The After After Party

#BetweenTheSheets: The After After Party

The sun is rising on the 2023 playdown party

You know you are attending a great party when there is an after party.

You know you are having an epic evening when you find yourself attending the after after party.

While a party might let out around 1 a.m. and an after party might fizzle out around 4 a.m., an after after party goes until the sun comes out.

This is where we are at with the 2023 playdown season curling fans.

The sun set weeks ago to get the party started and we are at the point now where the sun is starting to rise once again and shine light on the Canadian national championship curling scene.

The Scotties has filled their dance card. Time for the Brier to follow.

Take another shot of Red Bull and lets keep this party going...for a few more hours at least.

This after after party will focus on the men in curling as we round out the Brier field this upcoming weekend.

Don't worry curling fans, the women will get all the attention next week in the Scotties preview post.

#Brier2023

This past weekend we added two more teams to the Brier field. ICYMI, here is your summary update:

#TeamGreen - Team Knapp: Kelly Knapp and company may have arrived at the Sask Tankard as a contender but they left as champions. And made quick work of their competition. Knapp went undefeated in the competition (5-0), qualifying for the playoffs via the A-side and dispatching past champion Steve Laycock in the page playoff and championship final. The new Sask champs took one of the shortest paths to London, Ontario from Saskatchewan. The question will be if the quick win will help or hinder them against the best at the Brier.

#PolarPower - Team Koe: Jamie Koe is the Jon Snow of the Northwest Territories. Koe ran his record at the NWT championship to a perfect 50-0 in claiming his 8th NWT title and 15th King of the North crown. Similar to Team Knapp, Koe went undefeated to claim the title, posted a perfect 6-0 record in the RR and winning the championship final over main rival Team Skauge. When the last rock settled, Koe had dominated his opposition to the tune of outscoring them 65-18!

As a reminder, here are the teams who already punched their tickets to the Tim Horton's Brier. Congratulations to the following teams:

#TeamCanada - Team Gushue
#TeamPacific - Team Gauthier

#CurlOn - Team McEwen

#FearTheMoose - Team Horgan

#Labelleprovince - Team Asselin

#TeamBluenose - Team Manuel

#TheIslanders - Team Smith

#TheRock - Team Young
#TeamArctic - Team Higgs
#PurplePower - Team Scoffin

The Brier field is becoming a mixed bag of experience alongside #NextGen talent.

Could we look back on the 2023 Brier in a few years and mark it down as being the transition year for Canadian men's curling?

The next generation starts making their move towards the future while the current generation tries to hang on for one more Olympic cycle?

This after after party is set to get your feet moving and heart jumping with excitement as we round out the Brier field with provincial championships in Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick.

And two of those championships, Alberta and Manitoba, will heavily factor into who receives the second chance ticket to London as the three designated wildcard teams.

Playdown Previews

#ABStrong

Enoch, AB

2022 Champion: Team Koe

Format: 12 team triple knockout with 4 qualifiers advancing to the page playoff.

#Fav

Kevin Koe.

Brendan Bottcher.

Since 2017, no other skip has represented Alberta at the Brier other than those two powerhouse names.

The teams may look different this season but the skipper names remain the same as the two favourites at the Boston Pizza Cup (Alberta championship).

Both new look teams have had consistent seasons.

Team Bottcher won the Canadian Open in January, a perfect build-up of momentum heading into this championship. The team also won a spiel earlier in the season in Okotoks, reached the SF at The Masters and the QF at The National. They own a season record of 30-11.

Team Koe has yet to find the winner's circle this season; however, they do have 3 runner-up finishes (Red Deer, Okotoks, Swift Current). They reached the SF at the Tour Challenge and QF at The National but failed to qualify at The Masters and, recently, the Canadian Open. They sport an equally impressive record of 30-17 for the season.

Interestingly enough, these two Alberta rivals have only met twice this season with Bottcher picking up the victory both times (Okotoks final, Masters RR).

Bottcher ranks #2 on the CTRS. Koe #4. We know both will be in London, regardless of the result here.

The question is which, if either, can walk into Budweiser Gardens representing the Wild Rose province.

#TeamUpset

Looking for an under the radar dark horse who could challenge the main contenders this week?

How about Daylan Vavrek's team from Sexsmith?

Vavrek sticks close to home during the season, mainly entering Alberta Curling Tour events, but has had tremendous success this season.

The team qualified for the playoffs in all 4 tour events entered this season, including two championship final appearances and one tour title (Leduc).

They sport a 20-4 record on the season as well. And while they may not play as many games as their more "well known" competitors, they are picking up W's along the way and gaining momentum.

They earned their spot on this field via the qualifier event in Okotoks back in December, going a perfect 4-0.

Vavrek is no slouch at this event either, having competed in multiple Boston Pizza Cup's and finished 3rd back in 2018.

#W2W4

Karsten Sturmay and Aaron Sluchinski.

Bottcher and Koe may be the favs and already have their "unofficial" tickets to London but the play of these other two teams may be the true wildcard factor in this competition.

Sturmay has a few tour titles under the slider this season, including winning the Golden Wrench Classic at the end of January with a perfect 8-0 record, including wins over Sluchinski (twice) and Carruthers (final). A victory that propelled the team into the Brier wildcard discussion (more on that below). The team is an impressive 43-20 on the season.

As for Sluchinski, they sport an equally impressive season record of 40-16. They won a tour title earlier in the season (Leduc, defeating Sturmay in the final) and were runner-up at the Tour Challenge Tier II slam.

Remember both teams have a few high profile names on their roster too. Sturmay is joined by J.D. Lind, coach of Team Fujisawa who just won the Japanese Curling Championships.

Sluchinski has brought on Ted Appelman as their fifth this week. Appelman has been to two Briers, as alternate for Kevin Koe's teams in 2019 (won) and 2020 (TB).

Appelman will step in while Kerr Drummond prepares to become a dad. Wishing him and his wife a healthy, happy baby as they buold their family.

With respect to all the teams competing in this field this week, Sturmay and Sluchinski are the two teams who could knock off the "Big Two" and create some aftershocks heading into London.

If the pre-event seeding holds to form, a Final Four playoff between Bottcher, Koe, Sturmay and Sluchinski could be VERY exciting.

Qualifiers: Team Bottcher, Team Koe, Team Sturmay, Team Sluchinski

Alberta Championship: Team Bottcher def. Team Sturmay

#BuffaloHunt

Neepawa, MB

2022 Champion: Team McEwen

Format: 32 team double knockout with 8 qualifiers advancing to the playoff bracket. Playoff bracket will determine the Final Four, who advance to the page playoff championship bracket.

#Fav

Is this the year Matt Dunstone finally wins his Buffalo?

Dunstone is a 4-time Brier participant, including winning back-to-back bronze medals in 2020 and 2021, but those appearances were under the neighbour flag of Saskatchewan.

Dunny is back in his home province chasing one title that has eluded his young resume thus far.

To say winning a Manitoba championship is a life-long dream for Dunstone is an understatement.

He has worn the Buffalo in his junior years but it has not come to be in men's play, including losing the 2016 Manitoba final to Mike McEwen while being junior champion.

This season, Dunstone and his new team have been one of the most consistent teams on tour. They have picked up a few tour titles (Red Deer, DEKALB Superspiel), reached the final of the season-opening PointsBet Invitational and the #gsoc Tour Challenge and reached the SF at The National and QF at the Canadian Open.

Dunstone will be in London for the Brier as he sits atop the CTRS rankings heading into the Viterra Championship. Should he falter this week, he will be #WC1 at the Brier.

However, Dunstone was a WC team last year. He is done playing the "joker" in the field and looks ready to collect his first men's Manitoba championship.

If he can withstand the pressure of being the fav, and the immense pressure he may be putting on himself wanting this title so bad, he is not only the team to beat in this field but also a main threat for the Brier title next month.

#TeamUpset

In a bloated 32 team double knockout, there are so many options for potential #TeamUpset flag bearers. It all depends on the draw. Those teams who avoid the Dunstone and/or Team Carruthers sections of the draw have an increased chance of qualification.

And there are some interesting teams to keep your eyes on as dark horse contenders.

Braden Calvert and Corey Chambers have been well-known names with success in Manitoba for a number of years. Both find themselves in the same bracket, alongside Tanner Lott and Steen Sigurdson.

What about J.T. Ryan? A #NextGen skip still looking to find his path in a crowded Manitoba curling scene.

He finds himself in the same bracket as fellow up and comer Riley Smith and the experience of Kelly Marnoch.

Steve Irwin and Sean Grassie are back to chase the Buffalo. They sit alongside Carruthers in the top bracket.

Jordan Peters, Hayden Forrester and Justin Richter find their names drawn into the same bracket as Dunstone.

There are 8 playoff spots available after the initial knockout stage. A few of these #TeamUpset teams could make names for themselves and survive the double knockout. And, if they do, anything can happen in the next stage once you gain some confidence and momentum.

When you play with house money at an after after party, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

#W2W4

If assumptions hold true, Dunstone and Carruthers will be the teams to beat. But who joins them along the path?

There are some impressive names to watch out for, most listed as #TeamUpset challengers.

But what about Ryan Wiebe?

Wiebe may just be the dark horse team many curling fans are not as familiar with but opposition does not want to face.

Wiebe currently sits #10 on the CTRS rankings. And while they are out of the running for a WC spot in London, sitting that high on the list is no fluke and they should be considered a very dangerous threat to win this championship.

The team is 36-13 on the season, won the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic early in the season and reached the QF at the Tour Challenge Tier II.

They also have qualified in 7 of 9 events this season, including reaching a tour final in Winnipeg and at the Manitoba Curling Tour Championship in December. The team also hit up the Golden Wrench last month in Arizona as a tune-up for this championship, finishing with a QF result.

And finally, we cannot talk about this Viterra Championship without discussing Team Carruthers.

Carruthers himself has been to 10 Brier's, winning the title (and world championship) in 2011 with Jeff Stoughton.

When Carruthers announced his new team this season, re-joining forced with past teammate Jason Gunnlaugson, many thought this would be the Manitoba Super Team to beat. Almost similar to the past merger of Carruthers and best bud Mike McEwen.

The new look team even won the PointsBet Invitational to start their season.

But the results tailored off a bit as the season wore on, with up and down mixed results. And then the shocking announcement was made of Carruthers parting ways with Gunnlaugson.

While Carruthers added Brad Jacobs to the line-up for the slam events, the decision was finally made to add Matt Lorenz as lead for the Manitoba championship but only in a supporting role.

The big question will be how this team comes together with a new lead, should he play, or if they can survive with 3. It should be minor but the lingering whispers of what went wrong between Carruthers-Gunnlaugson will follow the team.

Carruthers is also in the running for a WC spot in London, depending on results in Alberta.

This is going to be a championship worth watching, for so many different reasons.

And it still begs the question, #WhereIsGunner?

Playoff Bracket Qualifiers: Team Carruthers, Team Wiebe, Team Chambers, Team Dunstone, Team Irwin, Team R. Smith, Team Calvert, Team Peters

Championship Bracket Qualifiers: Team Dunstone, Team Carruthers, Team Wiebe, Team Chambers

Manitoba Championship: Team Dunstone def. Team Wiebe

#TeamAcadia

Moncton, NB

2022 Champion: Team Grattan

Format: 8 team RR. Top 3 advance to playoff with top seed earning bye to the final.

#Fav

James Grattan is back to #DefendTheIce once again.

Grattan is a 14-time New Brunswick champion and has been the "face that runs the place" in the province for over 20 years.

Once nicknamed "Jimmy the Kid", the 48 year old still has some tricks up his sleeve and remains a favourite anytime he enters the provincial championship.

Grattan will have a little less "drama" circulating him this season compared to last year when the team picked up Darren Moulding as vice and made a run to the Brier. Everyone remembers the highly electric RR game at the Brier between NB's Team Grattan and Team Canada's Team Bottcher, right?

Grattan is a two-time Brier bronze medal winner (1997, 2002).

#TeamUpset

Watch out for #NextGen stud Jack Smeltzer folks.

If you remember last year's provincial championship, Smeltzer was the main challenger to Grattan. Smeltzer reached both the A and B-side qualifier games (last year was a triple knockout format) and looked to be on the cusp of moving from challenger to contender. 

While Smeltzer lost the C-side SF to Grattan and missed the playoff bracket last year, the team returns this season looking to improve on their result.

Curling fans may remember seeing Smeltzer face off against Kevin Koe at the PointsBet Invitational at the start of the season as well. Koe got the 13-4 win but Smeltzer may have gained more in experience.

If you watched the streaming of the NB Scotties, Smeltzer was also doing commentary and showing his high knowledge of the sport for such a young age.

#W2W4

People underestimate the quality of play in New Brunswick. This provincial championship field is stacked with experience.

Scott Jones and Jeremy Mallais.

Mike Kennedy and Grant Odishaw.

Jason Roach and Darren Roach.

Zach Eldridge was the only team to reach the playoffs and challenge Grattan last season.

And these are all athletes with Brier experience.

Add in Smeltzer as an up and coming NB threat.

And we have past NB junior champ and Canadian junior runner-up (2014) Rene Comeau teaming up with skip Alex Robichaud.

Alberta and Manitoba may get most of the buzz this week but do not sleep on the competitive field in New Brunswick curling fans.

Qualifiers: Team Grattan, Team Jones, Team Smeltzer

New Brunswick Championship: Team Grattan def. Team Smeltzer


#WC

2022 Representatives: Team Gushue (#WC1), Team Dunstone (#WC2), Team Gunnlaugson (#WC3)

Format: Top three teams who did not win their provincial/territorial championship based on CTRS.

Wildcard Watchlist: Team Dunstone, Team Bottcher, Team Koe, Team Carruthers, Team Sturmay

#W2W4

When the CTRS standings were updated last week (after last week's blog post btw), the wildcard field was greatly reduced.

The big winner was Team Sturmay. Their victory at the Golden Wrench moved them up the rankings and put them in a great position for a Brier ticket.

It is all very simple now.

We know Dunstone, Bottcher and Koe will be in London. Whether they are representing the WC jersey or their provincial jersey is the question.

If one of them wins, Carruthers enters the chat.

If two of them win, Sturmay enters the chat.

If none of those three win, all three should still make the Brier field and we will have a few "surprise" reps in Alberta and Manitoba.

Manitoba curling fans, you will have at least two teams competing in London.

Alberta curling fans, you could have three.

Wildcard Picks: Team Koe, Team Carruthers, Team Sturmay

#StayTuned

The blog will return next week with a 100% focus on the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. A full preview of the entire field and predictions to follow.

Also, while Canadian curling fans are still fixated on provincial playdowns this week, note there are a few national championships hitting the ice as well.

The USA National Championships and Scottish Curling Championships are underway in Denver, Colorado and Dumfries, Scotland.

The US men's championships have already produced some #TeamUpset results in the opening few draws, with perennial favourites Team Shuster and Team Dropkin taking losses early.

Team Peterson and Team Anderson continue to be the #Favs for the US women's title early in the RR.

Team Mouat and Team Whyte look to be on a collision course for the Scottish men's championship while Euro bronze medal winner Team Morrison has the early lead for the women.

Both championships are offering streaming options as well.

Special shout out to Japanese Curling Championships winners Team Fujisawa and Team Yanagisawa.

Fujisawa defeated Team Kanai in the final while Yanagisawa knocked off Team Hirata to claim the title.

Congrats to both teams as they #DefendTheIce from their 2022 national championship wins.

And additional championship shout outs to Team Edin/Eriksson and Team Hassselborg for their Swedish Curling Championships wins last week.

Team Edin, led by Oskar Eriksson, defeated 2022 champ Team Landelius to claim the title while Hasselborg knocked off (and earned revenge on a previous RR loss) main rival and 2022 champ Team Wrana.

Of course remembering both Team Edin and Team Hasselborg did not compete at these championships last season due to the Winter Olympics.

Congrats to both on regaining their Swedish Curling Championship titles. #Grattis

For those competing this week, whether in Canada or USA or Scotland, good luck and good curling.