By Ryan Horne, TSN.ca Staff
The biggest storyline heading into the 2016 Scotties Tournament of Hearts is who won't be on the ice at the national championship.
Two-time Scotties champ Rachel Homan and her Ottawa rink were stunned by Jenn Hanna in the Ontario provincial final, while Edmonton's Val Sweeting, a back-to-back Scotties finalist, was upset by Chelsea Carey in Alberta. Saskatchewan's Stefanie Lawton also fell in her provincial final. Both Homan and Sweeting are in the top four of the World Curling Tour's money list and widely considered two of the best curling rinks in the world.
So while a number of the sport’s familiar names won't be competing, their replacements and the rest of the field have the chance to put their rink on the map with a week of memorable curling. All draws can be seen live on TSN.
Jennifer Jones and her Winnipeg rink will play as Team Canada in Grande Prairie, Alta., after their Scotties title last year in Moose Jaw, Sask. They will be the undisputed favourites going in, but will be challenged by the likes of Alberta's Carey, Ontario's Hanna, Manitoba's Kerri Einarson and Northern Ontario's Krista McCarville.
Check out TSN.ca's Scotties Tournament of Hearts preview:
Jennifer Jones (Team Canada)
Lead: Dawn McEwen Second: Jill Officer Third: Kaitlyn Lawes Skip: Jennifer Jones
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WCT Money List
$70,438 (2nd)
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CTRS Ranking
359.989 (2nd)
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Events Won
2
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Scotties
12
With her main two competitors in Homan and Sweeting out of the Canadian championship, 2014 Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Jones will be the favourite in Grande Prairie as she tries to secure her sixth Scotties title. Jones, 41, beat Sweeting in the 2015 final. The foursome from Winnipeg won the DEKALB Superspiel in Morris, MB and then took home $54,000 at the Pinty's All-Star Curling Skins Game earlier this season. Jones lost in the quarterfinals at the Masters of Curling and The National on the Grand Slam circuit, and lost to Homan in the Canadian Open final. She fell to Sweeting in the semifinals of the Canada Cup. Jones is easily the most decorated curler in the field and should have no problem making the playoff round, but it will be interesting to see how Jones handles the pressure of being a big-time favourite. Jones has been in this type of situation before, like at the Sochi Olympics, and prevailed, but as we saw with Team Homan at the Ontario Scotties, sometimes the pressure can lead to nerves and, as a result, upset losses. Jones might be her own biggest competition in Grande Prairie.
Final Word: Team Jones will be the undisputed favourites in Alberta.