Eighteen teams ready to rumble for Scotties title inside Calgary curling bubble

Skip: Kerri Einarson Third: Val Sweeting Second: Shannon Birchard Lead: Briane Meilleur Alternate: Krysten Karwacki Coach: Heather Nedohin

Kerri Einarson and her team of former skips reached the top of the Canadian curling mountain last year after their dramatic victory over Ontario’s Team Rachel Homan in the final. Einarson drew to the button in the extra end to capture her first Canadian championship, but it was her shot in the sixth which was the real TSN Turning Point and maybe the shot of the season.

The win also marked the first Scotties title for third Val Sweeting following a handful of heartbreaking losses. Einarson and company missed out on their opportunity to represent Canada at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Prince George, B.C., and hope to get back to wear the Red and White. However, this year's women's worlds, originally scheduled to take place in Schaffhausen, Switzerland from March 19-28, has already been cancelled. They’ve only played one game in the 2020-21 season, the opener of the Okotoks Ladies Classic before it was cancelled due to new COVID restrictions in Alberta. The last team to win back-to-back Scotties was Team Homan in 2013 and 2014. The No. 1 rink in Canada is fully capable of doing the same.

Skip: Rachel Homan Third: Emma Miskew Second: Sarah Wilkes Lead: Joanne Courtney Alternate: Danielle Inglis Coach: Randy Ferbey

Rachel Homan and her Ottawa rink have lost the last two Scotties finals in heartbreaking fashion. Due to the pandemic, Team Homan have yet to get much action on the pebbled ice with their new second Sarah Wilkes, who replaced long-time lead Lisa Weagle this off-season in a somewhat shocking swap.

Their lone game was a blowout win over Team Jennifer Jones at the Okotoks bonspiel before it got the axe. It will be interesting to see how quickly this new-look team finds their groove inside the bubble. Homan, a three-time Canadian champion, will be seven months pregnant during the Scotties. Team Homan, who have already qualified for the 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, are always a top contender. This year won’t be any different.

Skip: Laura Walker Third: Kate Cameron Second: Taylor McDonald Lead: Rachel Brown Alternate: Dana Ferguson Coach: Shannon Pynn

In her Scotties debut, Laura Walker, 30, and her Edmonton foursome got off to a hot start at last year’s national championship, taking care of business against lower-ranked teams and winning their first three contests. However, it was a different story when they faced notable names such as Kerri Einarson and Chelsea Carey. Team Walker dropped their next four and missed the championship pool. They’ve only played one game this season after the Okotoks Ladies Classic was cancelled due to new restrictions. 2019 Scotties champ Rachel Brown will play lead for Team Walker as regular front end thrower Nadine Scotland is not attending as she is pregnant and due in August. Brown's longtime teammate Dana Ferguson is also attending as an alternate. Team Walker’s success at this year’s tourney will determined by how they fare against the elite squads.

Skip: Mackenzie Zacharias Third: Karlee Burgess Second: Emily Zacharias Lead: Lauren Lenentine Alternate: Rachel Erickson Coach: Sheldon Zacharias

In early 2020, before the world came to a halt due to COVID-19, 20-year-old Mackenzie Zacharias (now 21) and her Winnipeg teammates stood atop the podiums at both the Canadian and world junior championships. Just over a year later, they’ll be competing in their first Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Team Zacharias will be one of three wild-card rinks in Calgary and one of five Manitoba teams.

In late October, Zacharias defeated Darcy Robertson in the final of the Atkins Curling Supplies Classic final, a week after losing to her in the final of another bonspiel on the World Curling Tour. Team Zacharias might have little inexperience on the top circuit, but their No. 11 ranking in Canada proves they belong in Calgary. It will be interesting to see what this intriguing young team can do.

Skip: Beth Peterson Third: Jenna Loder Second: Katherine Doerksen Lead: Brittany Tran Alternate: Cathy Overton-Clapham

After Manitoba cancelled their playdowns on Dec. 21, Team Peterson tweeted out “well, the season was enjoyable while it lasted! Hoping for a safe @CurlingCanada bubble for all the teams going! Planning for the 2021-2022 season begins.” Team Peterson spoke too soon as their season is far from over. With 18 teams competing at this year’s Scotties and a few notable rinks ineligible to represent a wild-card team, the 26-year-old Peterson and her crew are headed to the bubble thanks to their strong ranking on the CTRS.

This will be the first Scotties for all four members of the team who are in their third season together on the WCT. With the format likely going back to normal next year, it will be more of a challenge for Team Peterson to get out of the powerhouse curling province that is Manitoba in the future. Will they take advantage of this unexpected opportunity? 

Skip: Kerry Galusha Third: Jo-Ann Rizzo Second: Margot Flemming Lead: Shona Barbour Coach: Jim Waite

Kerry Galusha, 43, is returning to the Tournament of Hearts for a seventh straight year and a remarkable 18th time in her career. Last year in Moose Jaw, Sask., Team Galusha missed out on the championship pool with a 2-5 record. The Yellowknife skip will look to curl .500 or better inside the bubble.

Skip: Jill Brothers Third: Erin Carmody Second: Jennifer Brine Lead: Emma Logan Alternate: Kim Kelly Coach: Daryell Nowlan

Team Jill Brothers got the invite from the Nova Scotia Curling Association and the 37-year-old skip will make her fifth appearance at the Tournament of Hearts. Brothers’ best result came at the 2016 Scotties in Grande Prairie, Alta., finishing with a 6-5 record. The rink from the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax is 7-3 on the shortened season, having won a bonspiel in early November after beating Prince Edward Island’s Suzanne Birt in the championship game. Emma Logan, who played lead for Mary-Anne Arsenault at last year's event, is with the team this year. Team Brothers went 2-5 at the 2019 Scotties, but there’s a good chance they improve this time around and be in contention for the championship pool.

Skip: Krysta Burns Third: Megan Smith Second: Sara Guy Lead: Amanda Gates Alternate: Kira Brunton Coach: Rodney Guy

Krysta Burns fell to Krista McCarville in last year’s provincial final and will now represent the association at the Scotties in 2021 after McCarville’s Thunder Bay squad declined the invite due to travel restrictions as well as family and work commitments. This will be Burns, 24, first appearance under the bright lights of the Tournament of Hearts. However, their lead, Amanda Gates, has been to The Show three times. Team McCarville will be the favourites to represent Northern Ontario at the Thunder Bay Scotties in 2021. For now, let’s see what the future of NOCA looks like inside the Calgary curling bubble. 

Skip: Laura Eby Third: Lorna Spenner Second: Tamar Vandenberghe Lead: Laura Williamson Alternate: Darlene Gammel Coach: Scott Williamson

In the Yukon playdowns Team Laura Eby defeated Team Patty Wallingham 3-2 in a best-of-five series as Whitehorse rink will compete at their first Scotties. At the 2020 event, Yukon was led by Hailey Birnie and went winless at 0-7.

Skip: Chelsea Carey Third: Selena Njegovan Second: Liz Fyfe Lead: Kristin MacCuish Alternate: Clancy Grandy Coach: Sherry Middaugh

Two-time Canadian champion Chelsea Carey will skip this squad in Calgary as Tracy Fleury will stay home to look after her young daughter, Nina, who is receiving treatment for a medical condition. Carey, 36, was a free agent after her team disbanded following the Scotties last season.

Despite losing in last year’s Wild Card game to Team Jennifer Jones, Team Fleury had a very solid 2019-20 season, highlighted by the skip’s first Grand Slam victory at the Masters. That win plus a slew of other strong finishes has Team Fleury ranked second in Canada and first up to claim one of the three wild-card spots. Furthermore, the Manitoba rink added Sherry Middaugh to the fold for this season as a coach. With no do-or-die game to worry about and an experienced skip throwing last rocks, Wild Card No. 1 will be a playoff contender in Calgary. By the way, both of Carey's Scotties titles have come during her first year with a new foursome. 

Skip: Jennifer Jones Third: Kaitlyn Lawes Second: Jocelyn Peterman Lead: Lisa Weagle Alternate: Raunora Westcott Coach: Viktor Kjell

Jennifer Jones will compete in her 16th Scotties, this time inside the Calgary bubble. The six-time Canadian champion earned the nod due to the fact she was the runner-up to 2020 Scotties champ Kerri Einarson in last year’s Manitoba final. Jones added Lisa Weagle this off-season after she was let go from Rachel Homan’s squad and will play a pivotal role in Calgary. People wondered how a five-person team would operate at a major event at the time of the move, but regular lead Dawn McEwen will not attend this year’s Scotties as she’s pregnant. The Winnipeg rink captured the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard in early October before losing in the final of the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard a week later. Jones lost 8-3 to Homan in last year’s Scotties semi-final. A seventh Scotties title for Jones would break the tie with Nova Scotia curling legend Colleen Jones for most all-time. Will history happen in the bubble?

Skip: Corryn Brown Third: Erin Pincott Second: Dezaray Hawes Lead: Samantha Fisher Alternate: Stephanie Jackson-Baier Coach: Allison MacInnes

Corryn Brown is headed to a second straight Scotties after British Columbia were also forced to cancel playdowns. Team Brown finished with a 6-5 record last year in Moose Jaw, Sask., in their first national championship. Samantha Fisher replaced Ashley Klymchuk at front end for this season.

The Kamloops rink are one of the few to get some real playing time in this season, winning the James Kelowna Double Cash in November. Brown and third Erin Pincott have known each other since they were six years old and have played together for nearly two decades. Let’s see if Team Brown can take another step forward at this year’s Scotties. They’ll be in the mix late in the week as contenders if everything goes to plan.

Skip: Suzanne Birt Third: Marie Christianson Second: Meaghan Hughes Lead: Michelle McQuaid Alternate: Kathy O’Rourke Coach: Mitch O’Shea

In one of the few playdowns to actually be played, Suzanne Birt’s Charlottetown rink swept Team Darlene London in a best-of-five series at the Maple Leaf Curling Club in O’Leary. Birt, 39, has repped the Islanders at the past two national championships, making the championship pool each time. The two-time Canadian junior champ’s best finish at the Scotties was in 2003 when she captured the bronze medal in Kitchener, Ont. Birt is always in the mix at nationals despite playing a limited schedule during the season. With every team playing just a handful of games this year, can Birt make a run? 

Skip: Sherry Anderson Third: Nancy Martin Second: Chaelynn Kitz Lead: Breanne Knapp Alternate: Amber Holland Coach: Shane Kitz

Sherry Anderson and her Saskatoon rink have been runners-up at the past two Saskatchewan provincials and will now wear the Green and White inside the Calgary bubble in February. Robyn Silvernagle, who has skipped Saskatchewan at the last two Scotties, has two new players on her squad this season, meaning she was ineligible to receive an automatic entry as the defending champ. CURLSASK used results from the past two seasons to make their decision. The 57-year-old Anderson is no newcomer when it comes to elite-level curling as this will be her 10th career appearance at the Scotties and first since 2018. Career accomplishments include silver at the 2002 Scotties, silver at the 2001 Canadian Olympic Trials as well as gold at the 2018 and 2019 World Senior Curling Championships. All things considered, Team Anderson have a fair number of games under their belts this season, holding an 8-4 record through three events. Saskatchewan won’t be top contenders at the Scotties but will be a tough out.

Skip: Laurie St-Georges Third: Hailey Armstrong Second: Emily Riley Lead: Cynthia St-Georges Alternate: Florence Boivin Coach: Michel St-Georges

Team Laurie St-Georges will make their first appearance at nationals after Curling Quebec selected them to represent La Belle Province. The foursome fell to Team Noémie Verreault in the 2020 Quebec Scotties final. As another first-year team, St-Georges will be in tough at the Scotties but getting this type of experience can only help to advance their curling careers.

Skip: Melissa Adams Third: Jaclyn Tingley Second: Nicole Bishop Lead: Kendra Lister Alternate: Monique Masse

Following the cancellation of the New Brunswick Scotties, defending champions Team Andrea Crawford was forced to decline their invite due to work and family commitments. Going in their place will be Team Melissa Adams. The 42-year-old skip last competed at the Tournament of Hears in 2018 as a third for Sylvie Robichaud. Nicole Bishop and Kendra Lister were on that squad as well but missed out on the championship pool. Adams won the Canadian and world junior championship back in 1998.

Skip: Lori Eddy Third: Sadie Pinksen Second: Alison Griffin Lead: Kaitlin MacDonald Coach: Donalda Mattie

Lori Eddy will compete in her third career Tournament of Hearts and the second consecutive. As a third for Alison Goring, Eddy captured the silver medal at the 1997 Canadian championship. Over 20 years later, Eddy returned to the elite bonspiel last year, this time as a skip for Nunavut. Eddy, as the team’s lone import player, led the territory to an impressive 2-5 record, highlighted by a surprise win over Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville. Another performance like that would be a solid showing for the territory.

Skip: Sarah Hill Third: Beth Hamilton Second: Lauren Barron Lead: Adrienne Mercer Alternate: Brooke Godsland

Sarah Hill and her rink from The Rock are headed to the Canadian championship after besting Team McKenzie Mitchell in a best-of-five series. It will be the first Scotties for Hill, but vice Beth Hamilton has been to three career national championships, including the last two as a lead for Team Erica Curtis. Team Curtis were forced to pull out of the Newfoundland Scotties this year due to “travel related isolation requirements” and their employment as health care workers. Team Curtis finished with a 1-6 record at the Moose Jaw Scotties in 2020. Team Hill will aim to pick up at least a couple wins in Calgary.