Season of Change: A roundup of curling's roster movement frenzy

Who's Out: Third Marc Kennedy, Second Brent Laing 
Who's In: Third B.J. Neufeld, Second Colton Flasch

Creation: Team Koe created a "super team" following the Sochi Olympics with the end goal of winning gold in Pyeongchang. They would make it to South Korea after winning the Roar of the Rings, but fell short of taking home a medal of any colour, marking the first time Canada did not reach the podium in Olympic curling history. When Team Koe arrived home, Kennedy announced he was taking time away from curling. Laing was the next domino to fall as he joined Team Epping in Ontario. With the team cut down the middle, Koe recruited former Team McEwen vice Neufeld and second Flasch, who skipped his own team in Saskatchewan this past season. Flasch is moving out West while Neufeld will be the team's out-of-province curler. 

Outlook: It might take a little while for this new-look squad to find their chemistry together, but any team led by this sharpshooting skip will be hard to beat. They won't have an easy path to nationals though as Brendan Bottcher, 26, has proven that his young Edmonton rink is ready to compete with the big boys after making it to the Brier final in Regina.

Who's Out: Third Braeden Moskowy
Who's In: Fourth Mike McEwen

Out               In

Creation: After the Canadian championship, Moskowy revealed he played most of 2017-18 with a broken ankle and would take the rest of the season off to rehab the injury in preparation to find a new team for next season. With Team McEwen done, skip Reid Carruthers took full advantage and added one of the best curlers in today's game. Carruthers will still call the game while McEwen throws last stones as the fourth. 

Outlook: McEwen and Carruthers have been Manitoba rivals for a while now as they've faced off in the provincial final in three of the last four years. Team Carruthers has always been a solid rink, but maybe not a top contender at such events as the Brier and the Grand Slams. Adding a player like McEwen establishes this foursome as the undisputed kings in Manitoba and a team that could have a real shot at representing Canada at the Olympics in 2022. 

Who's Out: Lead Tim March, Second Patrick Janssen
Who's In: Lead Craig Savill, Second Brent Laing

Out               In

Creation: Team Epping's best year came in their last together as the foursome qualified for their first Brier in 2018 and made it all the way to the playoffs in Regina with a 9-2 record. However, just a week after the Canadian championship, Team Epping announced their new veteran front-end duo of Laing and Savill for the 2018-19 season. "We talked about staying together and we looked at different options and it became pretty clear that just for whatever reason — circumstance, choices, what everybody was looking for — it's just the three of us weren't going to end up together," Laing told The Canadian Press regarding his decision to leave Team Koe.

Outlook: Savill and Laing's curling friendship goes all the way back to their junior days as the pair have played over 15 seasons together, including a 10-year stint with Glenn Howard from 2005-2015, winning two Briers and two world championships in the process. Laing, 39, is coming off a four-year run and an Olympic appearance with Calgary's Kevin Koe while Savill, 39, is returning to prime-time curling after a cancer diagnosis in 2015. Savill and Laing are two of the most well-liked people in curling and with Epping coming off the best season of his career, this squad will be the team to beat in Ontario and should easily become crowd favourites. 

Who's In: Skip Matt Dunstone (from Team Laycock), Third Braeden Moskowy (from Team Carruthers), Second Catlin Schneider (from Team Morris), Lead Dustin Kidby (from Team Casey)

Creation: This foursome came together after the rinks led by Steve Laycock, Reid Carruthers, Adam Casey and John Morris made notable changes. Dunstone, 22, is a two-time Canadian junior champion and threw last rocks for Laycock at this season's Olympic trials and Canadian championship, but will have full skip duties with this new team. Regina native Moskowy, a 2011 Canadian junior champ, returns home after a four-year stint in Manitoba while Schneider and Kidby are joining forces once again after winning Saskatchewan's provincial title in 2017 as the front-end duo for Team Casey. 

Outlook: Saskatoon's Rick Folk won the 1980 Brier in Calgary and Saskatchewan hasn't won a national title since. Team Dunstone may have the best chance of breaking the 38-year drought. Dunstone gained a ton of experience this year and the rest of the squad have already played in numerous Briers and Grand Slam events. This rink will be the ones to beat in the prairie province.

Who's Out: Second Ian McMillan
Who's In: Second Denni Neufeld

Creation: With Team McEwen disbanding, Jason Gunnlaugson had an opportunity to add some experience to his front end duo with the acquisition of Neufeld. The 37-year-old played lead for McEwen but will throw second stones on Team Gunnlaugson.

Outlook: Team Gunnlaugson has been stellar this season, winning three events, including the Grand Slam's Tour Challenge and sit seventh on the CTRS. They qualified for the inaugural Brier wild-card game, falling to Team McEwen. With Neufeld now in the fold, Gunnlaugson and company have a chance to grow even further and could even give Team Carruthers a run for their money in the provincial playdowns. 

Who’s Out: Skip John Morris, Second Caitlin Schneider
Who’s In: Third Steve Laycock, Lead Rick Sawatsky

Creation: After spending 15 years curling in Saskatchewan, Laycock, 35, is heading out West to start a new chapter in his career. A skip for the past seven seasons, Laycock will replace 2010 Olympic champion Morris who is taking a step back from curling. Sawatsky will return to Cotter’s rink on a full-time basis next year after taking part of this season off.

Outlook: With Morris at the Olympics competing in mixed doubles in February, Team Cotter fell in the B.C. final to Team Geall and missed out on the Canadian championship for the first time since 2013. With a former skip in Laycock now in the mix, Cotter’s squad is the best team on paper in the province and it won’t shock anybody to see them at nationals in Brandon, Man. However, they could get some trouble from Tyler Tardi who will embark on his pro career after impressing in junior.

Who's Out: Third Adam Spencer
Who's In: Lead Tim March

Creation: Toronto native March joins Team Howard after spending the past Olympic cycle with Team Epping. The 30-year-old played in his first career Brier this season in Regina and also competed at the Olympic trials in Ottawa. With "super-spare" Spencer leaving the team, Glenn's son Scott will be bumped from front end to third next season. 

Outlook: Four-time Brier and world champion Howard, 55, was already living the dream playing with his son and now that dream gets even better with Scott jumping into a bigger role. The father and son will work together with the end goal of getting back to the Canadian championship after missing out on the prize this year, but will have to get past a very impressive rink led by Team Epping in provincials. Team Howard will be a fun team to watch next year in what could be the curling legend's final season of competitive curling. 

Who's Out: Second Nicholas Bissonnette
Who's In: Third Mark Kean
 

Creation: Kean, 29, has skipped teams in Ontario for years and will now serve as Horgan's vice. Kean beat John Epping in the 2015 Ontario Tankard final to qualify for his first Brier where he posted a 5-6 record. Former third Jacob Horgan will be bumped down to second. 

Outlook: Horgan held a 5-2 lead after seven ends over Team Jacobs in this year's Northern Ontario Tankard final. Horgan would allow a score of two in the eighth followed by consecutive steals of one in the next two ends to lose 6-5. The defeat may have been heartbreaking but it wasn't all bad as Team Jacobs brought Horgan along as their alternate for the Brier and the 20-year-old even got some playing time. This Sudbury crew will still be underdogs in Northern Ontario, but could do some more damage on the WCT with Kean in the mix.

Who's Out: Second Jordan Tardi, Lead Zachary Curtis
Who's In: Second Alex Horvath, Lead Matthew Hall

Creation: Tardi, 19, won his second straight Canadian junior championship and first world junior title this season. Now the promising skip is preparing for prime-time curling next season and is bringing a new front-end duo with him in Horvath and Hall from Ontario and British Columbia respectively. 

Outlook: Tardi was a terrific junior player and could instantly become one of the best in the western province as there's no true front-runner in B.C. The likes of Team Cotter and Team Geall are the toughest competition. The future of curling looks bright with Tardi in the fold. 

Who's In: Skip Kirk Muyres (from Team Laycock), Third Kevin Marsh (from Team Flasch), Second Dan Marsh (from Team Flasch), Lead Dallan Muyres (from Team Laycock)

Creation: 2011 Canadian junior champion K. Muyres will skip his own rink next season after Team Laycock and Team Flasch broke up following the Brier. The 27-year-old brings his older brother, Dallan, to the team while the Marsh brothers will be the middle throwers after spending last season with Team Flasch. Muyres won gold at the Canadian mixed doubles championships with teammate Laura Crocker on April 1. 

Outlook: The double set of brothers that is Team Muyres look to be an interesting rink that could do damage in the prairie province.

Who's Out: Second Lucas Van Den Bosch, Lead Brendan Wilson 
Who's In: Second Ian McMillan, Lead Rob Gordon

Creation: McMillan joins the squad from Team Gunnlaugson while Gordon spent last season with Team Simmons.

Outlook: Calvert, 22, won the Canadian and world junior championship in 2015 and has had some success on the WCT, winning two events over the past two seasons. This squad remains young with these additions, but will be in tough in Manitoba with the level of curling being so high. 

Who's In: Skip Charley Thomas (skipped a different rink this season), Third Adam Casey (skipped a different rink this season), Second Patrick Janssen (from Team Epping), Lead Fraser Reid (from Team Kean)

Creation: Skips Thomas, 32, and Casey, 28, will join forces next season and will be joined by a pair of front end curlers from Ontario in Janssen and Reid. Thomas has never appeared in a Brier while Casey has been there three times. 

Outlook: Team Thomas are one of the last notable foursomes to announce a new squad for next season. They are just one of many new rinks who have decided to try the two skip system for next season. With Saskatchewan slated to be a wide-open province once again in 2018-19, Team Thomas should be considered contenders to make it to the Canadian championship. 

Who's Out: Second Jill Officer
Who's In: Second Jocelyn Peterman

Out               In

Creation: Officer is leaving the foursome after spending over two decades curling with Jones. The 42-year-old said she's just taking a break from the sport but is not officially retiring. "I've known for a while I would not play another quadrennial, so this was a decision that I've been considering for quite some time, and I finalized my decision before the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, that regardless of the outcome I was stepping back," she said in a release. Peterman, 24, won a Scotties title with Team Carey in 2016 and is a solid replacement for Officer.

Outlook: The Canadian and world champs shouldn't miss a beat with Peterman in the fold and they will continue to be top contenders at every event they play in. Don't be surprised to see Officer back with Jones down the road to officially close out her career.

Who's Out: Third Anna Sloan
Who's In: Third Jennifer Dodds

Creation: After nearly a decade playing with one of the best European rinks in curling, third Sloan has decided to leave Team Muirhead to pursue other opportunities. Sloan has helped the Scottish rink capture two world junior championships, two European curling championships, one world championship and a bronze medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Replacing Sloan at the vice position will be Jennifer Dodds of Edinburgh.

Outlook: Team Muirhead hasn't been at their best the past few years as they've failed to medal at the world championships since 2013 and finished fourth at the Olympics this past winter. This shakeup could turn the tide for Team Muirhead in a positive way.  

Who's Out: Third Selena Kaatz, Second Liz Fyfe, Lead Kristin MacCuish 
Who's In: Third Val Sweeting, Second Shannon Birchard, Lead Briane Meilleur

Creation: Einarson decided to leave her former team after a great season, highlighted by her first appearance in a Scotties final. She is hoping her new foursome, made up entirely of former skips, will be good enough to go one step further and claim a national title. Sweeting, 30, is a two-time Scotties finalist out of Edmonton while Birchard, 23, and Meilleur, 26, have previously skipped teams in Winnipeg.  

Outlook: This group might be the most interesting going into next season. It's unusual for four skips to join forces, so it will be interesting to see how the dynamic works out. However, this team looks very talented on paper as Einarson and Sweeting are two of the best curlers in the women's game and Birchard showed great promise with her play at the Scotties in Penticton as the replacement for Kaitlyn Lawes on Team Jones.  

Who's Out: Third Cathy Overton-Clapham, Second Jocelyn Peterman, Lead Laine Peters
Who's In: Third Sarah Wilkes, Second Dana Ferguson, Lead Rachel Brown

Creation: Carey posted a perfect 8-0 robin-round record at the Roar of the Rings Olympic trials in Ottawa before falling to Team Homan in the final. Soon after their wild-card loss at the Scotties, Team Carey announced they would be parting ways at season’s end. Overton-Clapham and Peters have yet to reveal their plans for the future while Peterman joined Team Jones. The former front-end duo for Team Sweeting will now sweep for Team Carey as Ferguson and Brown stay in Alberta to continue their curling careers. Wilkes, 27, joins the squad after playing the past three seasons with the retiring Shannon Kleibrink. 

Outlook: These changes should keep Carey competitive out West and with Sweeting now playing in Manitoba, Alberta could come down to a battle between this new-look Carey rink and Team Scheidegger, the defending champs.

Who's Out: Skip Kerri Einarson
Who's In: Skip Tracy Fleury 

Creation: With Einarson gone, the remaining members of the inaugural wild-card team at this year's Scotties Tournament of Hearts needed a skip. It so happens that a pretty good one was available. Two-time Northern Ontario champions Team Fleury disbanded after over a decade together, with some team members deciding to take a break and others looking for a new home. The fit made sense as Sudbury native Fleury will skip this rink as on out-of-province player for next season. 

Outlook: Manitoba is stacked in women's curling and the field is only going to get tougher with a skip like Fleury joining the province. In the near future, Fleury's crew won't have to worry about Jennifer Jones at provincials next year after she won the Scotties, but they'll still be in a battle to qualify for the Canadian championship for as long as they are together.  

Who's Out: Third Clancy Grandy, Second Lynn Kreviazuk, Lead Morgan Court
Who's In: Third Kate Cameron, Second Taylor McDonald, Lead Raunora Westcott

Creation: The previous version of Ontario's Team Flaxey parted ways in late February after a three-year run which was highlighted by a victory at the Masters in 2016 and an Olympic trials appearance this past December. The 33-year-old Winnipeg skip is now joining forces with two Manitoba curlers and one from Alberta. Twenty-six-year-old Cameron, one of the best thirds in the game, and lead Westcott stay together following the retirement of veteran skipper Michelle Englot. Edmonton's McDonald will curl out-of-province after her former team led by Kelsey Rocque split up.

Outlook: Cameron and Westcott made it to the 2017 Scotties final and represented Canada at nationals this year, with Team Homan wearing the Red and White at the Olympics. With another young player in McDonald, 24, in the mix, Team Flaxey has a chance to compete on the World Curling Tour and should be in the thick of things at provincials. 

Who's Out: Third Manuela Siegrist, Lead Marlene Albrecht
Who's In: Third Alina Patz, Lead Melanie Barbezat 

Creation: Two of the best skips in Switzerland are joining forces to form a squad that should be contenders on the world stage. Patz, who won a world title as a skip in 2015, will play vice for Tirinzoni who just competed at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. They are also adding former skip Barbezat to play front end. 

Outlook: This group instantly becomes the top Swiss rink in curling so expect to see them at many world championships over the next four years and probably the Olympics in 2022. 

Who's In: Skip Laura Crocker (from Team Rocque), Third Cathy Overton-Clapham (from Team Carey), Second Lori Olson-Johns (from Team Sweeting), Lead Laine Peters (from Team Carey)

Creation: Following the breakup of Team Rocque, Crocker (soon to be Walker when she marries Geoff Walker of Team Gushue this summer) went out and made a team of her own, grabbing notable veterans who were looking for a place to play after their respective teams fell apart. Overton-Clapham and Peters were a win away from representing Canada at the Winter Olympics, but fell to Team Homan in the Roar of the Rings final. 

Outlook: Crocker, 27, will skip for the first time since 2014 and will strive to compete on the WCT and be in the mix at Alberta provincials. She won gold at the 2010 Canadian juniors and silver at the 2010 world juniors as a second for Rachel Homan. She also captured mixed doubles gold this year at the Canadian championships with teammate Kirk Muyres. This group could be a dark horse in 2018-19 as they have plenty of experience and past success under their belts.

Who's In: Skip Kelsey Rocque (skipped a different rink this season), Third Danielle Schmiemann (from Team Streifel), Second Rebecca Konschuh (from Team Scotland) Lead Jesse Iles (from Team Streifel)

Creation: After three seasons with Laura Crocker, Taylor McDonald and Jen Gates, Rocque is going back to some familiar faces. The 24-year-old skip will join forces with Schmiemann and Iles, two members of her Canadian and world junior championship team from 2015. Rocque also won the Canada and world junior title in 2014, but with different teammates. 

Outlook: Team Rocque will be one of the younger squads on tour next year, but have played very well together in the past and could sneak in a win or two on the WCT. Qualifying for a couple Grand Slam events next season will be great experience for this rink.  

Who's Out: Third Jolene Campbell, Second Dayne Demers
Who's In: Third Stefanie Lawton, Second Jessie Hunkin

Creation: Team Silvernagle is adding 37-year-old Lawton, a former skip who will play third, to their squad next season with the hope that the four-time Saskatchewan champ can get them to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Hunkin, 29, has skipped rinks in Alberta for the past eight years and will be an out-of-province curler on this rink. 

Outlook: Silvernagle has made the past two provincial finals, losing to Penny Barker in 2017 and Sherry Anderson this season. With a veteran like Lawton now in the fold, Team Silvernagle could be the team to beat in Saskatchewan. 

Who's Out: Lead Teresa Waterfield
Who's In: Skip Sherry Anderson

Creation: Martin has skipped rinks for the past three seasons, but will play third in 2018-19 with the addition of 2002 Scotties silver medalist and 2001 Olympic trials finalist Anderson. Anderson, 54, has captured the last two Canadian senior championships and posted a 2-5 record at nationals this year.  

Outlook: Anderson has the most experience of any curler in Saskatchewan and led a very young team to an unexpected provincial title this season. What will she be able to do with this squad?

Who's In: Skip Kristen Streifel (skipped a different rink this season), Third Jolene Campbell (from Team Silvernagle), Second Dayne Demers (from Team Silvernagle), Lead Breanne Meakin (from Team Meilleur)

Creation: Streifel's Edmonton-based rink broke up at the end of this season and now the 2017 Canadian junior champ will embark on a new curling journey in Saskatchewan. Streifel added third Campbell and second Demers from Team Silvernagle as well as 2009 Canadian junior champion Meakin to the squad.  

Outlook: There has been plenty of turnover in Saskatchewan women's curling recently, so it's hard to pick a top contender at the moment, but Streifel's hat should be thrown into the mix. 

Who's Out: Chantal Duhaime
Who's In: Megan Balsdon 

Creation: Balsdon played second for Tippin from 2011 to 2014 before skipping her own rink for three seasons. Tippin and Balsdon will join forces once again with the departure of vice Dunhaime. 

Outlook: Team Tippin claimed victory at the Pre-Trials in Summerside before posting a 2-6 record at the Roar of the Rings in Ottawa this season. With Team Homan back in the mix at the Ontario Scotties, Tippin's rink will find it tough to get out of the province but should stay competitive on the WCT with this addition. 

Who's Out: Skip Allison Flaxey
Who's In: Skip Jacqueline Harrison

Creation: Harrison, 39, needed a new team for next season and didn't have to look too far to find it as a skip position opened up in Ontario with Flaxey forming a new squad. 

Outlook: Harrison will be the new lead voice, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for her to find chemistry with the other members who have been together for the past three campaigns.

Who's Out: Jennifer Crouse
Who's In: Kristin Clarke

Creation: Clarke won two Canadian and two world junior titles in 2016 and 2018 as a third for Mary Fay and Kaitlyn Jones respectively. Now, the 21-year-old joins a rink led by five-time Canadian champion Arsenault in her first season of pro curling. 

Outlook: Learning from a Hall of Famer like Arsenault can only do wonders for a young curler like Clarke. Don't forget that Arsenault made it all the way to the Scotties semis this season and should be the team to beat in Nova Scotia. A provincial title in 2019 will be that much sweeter as Sydney, N.S., will host the Scotties. 

Who's In: Skip Suzanne Birt (returning to curling), Third Marie Christianson (from Team MacDiarmid), Second Meaghan Hughes (from Team MacPhee), Lead Michelle McQuaid (from Team MacPhee)

Creation: After taking two seasons off, nine-time PEI champion Birt is returning to competitive curling. Birt's former lead in Christianson will now play third with Hughes and McQuaid, who were with the disbanding Team MacPhee for the past two seasons, will play front end.  

Outlook: McPhee represented PEI for the past two seasons at the Scotties. Birt and company should find themselves at the Canadian championship in Sydney, Nova Scotia next season as the best team in the eastern province.