Now it gets fun.
Curling’s Season of Champions kicks off with the 2015 Home Hardware Canada Cup from Dec 2-6 in Grande Prairie, AB.
Eight of the best men's and seven of the top women's rinks in Canada will compete at this year's event, with more than just money on the line. The winners will grab an automatic entry to the 2017 Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials in Ottawa, the tournament that will decide Canada's representative at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The victorious rinks will also qualify for the 2016 Continental Cup in Las Vegas.
You can catch all the action throughout the week on TSN, starting with Draw 1 on Wednesday, Dec 2 at 10:30 a.m. ET/7:30 a.m. PT as Rachel Homan battles Val Sweeting in a rematch of last year's women's final.
Winnipeg's McEwen and Edmonton's Sweeting won the Canada Cup in Camrose, AB last year and should be in the mix once again this season, but those rinks will have stiff competition as there are no gimmees in either field.
Check out all the teams that will do battle in Grande Prairie. Vote for the best shot from last year's Canada Cup here.
Men's Rinks
Team Gushue (St. John's, Nfld.)
Brad Gushue and his boys from St. John's have been the hottest team in men's curling this season. The foursome have won six events, including the National, and sit atop the World Curling Tour's money list as well as the CTRS rankings. It looks like the 35-year-old Gushue has found his groove again with Olympic buddy Mark Nichols, who reunited with Gushue in 2014 after a three-year split. “Mark has played like Mark Nichols is capable of playing. He’s played one of the best thirds, if not the best third, in the game this year,” Gushue said of the man he won a gold medal with at the 2006 Olympics. “He’s really made my job pretty easy. I haven’t had a whole lot of difficult shots and when I have had some, I’ve been able to come through and make those.” Gushue has failed to qualify for the Canadian Olympic trials the past two times, so he'll have some motivation to lock in his spot as soon as possible. He finished 3-3 at the 2014 Canada Cup.
Team McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.)
After one of the greatest seasons in curling history, defending Canada Cup champion Mike McEwen is playing well once again year. The 35-year-old's rink has won three events, including the Grand Slams’ Masters of Curling in Truro, N.S., and is making good money once again. McEwen will battle fellow Winnipegger Reid Carruthers on December 3 in what will be a rematch of the Manitoba final from last year.
Team Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.)
Brad Jacobs fell to McEwen 8-3 in the final of the 2014 Canada Cup and will look to change his fortune this time around. A win at the Canada Cup would be a great start toward his team's defence of their gold-medal performance at the Sochi Olympics. Jacobs, 30, and his foursome have struggled so far this season, failing to make a final on the WCT or qualify for a semi-final in any of the three Grand Slam events. The rink from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., will kick things off with a rematch of last year's Brier final against Pat Simmons and his Calgary rink. Simmons drew to the button in the final end to win the Canadian championship.
Team Koe (Calgary, Alta.)
Kevin Koe has had a strong start to the season, winning two events, including the Grand Slams' inaugural Tour Challenge. The 40-year-old is in his second full season leading an entirely new foursome after he left his Brier-winning team of 2014. Koe finished 3-3 at the Canada Cup last year and failed to make the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if this relatively new group continues to improve their play at another big event.
Team Simmons (Calgary, Alta.)
For a team that has won consecutive Briers, Pat Simmons's rink doesn't get a lot of attention. Maybe it's because they save their best play for when it matters most. John Morris was added to the rink last season and the foursome struggled mightily until a swap of positions at the Brier led to a second straight national championship. Simmons's crew won their first event of the 2015-16 season, the Prestige Hotels & Resorts Curling Classic in Vernon, B.C., but then failed to get past the quarters at the Masters of Curling (didn't make playoffs) and the National (lost to John Epping). Team Simmons, who posted a 1-5 record at last year's Canada Cup with Morris throwing skip stones, will look to turn their fortunes around as they prepare to represent Canada at the Brier in March from Ottawa.
Team Laycock (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Steve Laycock skips the No. 1 rink in Saskatchewan and is regularly in contention at big events like the Grand Slams and Brier where he won the bronze medal last year. The 33-year-old native of Yorkton, SK has made three semi-finals this season and won the Canad Inns Men's Classic in Portage la Prairie, MB by beating Kevin Koe in the final, 8-5. Laycock sits in the top 10 of both the WCT money list as well as the CTRS rankings. The foursome, which did not play at last year's Canada Cup, doesn't have to face Team McEwen or Team Gushue until the last two games of the round robin, so picking up early wins will be imperative if they want to see themselves in the playoffs.
Team Epping (Pickering, Ont.)
This will be the first Canada Cup for John Epping. The 32-year-old made the Ontario provincial final last year before losing to Mark Kean. Team Epping, who have Mathew Camm throwing third stones this season, is still trying to find their groove. The foursome's best finish came at The National in Oshawa, Ont., where they lost to Gushue in the semi-final, 8-6. Epping is a dark horse at the Canada Cup.
Team Carruthers (Winnipeg, Man.)
Reid Carruthers picked up his first victory of the season at the DEKALB Superspiel in Morris, Man., and sit fourth on the money list after some strong performances. They also sit second, behind Gushue, on the CTRS rankings. Team Carruthers have lost to Gushue into two finals (The National and Stu Sells) this season and another to Mike McEwen (Point Optical) who they happened to beat at last year's Manitoba final. McEwen and Carruthers will have their rematch on Dec. 3 at 10:30am ET. The 30-year-old Carruthers and his Winnipeg rink could do some damage in Grande Prairie.
Women's Rinks
Team Homan (Ottawa, Ont.)
Team Rachel Homan has been stellar again the season. The rink from the nation's capital has won five events including the Masters of Curling and The National on the Grand Slam circuit. As a result, Homan, 26, has massive leads on both the WCT money list as well as the CTRS. The two-time Scotties champion lost in the final of last year's Canada Cup to Val Sweeting, 6-3. It won't take long for Homan and Sweeting to renew their rivalry as the two sides will face off in the opening game of the tournament on Dec. 2. Team Homan has been the hottest team in the women's field this season and are the favourites to take it all at the Canada Cup.
Team Jones (Winnipeg, Man.)
Defending Scotties champion Jennifer Jones will look to capture her third Canada Cup title and begin the path to winning a second straight Olympic gold medal in 2018. The Winnipeg rink finished with a 3-3 record at last year's Canada Cup and failed to make the playoff round. Jones, 41, won her first event of the season at the DEKALB Superspiel in Morris, Man. Despite starting off slowing (for their standards) this season, this foursome should be right in the thick of things all week long.
Team Sweeting (Edmonton, Alta.)
Val Sweeting's crew will look to repeat as Canada Cup champs in Grande Prairie. Sweeting beat Homan in the 2014 final as part of a breakout season. Team Sweeting, who has lost in back-to-back Scotties finals, has yet to win an event this season and fell to Homan in the final of the Masters of Curling from Truro, NS. The 28-year-old and her Edmonton rink may not get the same attention as Homan or Jones, but is always a team to watch out for at any big event.
Team Rocque (Edmonton, Alta.)
At just 21-years-old, two-time World Junior champion Kelsey Rocque skips one of the youngest and most-talented rinks in women's curling. Rocque replaced Chelsea Carey this season and the foursome have clicked quickly. They won the Red Deer Classic and have placed well in many events leading to Top 10 placements on both the WCT money list as well as the CTRS rankings. The Canada Cup could be Team Rocque's coming out party.
Team Middaugh (Coldwater, Ont.)
Sherry Middaugh will look to improve on her 1-5 record from last year's Canada Cup. Team Middaugh have been together for six seasons and were a win away from representing Ontario at the Scotties in 2015. The 49-year-old won the very first Canada Cup in 2003. Team Middaugh's best finish this season has been fifth place at the Women’s Masters Basel. This foursome won't be the favourites in Grande Prairie, but shouldn't be taken lightly.
Team Fleury (Sudbury, Ont.)
Tracy Fleury was very close to making the playoff round at the national championship last year and has put in a strong performance to start this season. The 29-year-old made the semis of the Tour Challenge and the championship game of The National, before falling to Team Homan 5-4. Curling fans should get used to Team Fleury playing at big events as it looks like they're going to be around for a while.
Team McDonald (Winnipeg, Man.)
Kristy McDonald is not a household name in women's curling, but has been in the mix at a few events this season, namely the Masters of Curling where she was ousted in the semifinals by Homan. McDonald, who spent many years as Chelsea Carey's vice, is skipping the same squad for a second consecutive season. It will be interesting to see what the 36-year-old can do at the 2015 Canada Cup.
