team Evan Van Amsterdam out of Alberta next season.
Moulding, who won a Canadian championship with Brendan Bottcher in 2021, will coach Team Van Amsterdam and will serve as an alternate at a handful of events on tour.
Moulding appeared in the 2023 Brier as a member of Team Tanner Horgan, but did not play this past season.
Van Amsterdam, 26, will skip third Jason Ginter, second Sterling Middleton and lead Parker Konschuh in 2024-25.
Evan Van Amsterdam Announces New Lineup
May 28
Evan Van Amsterdam
Edmonton's Evan Van Amsterdam has a new foursome that will play out of Alberta next season.
Van Amsterdam, 26, will skip third Jason Ginter, second Sterling Middleton and lead Parker Konschuh in 2024-25.
Ginter and Middleton played with Catlin Schneider in British Columbia this season, winning a provincial title before posting a 4-4 record at the Montana's Brier.
Schneider left the team at the end of the season to join Team Reid Carruthers in Manitoba.
Brendan Bottcher to Coach Team Rachel Homan
May 27
Brendan Bottcher
Brendan Bottcher is taking a break from four-person curling next season, instead focusing on coaching and mixed doubles.
Bottcher, who was let go by his team at the end of the 2023-24 season in a shocking decision, will coach Team Rachel Homan next season and compete in mixed doubles with their skip.
Team Homan had one of the greatest curling seasons of all-time in 2023-24, posing a 67-7 record with victories at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and World Women's Curling Championship.
Bottcher led his Alberta team to the bronze medal at the Montana's Brier for the second straight year.
The 32-year-old Bottcher replaces Don Bartlett, who coached Team Homan this past season.
Bottcher and Homan will look to represent Canada in mixed doubles at 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
U of A's Brianna Cullen Joins Team Kate Cameron
May 8
Brianna Cullen
Following the departure of Meghan Walter last month, Manitoba's Team Kate Cameron have announced that second Brianna Cullen will join the team next season.
Taylor McDonald, who previously played second on the this team, will move up to third while Mackenzie Elias will remain at lead and Kate Cameron at skip.
Cullen, a native of Swan River, Man., has won two Canadian University championships with the University of Alberta as a member of Serena Gray-Withers's rink. Cullen and Gray-Withers also made the semifinal of this season's Alberta Scotties, falling to Team Selena Sturmay.
Team Cameron put together a strong week at the Calgary Scotties this past season, making it all the way to the semifinal where they fell to Team Jennifer Jones.
Catlin Schneider Joins Team Reid Carruthers
May 3
Catlin Schneider
For the third consecutive season, Catlin Schneider will curl out of a different province in 2024-25.
Manitoba's Team Reid Carruthers announced that the 32-year-old Schneider will join their squad next season following the departure of Brad Jacobs after he joined the rink that was previously skipped by Brendan Bottcher in Alberta.
Schneider, who skipped British Columbia at this year's Montana's Brier, will play third on Team Carruthers with second Derek Samagalski and lead Connor Njegovan both returning.
Before playing in BC this past season, Schneider previously played out of Saskatchewan as the Regna native captured bronze at the 2020 Brier.
With Jacobs leading the squad, Team Carruthers reached the Brier playoffs this season before falling to Canada's Team Brad Gushue in the page qualifying round.
Kerr Drummond Joins Team Thomas Scoffin
April 28
Kerr Drummond
After announcing he was taking a step back from competitive curling in late March, Kerr Drummond has joined Yukon's Team Thomas Scoffin.
The 26-year-old native of Scotland competed in his first Montana's Brier in March, helping Alberta's Team Aaron Sluchinski post a 4-4 as their second.
Scoffin, 30, made his fifth Brier appearance this year, finishing with a 2-6 record.
Drummond will replace Evan Latos on Team Scoffin.
Mike Fournier Announces New Lineup
April 26
Mike Fournier
Skip Mike Fournier, who has made three career appearances at the Montana's Brier, has announced his new foursome.
The lineup is rounded out by third Charlie Richard, second Punit Sthankia and lead Emile Asselin.
Chelsea Carey Replaces Jennifer Jones
April 24
Chelsea Carey
Chelsea Carey is making a return to competitive four-person curling.
The two-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion will take over skip duties for the rink that was previously captained by curling great Jennifer Jones for the past two seasons.
“I’m absolutely thrilled for this opportunity to play alongside Lauren, Emily and Karlee – three of the great young stars of our game,” said the 39-year-old Carey, who spared for Jones in a handful of events this past season. “They are so fun to play with and I was so impressed with their approach to each and every game when I played with them. I think we will a very strong team and continue what they built with Jennifer the last couple of years.”
The 49-year-old Jones, who won six Scotties, two world championships and an Olympic gold medal during her legendary career, announced her retirement from four-person curling ahead of this year's Canadian women's curling championship in February.
Carey, who won Scotties titles in 2016 and 2019, hasn't competed at nationals since 2022. The Winnipeg native didn't reach the podium in her two appearances at the World Women's Curling Championship, but was a win away from representing Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Beijing after losing to Team Homan in the Trials final.
The new-look Team Carey is rounded out by third Karlee Burgess, 25, second Emily Zacharias, 23, and lead Lauren Lenentine, 23. They will play out of Manitoba.
The foursome is ranked second in Canada and fourth in the world after a strong 2023-24 season and are pre-qualified for the 2025 Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay.
Scott Howard Announces New Lineup
April 23
Scott Howard
After skipping in his first Montana's Brier this season, Scott Howard will serve as the fulltime captain in 2024-25 for his new look Ontario rink.
Howard will be joined by brothers Mat and Jason Camm as well as longtime lead Tim March.
Curling legend Glenn Howard, who announced his retirement from competitive curling early this month, will remain with the team as their coach.
"Scott, Mat, Jason, and Tim have been friends for a long time and they are very excited to put forth their talents, experience, and chemistry into the 2024-25 curling season," the team said in a statement on FaceBook.
David Mathers, who has played with the Howards for nearly a decade, is also stepping back from competitive curling next season.
Scott Howard, 33, has made six Brier appearances in his career, including this past season when he led his team to a 3-5 record in Regina, missing the playoffs. Mat Cam, March and Mathers filled out the foursome with Glenn Howard sidelined with an injury.
Team Catlin Schneider Parting Ways
April 23
Catlin Schneider
After just one season as a foursome, the British Columbia men's curling champions are splitting up.
Skip Catlin Schneider, third Jason Ginter, second Sterling Middleton and lead Alex Horvath announced their decision to go their separate ways in a social media post.
"We cherished our time together as a team, creating life-long friendships, and helping each other develop, both inside and outside of the sport," Team Schneider said a statement.
Schneider, 32, took over skip duties for this rink in 2023-24 after Jacques Gauthier left to join Team Kevin Koe.
At the Montana's Brier in Regina, Team Schneider posted a 4-4 record and missed the playoffs.
All four members of the team are expected to announce their plans for their curling futures in the coming days.
Lisa Weagle Returns to Four Player Game
April 22
Lisa Weagle
Three-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion Lisa Weagle will play lead for Quebec's Team Laurie St-Georges next season.
The 39-year-old Ottawa native last played the four-person game during the 2021-22 season as an alternate and lead for Jennifer Jones.
Weagle spent nearly a decade with Team Rachel Homan, winning three Scotties titles, a world championship, 10 Grand Slams and an Olympic appearance in 2018 before being let go at the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign.
"I think the test for me the last couple of years is if I say yes to something, I need to feel excited about it," Weagle told The Canadian Press. "To me, this is a team that's already really good and they are ready to take the step to the next level.
"It's something that got me excited and I'm hoping that I can contribute and see what we can accomplish together."
Team St-Georges - featuring Laurie St-Georges at skip, Jamie Sinclair at third, Emily Riley at second and Marie-France Larouche at alternate - posted a 4-4 record at this year's Scotties, missing the playoffs.
Kelly Middaugh played lead for the Quebec foursome the past few seasons, but was let go in March.
Brad Jacobs Heading West
April 18
Brad Jacobs is heading West.
The 2013 Brier champion and 2014 Olympic gold medalist will take over the rink previously skipped by Calgary's Brendan Bottcher, it was officially announced on Wednesday night.
"We are extremely excited to announce that Brad Jacobs will be joining our team for the upcoming curling season," the team said in a statement on X.
Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert stunned the curling world on Tuesday when they announced that they had parted ways with Bottcher after just two seasons together, highlighted by back-to-back third-place finishes at the Montana's Brier.
Jacobs, 38, announced earlier on April 17 that he was parting ways with Manitoba's Team Reid Carruthers following a short two-year run.
Team Aaron Sluchinski Adds Kyle Doering
April 17
Kyle Doering
Kyle Doering has found a new home for the 2024-25 season.
The 28-year-old Doering, who won a Canadian Junior Curling Championship with Matt Dunstone in 2016, will play second next year for Alberta's Team Aaron Sluchinski.
Doering played for Karsten Sturmay last season, but needed to find a new team after they disbanded last week.
Sluchinski had a career year in 2023-24, reaching No. 7 in Canada, winning a provincial curling title and making his debut appearance at the Montana's Brier. In Regina, Team Sluchinski missed the playoffs with a 4-4 record.
Second Kerr Drummond left the team after the Brier, opening up a spot for Doering. The foursome is rounded out by third Jeremy Harty and lead Dylan Webster.
Doering made one appearance at the Canadian championship with Team Sturmay, posting a 3-5 record in 2023. Doering recently claimed a silver medal at the World Men's Curling Championship as an alternate for Team Brad Gushue.
Brad Jacobs Leaving Team Reid Carruthers
April 17
Brad Jacobs
Olympic champion Brad Jacobs is on the open market after announcing his departure from Manitoba's Team Reid Carruthers after a short two year run.
"It is with mixed emotions that I've decided to part ways with Reid (Ram), Derek (Brap), Connor (Con) and Rob (Robbie). It is never easy nor enjoyable to make these tough decisions," Jacobs said in a statement. "They welcomed me with open arms, treated me like family, were incredible teammates and friends. I truly cherished my time with all of them and will leave with so many fond memories of our time together."
After representing Northern Ontario at 14 Briers, the 38-year-old native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., took a brief hiatus from competitive curling following the Lethbridge Brier in 2022.
Jacobs joined Team Carruthers as a third for a handful of events during the 2022-23 campaign before becoming a permanent member of the squad this season. He took over full skip duties in December, leading the rink to the Montana's Brier in Regina after winning the provincial championship in Manitoba.
Team Carruthers, also including Derek Samagalski at second and Connor Njegovan at lead, made the Brier playoffs before dropping games to Team Brad Gushue and Team Matt Dunstone in the page playoff qualifiers.
Jacobs won his lone Brier Tankard in 2013 and Olympic gold in 2014.
The remaining members of Team Carruthers said they will "continue to explore their options going forward."
Team Brendan Bottcher Shocker
April 16
Marc Kennedy and Brendan Bottcher
Brendan Bottcher's rink is looking for a new skip in a surprising turn of events after capturing bronze at the Montana's Brier for the second straight season last month.
Third Marc Kennedy, second Brett Gallant, lead Ben Hebert and coach Paul Webster announced on Tuesday that they "will be going in a new direction for the 2024-25 curling season and beyond," after parting ways with Bottcher following just two seasons together.
"Brendan Bottcher has been an outstanding teammate and friend. We thank him for the time we spent together, during which we won multiple Grand Slams and bronze at the last two Briers," the statement read in part. "We know that Brendan, who is an elite skip and has already represented Canada at the Worlds, will have great success wherever his curling pursuits take him. We wish him the very best. We hope to have news to announce in the very near future."
Team Bottcher posted a 53-21 record in 2023-24, finishing No. 2 in Canada and No. 4 in the world. They won three Tour events and lost two Grand Slam finals.
At the Montana's Brier in Regina, Team Bottcher advanced to the playoffs with a 6-2 round-robin record before dropping the semifinal to Saskatchewan's Team Mike McEwen.
Team Michael Fournier Disbands
Michael Fournier
After two seasons together, Ontario's Team Michael Fournier are splitting up.
Fournier, 52, said he is exploring options for next curling season.
Team Karsten Sturmay Disbands
April 15
Team Karsten Sturmay
After a two-year run, highlighted by their first Montana's Brier appearance in 2023, Alberta's Team Karsten Sturmay has decided to disband.
"We had an extremely memorable two-year time as a group, including four WCT wins, and our first trip to The Brier. We shared countless good times together, and are very proud of our run," the team's statement read in part.
Skip Karsten Sturmay, 27, and lead Kurtis Goller are "moving on" from competitive curling while third Kyle Doering, who recently captured a silver medal at the World Men's Curling Championship as an alternate for Team Brad Gushue, and second Glenn Venance plan to remain curling competitively going forward.
Team Sturmay posted a 49-26 record this season, dropping the Alberta provincial semifinal to Team Kevin Koe.
The foursome went 3-5 at the 2023 Brier in London as a Wild Card rink.
Team Greg Smith Parts Ways with Adam Boland
April 11
Greg Smith
Newfoundland and Labrador's Team Greg Smith has parted ways with Adam Boland.
"We’ve had an amazing time curling with Adam the past few seasons and travelling across the country together and even having him as our 5th back in 2021 Brier in Calgary," part of the statement read.
The team announced the addition of alternate Carter Small on April 16.
Sylvie Quillian Forms Team in New Brunswick
April 10
Sylvie Quillian
Sylvie Quillian has formed a new team of familiar faces in New Brunswick that instantly becomes one of the best teams in Atlantic Canada.
Quillian, a veteran of six Scotties Tournament of Hearts appearances, will be joined by third Jennifer Armstrong, second Erin Carmody and lead Katie Vandenborre. Daryell Nowlan will coach the squad.
Armstrong, 31, has been to five Scotties, most recently playing with Team Corryn Brown out of British Columbia this past season. Carmody, 35, represented Nova Scotia for a third time at this year's Scotties, in addition to 2010 when she made the final as a fourth for Prince Edward Island. Vandenborre, 29, has five Scotties appearances with New Brunswick, including a bronze medal showing in 2022 alongside Quillian.
Melissa Adams represented the Maritime province at this year's Canadian championship, missing the playoffs with a 2-6 record.
Team John Epping Announces New Lineup
April 9
Tanner Horgan
After his former team disbanded earlier this month, veteran Ontario skip John Epping announced his new lineup for the 2024-25 season.
Epping, 41, will skip Tanner Horgan, 26, Jacob Horgan, 24, and Ian McMillan, 32, going forward.
"John's thrilled to join the former Team Horgan and lead them with his experience and channel the youthful presence Tanner, Jacob and Ian will provide," the statement read. "This team brings together a great mix of experience, talent and passion for the sport of curling. We're excited to see what this team will achieve together on the ice."
The foursome will curl out of Epping's hometown of Toronto.
Team Epping - featuring third Mathew Camm, second Patrick Janssen and lead Jason Camm - went 37-24 on the season and made it to the semifinal of the Ontario Tankard in late January.
With Tanner skipping, Sudbury's Team Horgan made it to the final of the Northern Ontario Tankard where they lost to Team Trevor Bonot.
The Horgan brothers competed together at the 2023 Brier in London, making the playoffs with a 6-2 record. Epping hasn't qualified for the Canadian men's curling championship since 2021.
Meghan Walter Steps Away to Focus on Studies
April 8
Team Kate Cameron
After a memorable season with Manitoba's Team Kate Cameron, third Meghan Walter is stepping away from competitive curling to focus on her studies.
"Meghan has played such a vital role on our team this past season, in accomplishing so many of our goals," the team said in a statement. "Kate, Taylor and Mackenzie will miss her young, energetic fierce and humorous personality on the ice."
The 22-year-old native of Winnipeg made her Scotties Tournament of Hearts debut in 2023, skipping her Wild Card rink to a 3-5 record in Kamloops. Walter joined Cameron's new team last off-season as a third and the squad of second Taylor McDonald, lead Mackenzie Elias and alternate Kelsey Rocque qualified for the Scotties thanks to their strong top-10 ranking on the CTRS.
Team Cameron put together a strong week in Calgary, making it all the way to the semifinal where they fell to Team Jennifer Jones.
Team Jolene Campbell Move to SK, Add Dayna Demmans
April 6
Jolene Campbell
Competing in the stacked province of Manitoba this season, Team Jolene Campbell finished 10th on the CTRS.
A native of Saskatoon, the 42-year-old Campbell, alongside teammates Abby Ackland and Rachel Erickson will compete out of Saskatchewan next season.
Saskatchewan's Dayna Demmans will replace Sara Oliver at lead in 2024-25.
Team Ashley Thevenot Adds Brittany Tran
April 5
Brittany Tran
Saskatchewan's Team Ashley Thevenot have its lineup set for the 2024-25 curling season.
After the departure of skip Skylar Ackerman, former third Ashley Thevenot will take over captain duties while Brittany Tran, formerly a member of Alberta's Team Kayla Skrlik, will serve as the new third.
Tran, 31, has competed in three Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Team Ackerman had a very strong Tour season in 2023-24, capped off with a provincial championship to punch a ticket to the Scotties for the first time.
Team John Epping Disbands
April 1
John Epping
Ontario's Team John Epping are going their separate ways at the end of the season.
Team Epping - featuring third Mathew Camm, second Patrick Janssen and lead Jason Camm - went 37-24 on the season and made it to the semifinal of the Ontario Tankard in late January.
Epping, Mathew Camm and Janssen finished third at the 2018 Brier in Regina. Epping and Camm have played together for the past nine seasons.
The 41-year-old Epping hasn't played in a Canadian men's curling championship since the Calgary bubble in 2021.
Epping also competes in mixed doubles with Lisa Weagle.
Kerr Drummond Taking a Break
March 29
Kerr Drummond
Alberta champions Team Aaron Sluchinski will need to find a new second as Kerr Drummond is taking a step back from competitive curling.
The 26-year-old native of Scotland helped Team Sluchinski reach No. 7 in Canada, win a provincial curling title and also a trip to their first Montana's Brier in Regina this season.
Team Sluchinski went 4-4 at the Brier, with Drummond shooting an impressive 89 per cent, which was third-best among seconds for the tournament.
Sarah Koltun Finds a New Home
March 28
Sarah Koltun
Another member of Kerry Galusha's former team has found a new home as Sarah Koltun is set to join Corryn Brown's rink in British Columbia next season.
Team Brown was in search of a replacement for second Jennifer Armstrong, who will focus on mixed doubles going forward.
Originally from Whitehorse, Yukon, Koltun, 30, has plenty of experience with nine career appearances at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, dating back to 2014.
Koltun and Team Galusha missed this year's Scotties playoffs in Calgary with a 3-5 record. Brown's team went 4-4 and also missed the playoffs.
Margot Flemming Joins Team Skrlik
March 26
Margot Flemming
After the departure of Brittany Tran, Margot Flemming has joined Kayla Skrlik's rink as the team's new third.
The 30-year-old has represented the Northwest Territories at the past four Scotties Tournament of Hearts as a member of Team Kerry Galusha.
Flemming was a free agent after Team Galusha disbanded following this year's Scotties in Calgary where they posted a 3-5 record.
After winning Alberta playdowns in 2023, Skrlik and company dropped this year's provincial final to Team Selena Sturmay.
Skylar Ackerman Stepping Away
March 26
Skylar Ackerman, the 22-year-old Saskatchewan skip who made her Scotties Tournament of Hearts debut in February, has decided to step away from competitive curling to "pursue further education in the healthcare field."
The team made the announcement on their FaceBook page.
"We will miss her bright smile, impeccable dedication to our team and the game, her in-turn in-offs to win games, and even her constant dad jokes. We’ve had an incredible past few years together," part of the FaceBook statement read.
Team Ackerman, rounded out by third Ashley Thevenot, second Taylor Stremick and lead Kaylin Skinner, had a very strong Tour season in 2023-24, capped off with a provincial championship to punch a ticket to the Scotties for the first time.
In Calgary, the Saskatchewan foursome got off to an impressive 3-0 start, eventually finishing with a 4-4 record which placed them in a five-way tie for the last playoff spot in Pool A. Due to their high last stone draw numbers, Team Ackerman did not advance.
"The rest of the team is excited to keep building and growing off what we’ve accomplished so far. One game out of playoffs at our first Scotties has left us hungry for more, and we can’t wait for the season ahead," the team said.
Team St-Georges Parts Ways with Kelly Middaugh
March 23
Team Laurie St-Georges, who has represented Quebec at the past four Tournament of Hearts, announced that they have parted ways with lead Kelly Middaugh.
Middaugh, a 24-year-old import curler from Ontario, had been with the team for the last two years.
"We created a lot of memories together and we will be forever grateful for the experiences on and off the ice," part of the statement read.
Skip Laurie St-Georges, third Jamie Sinclair, second Emily Riley and alternate Marie-France Larouche are also on the team.
Brittany Tran Leaving Team Skrlik
March 20
Brittany Tran
Third Brittany Tran is no longer with Alberta's Team Kayla Skrlik after a three-year partnership.
"We wanted to express our gratitude to Brittany for the integral role she played on our team," said the statement. "The successes we've had, lessons learned, and memories made will last a lifetime."
The 31-year-old helped Team Skrlik secure a Scotties berth in 2023, where they finished with a 4-4 record.
They dropped this year's provincial final to Team Selena Sturmay.
Jean-Michel Menard Returns
March 18
Jean-Michel Menard Quebec
Quebec curling legend Jean-Michel Ménard is returning to competitive curling.
The 2006 Brier champion and world silver medalist will play third for Felix Asselin's squad after the departure of his brother, Emile.
The 29-year-old Asselin has represented Quebec at four Briers, but didn't qualify this year after losing the provincial final.
Mernard, 48, has competed in 11 Briers in his career, last making an appearance in 2017. He also won a World Mixed Curling Championship in 2022.
The team is rounded out by second Martin Crête and lead Jean-François Trépanier.
Jennifer Armstrong Steps Away to Focus on Mixed Doubles
March 13
Tyrel Griffith and Jennifer Armstrong
Jennifer Armstrong, who played second for British Columbia's Team Corryn Brown this past season, has stepped away from four-person curling to focus on mixed doubles.
Team Brown, with Corryn Brown at skip, Erin Pincott at third and Samantha Fisher at lead, went 4-4 at the most recent Scotties in Calgary.
The 31-year-old Armstrong and partner Tyrel Griffith posted a 3-4 record at the Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in March, missing the playoffs.