An interesting mix of veterans, rookies set to clash at Montana's Brier in Kelowna
Published
For the first time since 2014, Canada’s best male curlers are headed to the West Coast to battle in the 2025 Montana’s Brier from Kelowna.
Brad Gushue will wear the Maple Leaf for the third straight year as he looks to capture a record seventh career Brier Tankard.
The dynastic rink, now featuring Brendan Bottcher for the first time, will face competition from the regular crew of contenders, including Brad Jacobs, Mike McEwen, Matt Dunstone, Kevin Koe, John Epping and Reid Carruthers, as well as some promising Brier rookies in Rylan Kleiter, Sam Mooibroek and Owen Purcell.
You can watch every draw throughout the week on TSN, TSN.ca and the TSN App.
Like previous years, the field will be split into two pools of nine where an eight-game round robin will take place.
Pool A appears to be “The Pool of Death” this year with five of the skips being well-known veteran contenders at the Brier and on tour. Meanwhile, Pool B features some intriguing Brier first timers who will look to stir the pot in Kelowna.
The top three teams from each pool will advance to a six-team playoff as the first-place team from Pool A will take on the second-place team from Pool B, and vice versa. The winners will advance to the 1 vs. 2-page playoff while the losers meet the third-place finishers in the pools. Those games will serve as a qualifier for the 3 vs. 4-page playoff game.
From there a regular page playoff will take place with the winner crowned on March 9.
The winning rink will represent Canada at the 2025 World Men’s Curling Championship in Moose Jaw from March 29-April 6. Additionally, the winning team will also book a spot in the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials in November.
Let’s take a closer look at the teams set to compete in Kelowna.
Pool A
1 . Canada (Team Brad Gushue)
RE/MAX Centre in St. John’s
Team Brad Gushue
Skip: Brad Gushue
Vice-Skip: Mark Nichols
Second: Brendan Bottcher
Lead: Geoff Walker
Alternate: Adam Casey
Coach: Jeff Hoffart
Season Record: 37-22
Event Wins: None
CTRS Rank: 4
Team Story
For the first time in a long time, Brad Gushue and his rink from The Rock enter the Canadian men’s curling championship with some question marks.
After winning the past three Brier Tankards, including the past two with power sweeper EJ Harnden, Gushue made the surprising decision in October to cut Harnden and replace him with former skip Brendan Bottcher, who was let go by his squad at the end of last season.
Results have been mixed for the new-look Team Gushue over the past few months. Since Bottcher’s arrival, Team Gushue holds a 21-14 record, including 8-8 at Grand Slams. In their most recent event – January’s Grand Slam in Guelph – Team Gushue went 0-4, losing their last two games to Scotland’s Team Ross Whyte and Switzerland’s Team Yannick Schwaller by a combined score of 19-8.
It marked the first time Gushue went winless at a Grand Slam since 2006.
Team Gushue haven’t won an event this season with either Harnden or Bottcher in the lineup and have dropped to No. 4 in Canada after starting the season in the top spot.
Despite the question marks surrounding this squad, Gushue is still the three-time defending champ and the Tankard will run through him one way or another.
Gushue, Mark Nichols and lead Geoff Walker have won six Briers, all since 2017 in St. John’s. A seventh title would pass Randy Ferbey for the most of all-time.
Team Gushue will need to focus on getting out of Pool A first as it could very well be the toughest pool since the Brier implemented this format a few years back.
Gushue, alongside, Team Matt Dunstone, Team John Epping, Team Kevin Koe and Team Reid Carruthers will likely be the rinks competing for three playoff spots.
4. Manitoba (Team Matt Dunstone)
Fort Rouge Curling Club in Winnipeg
Team Matt Dunstone - Manitoba
Skip: Matt Dunstone
Vice-skip: Colton Lott
Second: EJ Harnden
Lead: Ryan Harnden
Alternate: Adam Kingsbury
Coach: Caleb Flaxey
Season Record: 46-17
Event Wins: Henderson Metal Fall Classic, Red Deer Curling Classic, Astec Safety Challenge
CTRS Rank: 1
Team Story
A mid-season lineup change has catapulted Team Matt Dunstone into the No. 1 spot on the CTRS entering the national championship.
After EJ Harnden was cut by Team Gushue, Dunstone brought the powerful second on board as a spare for a mid-November bonspiel in Red Deer, reuniting him with brother, Ryan. Team Dunstone won the event with a 7-1 record.
A month later, Harnden was an official member of Team Dunstone after they made the decision to cut third BJ Neufeld following a tough 1-4 showing at the National in St. John’s.
Team Dunstone is 22-3 with the Harnden brothers in the lineup, winning two of their four events they’ve played together.
The 29-year-old Dunstone, who lives down the road in Kamloops, has been a perennial contender over six previous appearances at the Brier, including losing the 2023 final to Gushue in London.
He might have his best chance of capturing his first Tankard this season with the new lineup and strong recent play.
Harnden will have an opportunity to take one his former teammates on Team Gushue in the round-robin finale on Thursday, March 6, a game that could have major playoff implications for both sides.
5. Northern Ontario (Team John Epping)
North Credit Union Community Centre in Sudbury
Team John Epping
Skip: John Epping
Vice-Skip: Jacob Horgan
Second: Tanner Horgan
Lead: Ian McMillan
Coach: Mike Harris
Season Record: 65-19
Event Wins: KW Fall Classic, Stu Sells Toronto Tankard, Stu Sells Living Waters Collingwood Classic, Duluth Cashspiel, Ed Werenich Golden Wrench Classic, Northern Ontario Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 5
Team Story
How nice will it be to have John Epping back at the Canadian men’s curling championship?
The 41-year-old will compete in his first Brier since 2021 after putting together the best Tour season of his career with his new rink from Northern Ontario.
The Sudbury foursome, featuring the brother duo to Jacob and Tanner Horgan, have won 65 of their 84 games, picking up six bonspiel victories along the way.
Team Epping have qualified for the playoffs in eight of their 11 events.
The bonspiel wins may have been on the smaller variety against less competitive fields, but Epping and company were still just a win away from making the playoffs at their lone Grand Slam in January, falling to Team Korey Dropkin in a tiebreaker.
Elsewhere, Epping defeated Gushue in their lone matchup this season but lost all four clashes against Dunstone. Epping will take on both in pool play at the Brier.
Count on Epping and company being in the playoff mix in Kelowna.
8. Alberta (Team Kevin Koe)
The Glencoe Club in Calgary
Team Kevin Koe
Skip: Kevin Koe
Vice-Skip: Aaron Sluchinski
Second: Tyler Tardi
Lead: Karrick Martin
Alternate: Mike Libbus
Coach: John Dunn
Season Record: 38-26
Event Wins: RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown, Alberta Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 9
Team Story
Kevin Koe makes his 13th – and seventh straight – appearance at the Brier and will look to get the bad taste out of his mouth from last year’s performance.
The 50-year-old four-time Brier champion crashed out with a 2-6 record last year in Regina, resulting in a rare playoff miss.
"This is about rock bottom," Koe told The Canadian Press. "I'm not going to lie. I've been to a lot of Briers. This is a new feeling. It sucks."
Koe was the first to make alterations to his lineup this season, replacing second Jacques Gauthier with Alberta skip Aaron Sluchinski.
Sluchinski will throw third stones in Kelowna while Tyler Tardi will play second.
With Sluchinski joining the team following September’s PointsBet Invitational, Team Koe have qualified for the playoffs just three times across nine events.
They did put together a strong performance at December’s Western Showdown in Swift Current, edging Team Brad Jacobs in the final, and captured the Alberta Men’s Championship with a 5-0 record.
Still, Team Koe will likely need to step up their game at the Brier to compete for a playoff spot in a very tough Pool A.
9. Manitoba (Team Reid Carruthers)
Granite Curling Club in Manitoba
Team Reid Carruthers - Manitoba
Skip: Reid Carruthers
Vice-Skip: BJ Neufeld
Second: Catlin Schneider
Lead: Connor Njegovan
Alternate: Kyle Doering
Coach: Rob Meakin
Season Record: 33-28
Event Wins: Manitoba Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 10
Team Story
After making the playoffs at last year’s Montana’s Brier, Reid Carruthers received a tough blow at the end of the season when Brad Jacobs departed the squad to link up with the team formerly skipped by Brendan Bottcher.
Carruthers added Catlin Schneider, who skipped Team B.C. at last year’s Brier, to replace Jacobs.
Over their first 10 events, Team Carruthers, made only four playoff appearances and posted a 2-9 record across three Grand Slam events. They also dropped their Sweep 16 matchup at the PointsBet Invitational, which they entered as the two-time defending champion.
In November, long-time second Derek Samagalski made the decision to step away from the team and was replaced by Kyle Doering.
With the calendar flipped to 2025 and Manitoba playdowns quickly approaching, Team Carruthers received a late Christmas gift when talented third BJ Neufeld became available after being cut by Team Dunstone.
The recharged foursome went 7-1 during provincial playdowns and defeated Team Braden Calvert, 9-7, to punch their ticket to the Kelowna Brier.
Carruthers, 40, will make this 13th appearance at the Brier this year and his rink could be a dark horse to make a run if they can catch lightning in a bottle following the late addition of Neufeld.
Neufeld takes on his former squad in Team Dunstone on March 5.
12. British Columbia (Team Cameron de Jong)
Victoria Curling Club
BC - Team Cameron de Jong
Skip: Cameron De Jong
Vice-Skip: Alex Horvath
Second: Corey Chester
Lead: Brayden Carpenter
Alternate: Paul Cseke
Coach: Bryan Miki
Season Record: 29-13
Event Wins: British Columbia Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 26
Team Story
Cameron de Jong will skip the hometown team at this year’s Brier after winning the B.C. Men’s Championship with a 10-8 victory over Team Glenn Venance in last month’s provincial final.
De Jong is a Brier rookie while third Alex Horvath is headed to his third straight national championship with a third different skip.
“I thought it would come a little earlier. Now that it’s finally here, I’m so excited to put on the B.C. colours and represent the province in the Brier. It’s the reason we play, to put on that B.C. jacket, and play in the Brier,” de Jong told Cleve Dheensaw of the Times Colonist in Victoria. “It means everything. I have a lot of thankfulness to all my former teammates and coaches who helped me get here. And to my current team, which is an amazing group.”
Aside from their provincial win, Team de Jong have made two other finals this season, losing both times.
Greg McAulay and his New Westminster rink was the last BC team to capture the Tankard in 2000.
They’ll have the B.C. support behind them inside Prospera Place, but will need to execute some upsets in order to reach the top three in Pool A.
13. New Brunswick (Team James Grattan)
Gage Golf & Curling Club in Oromocto
New Brunswick - Team James Grattan
Skip: James Grattan
Vice-Skip: Joel Krats
Second: Paul Dobson
Lead: Andy McCann
Alternate: Drew Grattan
Coach: Dean Grattan
Season Record: 24-11
Event Wins: Steele Cup Cash, New Brunswick Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 53
Team Story
James Grattan will represent the Maritime province of New Brunswick for the 17th time in his career.
The 50-year-old has two bronze medals from the Brier, occurring during his rookie appearance in 1997 and five years later in 2002, both in Calgary.
Aside from winning provincials, Team Grattan has made two other finals in 2024-25, winning once.
Grattan is bringing back the same lineup that went 1-7 in Regina last year and will be in tough once again against a very stacked pool.
16. Newfoundland and Labrador (Team Ty Dilello)
RE/MAX Centre in St. John’s
Team Ty Dilello
Skip: Ty Dilello
Vice-Skip: Ryan McNeil Lamswood
Second: Daniel Bruce
Lead: Aaron Feltham
Alternate: Nathan King
Coach: Mike Mahon
Season Record: 13-2
Event Wins: Newfoundland and Labrador Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 93
Team Story
Ty Dilello will be one of five rookie skips at this year’s Brier.
The 31-year-old led his St. John’s rink to a 10-1 record at provincials.
Time will tell if Dilello and company can give the likes of Brad Gushue, Matt Dunstone and other top names a run for their money in Kelowna.
17. Nunavut (Team Shane Latimer)
Iqaluit Curling Club
Nunavut - Shane Latimer
Skip: Shane Latimer
Vice-Skip: Sheldon Wettig
Second: Justin McDonell
Lead: Peter Van Strien
Coach: Katie Brooks
Team Story
Shane Latimer will skip Nunavut for the second straight season at the Montana’s Brier.
Nunavut went 1-7 in Reina with their lone win coming against Nova Scotia.
Pool B
2. Alberta (Team Brad Jacobs)
The Glencoe Club in Calgary
Alberta - Team Brad Jacobs
Skip: Brad Jacobs
Vice-Skip: Marc Kennedy
Second: Brett Gallant
Lead: Ben Hebert
Alternate: Mike Caione
Coach: Paul Webster
Season Record: 41-17
Event Wins: Nufloors Penticton Classic
CTRS Rank: 2
Team Story
Ranked second in Canada, Team Brad Jacobs are major contenders at this year’s Brier.
Jacobs, 39, is in his first season with this squad, taking over for Brendan Bottcher at the end of 2024-25 season after they came up short in the Brier playoffs for the second straight year.
Team Jacobs have had plenty of deep runs this season, but were victorious in only one of their four final appearances, dropping a pair of Grand Slam championship games along the way.
Jacobs is looking to win his second career Brier Tankard, adding to his initial win as a member of Northern Ontario back in 2013.
It was a drastic move to cut Bottcher with next season’s Canada Curling Trials and Olympics quickly approaching so there could be some added pressure to prove it was the correct decision at this year’s championship.
The Kelowna Brier will be Team Jacobs’ first appearance together on the national stage and are likely expecting nothing less than a first-place finish. However, Jacobs has plenty of experience with third Marc Kennedy as the pair were teammates from 2019 to 2022.
Pool B seems to be the weaker of the two pools, so Team Jacobs should be a safe beat to advance to the playoffs.
3. Saskatchewan (Team Mike McEwen)
Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon
Saskatchewan - Team Mike McEwen
Skip: Mike McEwen
Third: Colton Flasch
Second/Vice-Skip: Kevin Marsh
Lead: Daniel Marsh
Alternate: Brent Laing
Coach: Pat Simmons
Season Record: 46-21
Event Wins: Saville Shootout, ATB Okotoks Classic, PointsBet Invitational
CTRS Rank: 3
Team Story
Mike McEwen and his Saskatoon-based rink are returning to this year’s Montana’s Brier hoping for just one more win.
Competing in Saskatchewan green for the first time, McEwen led his side to a memorable run at last year’s Brier in Regina, reaching the final where they fell to the dynastic rink led by Brad Gushue.
Team McEwen got off to a hot start in 2024-25, winning three of their first four events, highlighted by beating Team Gushue in the PointsBet Invitational final.
The win moved them to No. 1 in Canada by October.
Despite not winning an event since their early season hot streak, Team McEwen is still playing well, with eight playoff qualifications across 12 events. They own a 4-0 record against Team Gushue and are 1-1 against Team Jacobs this season.
With so many top contending teams in men’s Canadian curling making significant changes since the spring, Team McEwen have stood pat.
Aside from Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, McEwen and company are the only team returning to this year’s Brier with the exact same lineup from a season ago.
Could that make the difference for McEwen as he hunts for his first Tankard?
6. Saskatchewan (Team Rylan Kleiter)
Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon
Saskatchewan - Team Rylan Kleiter
Skip: Rylan Kleiter
Third: Joshua Mattern
Second/Vice-Skip: Matthew Hall
Lead: Trevor Johnson
Alternate: John Mattern
Coach: Dean Kleiter
Season Record: 33-22
Event Wins: Tour Challenge Tier 2 (GS), Saskatchewan Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 6
Team Story
Rylan Kleiter will skip the second Saskatchewan-based team at this year’s Brier.
The province is still looking to snap their Tankard drought that dates back to Rick Folk’s memorable win in 1980.
Kleiter’s rink from the Nutana Curling Club is having a strong season, highlighted by a pair of wins, including a perfect 6-0 run at the Tour Challenge Tier 2 in October. They defeated Team Steve Laycock in the provincial final after falling to Team McEwen last year.
Despite a 1-7 record at two top tier Grand Slams, Team Kleiter are ranked sixth in Canada coming into the Brier.
Team Kleiter could be a nice dark horse pick this year, especially since they’ll be in a pool with fewer notable names.
7. Ontario (Team Sam Mooibroek)
Whitby Curling Club
Ontario - Sam Mooibroek
Skip: Sam Mooibroek
Vice-Skip: Ryan Wiebe
Second: Scott Mitchell
Lead: Nathan Steele
Alternate: Gavin Lydiate
Coach: Jake Higgs
Season Record: 42-22
Event Wins: Stu Sells Brantford NISSAN Classic, Ontario Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 8
Team Story
Sam Mooibroek will be another rookie skip at this year’s Brier after defeating defending Ontario champion Scott Howard twice in the provincial playoffs, including in the championship game.
Team Mooibroek is 20 games over .500 this season, making the playoffs in half of their 12 events.
The 25-year-old Mooibroek won a U Sports championship in 2023 with the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks and has competed in the last two PointsBet Invitational tournaments, losing in the Sweep 16 each time, including this year to Team Kleiter.
Mooibroek is 0-3 against Kleiter in 2024-25.
If Team Jacobs and Team McEwen are favourites to make the playoffs out of Pool B, Team Mooibroek could be in contention for the third spot alongside Team Kleiter, Team Felix Asselin, Team Owen Purcell and Team Tyler Smith.
Pool B may not have as much Brier experience as Pool A, but it should be just as compelling with youngsters hungry to make a name for themselves. Mooibroek is near the top of that list.
10. Quebec (Team Felix Asselin)
Glenmore Curling Club
Quebec - Team Felix Asselin
Skip : Felix Asselin
Vice-Skip: Jean-Michel Ménard
Second: Martin Crête
Lead: Jean-François Trépanier
Coach: Pierre Charrette
Season Record: 26-15
Event Wins: Classic Baie d'Urfe, Quebec Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 20
Team Story
After missing out last year, Felix Asselin returns to the Canadian men’s curling championship for a fifth time, this time bringing along a very familiar face.
Jean-Michel Ménard will make his first Brier appearance since 2017 after joining Team Asselin for the 2024-25 season.
The 49-year-old Quebec curling legend won the 2006 Brier in Regina followed by the silver medal at the World Men’s Curling Championship.
Alongside the second with the booming voice in Martin Crête and lead Jean-François Trépanier, Quebec’s may have their best Brier team in years. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2014 – the last time the event was held in British Columbia – as Ménard led the province to a 7-4 round-robin record before losing to Team Kevin Koe in the semifinal.
Over eight events this season, Asselin has led his side to the playoffs five times in addition to an Elite 8 appearance at the PointsBet Invitational where they fell to Team McEwen. They’ve won 11 of their past 12 games entering the Brier.
At his last Brier appearance in 2023, Asselin posted a 5-3 record and was a game away from making the playoffs.
With Menard’s addition, Quebec should be playoff contenders in Kelowna.
11. Nova Scotia (Team Owen Purcell)
Halifax Curling Club
Nova Scotia - Team Owen Purcell
Skip: Owen Purcell
Vice-Skip: Luke Saunders
Second: Scott Saccary
Lead: Ryan Abraham
Alternate: Calan MacIsaac
Coach: Colleen Jones
Season Record: 27-24
Event Wins: Nova Scotia Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 21
Team Story
Owen Purcell will finally make his Brier debut after a couple years of heartbreak in Nova Scotia.
Team Purcell dropped the past two provincial finals to Team Matthew Manuel. This season Purcell added third Luke Saunders, the son of curling legend Colleen Jones and a member of Team Manuel during their recent Brier appearances, to the squad and it’s proven to be a difference maker.
Despite the provincial win, Team Purcell is just three games over .500 in 2024-25, missing the playoffs in five of 10 events this season.
They also own a combined 0-3 record against Team Asselin, Team Kleiter and Team Mooibroek this season, all squads they’ll probably need to beat if they want to make the playoffs in Kelowna.
14. Prince Edward Island (Team Tyler Smith)
Crapaud Community Curling Club
Prince Edward Island - Team Tyler Smith
Skip: Tyler Smith
Vice-Skip: Adam Cocks
Second: Christopher Gallant
Lead: Edward White
Coach: Paul Flemming
Season Record: 17-10
Event Wins: Prince Edward Island Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 55
Team Story
Tyler Smith and the Islanders made a memorable run at last year’s Montana’s Brier, finishing with a 5-3 record and just missing out on the province’s first playoff appearance since 1996.
In their last round-robin game, Smith had a shot in the extra end to beat the Northwest Territories and send PEI into the playoffs, but he couldn’t deliver as Jamie Koe earned the last spot.
This will be the 26-year-old’s fifth straight Brier appearance. Smith earned just four wins in his first three showings before last year’s surprising run.
Which version of PEI will we see this year?
15. Yukon (Team Thomas Scoffin)
Whitehorse Curling Club
Yukon - Team Thomas Scoffin
Skip: Thomas Scoffin
Vice-Skip: Kerr Drummond
Second: Trygg Jensen
Lead: Joe Wallingham
Coach: Darren Moulding
Season Record: 6-3
Event Wins: Yukon Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: 83
Team Story
Whitehorse’s Thomas Scoffin is set to represent Yukon at the Montana’s Brier for the sixth time in his career.
Scoffin is bringing along third Kerr Drummond to Kelowna after he played with Team Aaron Sluchinski at last year’s Regina Brier.
Yukon went 2-6 last year, the second straight Brier Scoffin led the Territory to that record.
18. Northwest Territories (Team Aaron Bartling)
Hay River Curling Club
Northwest Territories - Team Aaron Bartling
Skip: Aaron Bartling
Vice-Skip: D’arcy Delorey
Second: Norman Bassett
Lead: Eric Preston
Alternate: Adam Naugler
Season Record: 3-3
Event Wins: Northwest Territories Men’s Championship
CTRS Rank: Not ranked
Team Story
For just the third time since 2006, a curler not named Jamie Koe will lead Northwest Territories at the Brier.
Aaron Bartling defeated Koe in the final of Northwest Territories Men’s Championship to earn his first ticket to nationals.
Led by Koe, Northwest Territories made the playoffs for the first time since 2012 at last year’s event.
It will be a tall order for Bartling and company to duplicate that feat in Kelowna.