Canadian Open Preview

#BetweenTheSheets: Canadian Open Preview

Are you ready for the #Sweep16 of 2023?

Welcome back!

The salutation statement can have a few meanings leading into this blog post.

We are ready to welcome everyone back from the holiday season.

We welcome 2023 into our lives, in hoping it is a positive year for all of you.

We welcome the next GSOC major.

And in doing so we welcome back the Canadian Open!

It may be a distant memory by now but the Canadian Open event has not been held since 2020.

Yes, you read that correct, 2020!

Thank you COVID-19 for wrecking havoc on our curling calendar for the past few years.

But here we are in 2023, welcoming back the red rings of the Canadian Open.

There is also a bit of head scratching around this event.

Do you recall the past announcement from GSOC stating the Canadian Open would be repackaged as "The Open" and would take place outside of Canada?

This was supposed to happen in 2021. Cancelled!

Possible to see this rebrand happen in 2022? Cancelled!

Here we are in 2023 and the Canadian Open is still the Canadian Open, albeit with a new title sponsor.

Perhaps that is the difference in the decision. With a Canadian-based title sponsor, Co-op, it would appear the decision to make this slam an international slam called "The Open" was put on the backburner and the red rings remain with the Canadian Open title.

Of course nothing to be disappointed with. But it would still be great to see a future slam held outside of Canada, especially if it was one of the "Big 4" majors.

Something we may see happen in 2024? 2025? Never? Who knows?!? #StayTuned

#Sweep16

What the return of the Canadian Open does bring into our lives is the return of the #Sweep16 theme.

We all remember the start of the 2022-23 curling season with the PointsBet Invitational. 16 of the top men's and women's teams in Canada competing for big money in a solo bracket challenge.

#Sweep16 pumped through the hearts of every curling fan as people filled out their brackets, submitted them online and watched the games with anticipation of trying to predict the "Perfect Bracket".

It was March Madness on ice. And curling fans were living for it.

The Canadian Open should bring some of that "madness" back in the house.

The format is a Sweep 16 format in a way, with qualified teams being seeded and higher seeds facing lower seeds in the opening rounds.

Of course what is different is this slam is a triple knockout. While in Fredericton we saw teams eliminated after one loss, here we see teams needing to avoid a third loss to stay alive.

The #PBInvitational only had an A-bracket. The Canadian Open will have an A-bracket, B-bracket and the dreaded #CSideGrind.

This does not mean you cannot bring back the March Madness vibe though rock heads. Head to the Canadian Open page, download your own personal bracket and fill it out.

Can you predict the "perfect bracket" from Camrose? Share your brackets online with fellow curling fans.

Qualification

Bring on another change some may not have noticed.

Did you notice the qualification standards slightly altered for the Canadian Open in comparison to the previous slams held this season?

The Masters, the last slam event held in December 2022, featured the Top 16 teams based on the World Curling Federation's world team rankings.

The Canadian Open will use a different qualification standard.

The Top 7 teams from the WCF Order of Merit earned an invite. The Top 7 teams from the Year-To-Date rankings earned an invite as well.

The 2022 Tour Challenge winners earned a spot (more on that in a moment).

And the final spot was awarded to a Sponsor's Exemption.

The use of two different ranking systems to earn slam qualification highlights a major flaw with the sport: Rankings!

The hill this blog will die on is the on-going discussion/frustration with the sports ranking system.

Why are we using two different ranking systems here?

Why has the qualification system changed?

And, if using two different qualification systems, how was the final seeding for the brackets determined?

Lets look at Scotland's Team Mouat as an example.

In the WCF Order of Merit, they are ranked #3. For the Year-To-Date, they are ranked #12.

This week they are seeded #8.

How about Japan's Team Fujisawa?

In the Order of Merit, they are ranked #5. Year-To-Date has them ranked #6.

This week they are seeded #7.

Hmmm?!

When you start using so many different qualification systems, the idea of making everything fair actually creates more head scratching results.

Fujisawa is seeded lower than both rankings. How?

Did they just take the middle ground for seeding Mouat? 8 falls roughly in between 3 and 12.

And why are using two different systems?

The sport needs to get ONE ranking system in place and live with it.

Yes, there are many ideas and opinions out there on which type of ranking system the sport should use and the blog has stuck its little nose into this discussion many times in the past.

Whether we use a similar system to the #TwineTime suggestion or something completely different and new, this qualification and event seeding highlights a growing issue in the sport.

Who is REALLY #1?

And why is this SO HARD to figure out? The blog has been talking about this issue since 2015.

Alas, the blog may be the only one who cares or is making it an issue perhaps? If so, ok. My bad.

But the blog will continue to talk about it...

Remember those 2022 Tour Challenge winners earning a ticket to this event?

Send your thoughts to Team Grandy this week.

They earned their spot in this field, whether winning the Tour Challenge or just through the ranking(s) system as they did for The Masters, yet they are not going to be competing in Camrose.

Unfortunately the scheduling of the event coincides with the B.C. Scotties (Jan. 11 - 15). Thus, Grandy will be attempting to earn a spot in the 2023 Scotties field rather than competing at the slam.

Smart choice of course. But still sucks they were put in this situation.

Lets hope the GSOC mind trust decides to allocate a Champions Cup invite to Team Grandy to make up for this scheduling mishap. They deserve to be here. They deserve to be there.

Finally, can we get rid of the "Sponsor's Exemption" spot? Why is this here?

For the women's draw, there was no sponsor's exemption granted. The next highest ranked team, per the Year-To-Date standings, was invited to compete: Switzerland's Team Jaeggi.

For the men, Team Horgan was handed the sponsor's exemption. With no disrespect to Horgan, why were they selected?

If we look at YTD ranking, Team Yanagisawa, Team Sluchinski, Team Sturmay, Team Shuster, Team Wiebe and Team Ferris are all ranked higher.

If we look at Order of Merit, Team Shuster and Team Sturmay are still above them.

Did Team Shuster and Team Sturmay decline the invite?

It would appear Norway's Team Walstad did, as they are ranked #14 on both rankings. To be fair, Walstad did appear to decline slam invites for The National and The Masters earlier this season.

So how was Team Horgan decided as the sponsor's pick here?

And, from a bigger picture scenario, why allow sponsor's exemption for the men but not use it for the women?

Lets just use the rankings to determine the fields at these slam events.

Of course, that leads back to the original issue of "what ranking system?".

Lots to ponder as we head into the first slam of 2023.

On a positive note, props to those teams who will be making their #GSOC debuts this week.

Welcome Netherlands' Team Gosgens, Italy's Team Constantini and Canada's Team Ladouceur and Team Ackland.

Could a slam rookie become a #BracketBuster and wave the #TeamUpset flag?

Are you ready for the #TwineTime Seed Report?

Bring on the Sweep 16 from Camrose.

Co-op Canadian Open

Camrose, AB

2022 Champions: Not Held (2020 Champions: Team Jacobs and Team Hasselborg)

Format: 16 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers

MEN

(1) Team Edin

Opening Game: vs. (16) Team Horgan

#GSOC Results: Runner-up at The National. Winner at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

Consistency, consistency, consistency. And this team has it in spades.

We should expect another playoff run from the Swedish boys in Camrose.

Daniel Magnusson is with the team as skipper Niklas Edin continues his rehab. If you follow King Niklas on social media, you would have seen him hitting the ice this past week.

Could we see the King's return sooner than expected?

Team Edin has never faced Team Horgan so the opening round matchup should be interesting.

(2) Team Dunstone

Opening Game: vs. (15) Team Flasch

#GSOC Results: SF at The National. Final at the Tour Challenge. TB at The Masters.

Is there a player in this field more hungry for a slam title than Matt Dunstone?

Sure he has one to his credit but you know he wants more. Is this his best chance?

He draws former Sasky rivals Team Flasch, with former slam-winning teammate Catlin Schneider, in the opener. Dunstone and Flasch are an even 3-3 in H2H battles, with Dunstone winning the first 3 and Flasch winning the last 3. Who gets Lucky #7?

This team has played in 5 championship finals this season, winning two back-to-back titles in Red Deer and Morris.

(3) Team Retornaz

Opening Game: vs. (14) Team Epping

#GSOC Results: 0-4 at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. Champions at The Masters.

Talk about a quick climb up the GSOC mountain this season. From winless to winners. What a ride.

Not to mention the Euro bronze medal win coupled with tour titles in Stirling, Adelboden and Bern.

They also competed last weekend, finishing runner-up to Team Mouat in Perth.

This is no #TeamUpset challenger anymore folks. This team is a true champion contender. Watch out!

The opening match will be the first time Retornaz has faced Team Epping.

(4) Team Gushue

Opening Game: vs. (13) Team Gosgens

#GSOC Results: Won The National. SF at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

A solid slam season from the defending Canadian champs. They also won the inaugural Pan-Continental Championship in early November.

They qualify in every event played, even if they have only played 5 events (including the SF run at the PB Invitational).

Can they collect slam title #2 for the season?

Gushue is also trying to extend his GSOC qualification streak. The mark currently sits at 22 consecutive slams.

Although his last playoff miss did occur at this very event. In this very city. The 2018 Canadian Open.

Perhaps the one time we do not want to see history repeating. 

They need all the games and momentum possible heading into this part of the season. They have a Brier berth already as Team Canada so strong results and competitive games are needed right now as their opposition prepares for playdown season and they prepare to #DefendTheIce at the Brier.

Gushue is 1-0 against Gosgens, having defeated them at the 2022 world championship.

(5) Team Schwaller

Opening Game: vs. (12) Team Whyte

#GSOC Results: 1-3 at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

This newly formed Swiss team started the season strong, winning two titles and reaching two SF in their opening 4 events.

They also have a title win in Stroud and reached the Euro final in November.

The question is whether they can put those positive results on the board at the slams.

Back to back QF results are good but not great. And this is a team fixated on being great.

They draw the dangerous #5 vs. #12 opening round matchup against Scotland's Team Whyte, who they are 0-2 against this season (National, Swiss Cup Basel).

(6) Team Bottcher

Opening Game: vs. (11) Team Carruthers

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. 0-4 at the Tour Challenge. SF at The Masters.

Which team shows up in Camrose?

This team, on paper, has all the makings of the next Canadian champs. But can they put it all together for a deep run against a strong field?

They have to like their chances in the opener against a reconfigured Team Carruthers, a team they have yet to face this season.

(7) Team Koe

Opening Game: vs. (10) Team Dropkin

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. SF at the Tour Challenge. 1-3 at The Masters.

We thought "Team Quiet" was going to make some noise at The Masters, perhaps even win their first slam as a team. They seemed to have some momentum and were improving their slam results.

But nothing came together in Oakville and the team struggled.

What should we expect now?

The advantage is Koe is on home province ice and he seems to love curling in Alberta.

The SF result at the Tour Challenge in Grande Prairie alongside championship final runs in Okotoks and Red Deer support the theory.

He draws the Young Bucks first. And we know Albertans enjoy their hunting.

(8) Team Mouat

Opening Game: vs. (9) Team Ramsfjell

#GSOC Results: 1-3 at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. Final at The Masters.

When you look at the trajectory this team is on this season, you should be very scared to face them.

Yes, they started the season slow in dealing with injuries and a bit of the post-Olympic hangover.

But the lads are back and turning up the heat.

They have progressively improved their slam result at each event. They won the European title. And they arrive here fresh of the #3peat title in Perth.

The Canadian Open remains the one slam missing from Team Mouat's resume. If they can claim the title this week, they will complete the Career Grand Slam.

Mouat and Ramsfjell are building a small rivalry this season. Ramsfjell won their first two encounters. Mouat won the last (SF at The Masters). Who comes out on top in the opening round here?

(9) Team Ramsfjell

Opening Game: vs. (8) Team Mouat

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National. DNQ at the Tour Challenge. SF at The Masters.

Can upset lightning strike twice?

The young Norwegians planted their rock on slam ice at The Masters, reaching the SF in their slam debut.

No longer a rookie, now a sophomore. And we have seen the sophomore slumps in the past.

Heading into The Masters, this team had reached 5 straight championship finals and won 3 titles (Oslo, Champery, Prague).

They did compete last weekend in Perth, going 2-3 and missing out on qualification.

Ramsfjell does not own the H2H vs. Mouat, trailing 3-5 in games played. However, they did best their Scottish counterparts twice this season (Baden, Basel).

(10) Team Dropkin

Opening Game: vs. (7) Team Koe

#GSOC Results: SF at The National. Winner of the Tour Challenge Tier II. 1-3 at The Masters.

They may have won their spot in this field from the Tour Challenge Tier II title; however, even without that win Team Dropkin would be in this field. 

They didn't NEED the win to get here, be very clear on that fact folks. They are ranked #12 on OOM and #8 on YTD. No question they earned their way into this field from their full season of results.

They also arrive here with some momentum, having won their second title of the season at the Curl Mesabi Classic in December.

The opening match with Koe will be fun. Dropkin has only played Koe once before, back in 2019 when both skips had different teammates in front of them.

(11) Team Carruthers

Opening Game: vs. (6) Team Bottcher

#GSOC Results: 1-3 at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. 1-3 at The Masters.

All eyes will be on this team as we welcome Brad Jacobs back on slam ice.

Jacobs already made a return statement earlier this season in forming his new team to compete for a Brier berth out of Northern Ontario.

But not many saw the recent announcement coming with Reid Carruthers parting ways with Jason Gunnlaugson and adding Jacobs into the lineup for the slam events.

One has to wonder what was going on behind the scenes between Carruthers and Gunnlaugson.

Remember that newly formed team reached the final of their first event of the season in Leduc and won the PB Invitational in Fredericton. They even reached the final in Morris in early December.

Of course they did have those down events where they failed to qualify but you cannot win them all.

This decision could not be based solely on results on the ice.

The question now is how Jacobs will do fitting into the lineup and who will Carruthers get to replace Gunnlaugson heading into the Manitoba provincials?

Plus, #WhereIsGunner?

(12) Team Whyte

Opening Game: vs. (5) Team Schwaller

#GSOC Results: 1-3 at The National. 1-3 at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

Is this the #BracketBuster team everyone should be worried about?

Sure those first two slam results were not the greatest but this team has improved as the season goes on.

Since the Tour Challenge result, they won back to back titles in Basel and Calgary while reaching three straight QFs in Red Deer, Oakville and Perth.

They seemed to have found their groove now and that makes them a very dangerous lower seed.

And those who follow #MarchMadness know, never count out a #12 seed in the draw!

Whyte also has the career H2H advantage over opening round opponent Schwaller, leading 7-5. In fact, Whyte has won 5 straight games against his Swiss counterpart and is 6-1 over the past two seasons.

(13) Team Gosgens

Opening Game: vs. (4) Team Gushue

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National, Tour Challenge and The Masters

#TeamOranje is ready to make their slam debut. And it is about time!

This team has been on the brink of major qualification for a number of years. We have seen them at the Tour Challenge Tier II but they have always fallen just short of the cut line for the major slam events.

Not this time!

They have reached 4 championship finals this season but are still searching for their first title of the season.

Lets also give them props on qualifying here given they were competing in Euro B-division this year. Of course they won the B-division to earn promotion back to Euro A-division in 2023.

They stepped on the ice in Perth last weekend but failed to qualify with a 2-3 record.

Can Gosgens gain revenge on Gushue from the world championship loss last April?

(14) Team Epping

Opening Game: vs. (3) Team Retornaz

#GSOC Results: DNQ for The National. TB at the Tour Challenge. 1-3 at The Masters.

This has been an up and down season for Team Epping.

There have been some great high's, like winning back-to-back tour titles in Halifax and Clermont in November.

But there have also been struggles, like failing to qualify at The Masters or the rough start of the season going 4-5 in two events.

They seem to be on the up swing now though and could be a dangerous low seed to watch out for as a potential #BracketBuster.

Epping has never played Retornaz but is drawing the winner of the last slam in the opener. Pressure on Retornaz as the fav meaning possible mental advantage for Epping as the underdog?

(15) Team Flasch

Opening Game: vs. (2) Team Dunstone

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. 1-3 at the Tour Challenge. 1-3 at The Masters.

They are still here folks! The lightning bolt is ready to crash into the ice once again at another slam.

Are people talking less and less about Team Flasch as the season goes on? And, if so, is this exactly what Team Flasch is hoping for?

We saw at the Brier last year what happens when people stop talking about this team and write them off as just "another team competing". Now would be a great time to put an electric shock in the system once again for the Sasky foursome.

Flasch vs. Dunstone in the opener is going to be a classic rivalry game. Flasch has won the past three encounters, including last seasons Sask championship and both games at the Brier.

(16) Team Horgan

Opening Game: vs. (1) Team Edin

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National. 0-4 at the Tour Challenge. DNQ at The Masters.

Not the strongest of GSOC resumes in the field this season but Northern Ontario's Horgan brothers are back on slam ice.

And the team is trending in the right direction heading to Camrose. They reached the SF in their two previous events, in Red Deer and Brantford, prior to the holiday break.

They are a modest 22-19 on the season but don't let the record fool you. A #16 seed has defeated a #1 in March Madness so why not at The Canadian Open?

Qualifiers: Team Mouat, Team Bottcher, Team Dunstone, Team Edin, Team Gushue, Team Whyte, Team Koe, Team Retornaz

The Canadian Open Championship: Team Mouat def. Team Gushue

WOMEN

(1) Team Homan

Opening Game: vs. (16) Team Peterson

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. Winner at the Tour Challenge. Final at The Masters.

Back to back slam final appearances, including a title, put the #Fav stamp on #1 seed Team Homan/Fleury.

Outside of the slams, the team has two tour titles (Edmonton, Red Deer) and a QF result at the PB Invitational.

Another team who seems to have good luck on Alberta ice. 3 events in Alberta this season. 3 titles.

They own a huge advantage in their opener as Homan has a lifetime H2H record of 6-0 vs. Peterson, including winning both games in Red Deer earlier this season.

(2) Team Tirinzoni

Opening Game: vs. (15) Team Jaeggi

#GSOC Results: Winner at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. 0-4 at The Masters.

That 0-4 record at a slam sure stands out. It is almost unheard of for the world champions, given how dominant and consistent they have been over the past few seasons.

But it happens and even the best slip up. Perhaps it was just a case of Euro hangover after taking a tough loss in the final vs. Denmark's Team Dupont. A result many consider one of the biggest upsets in the sport.

They just could not regroup and find their footing in Oakville.

But lets not have that one event define how strong this team is. Remember when this team won 3 straight tour titles, compiling a 13 match winning streak and an overall record of 20-1 en route to those titles?

And they kick start their GSOC redemption with a revenge opener vs. Swiss rival Jaeggi.

Jaeggi owns the H2H and got the better of Tirinzoni in Oakville.

Will Tirinzoni extract her revenge in Camrose?

(3) Team Einarson

Opening Game: vs. (14) Team Ackland

#GSOC Results: Final at The National. Final at the Tour Challenge. Winner at The Masters.

3 slams. 3 finals. 1 title.

Pretty solid slam season for the Canadian champs. But it sure feels weird to see the #3 seed beside their name, no?

The two seeds above them happen to be the two teams who beat them in slam finals this season.

Of course Einarson extracted revenge on Homan in the Masters final. Can she get her revenge on Tirinzoni now in Camrose?

This team has put together one of the strongest season results we have seen. Outside of the slams they have reached the SF at the PB Invitational, won bronze at the inaugural Pan-Continental and just before the Christmas break reached a championship final in Karuizawa.

Anything short of a SF appearance this week would be a disappointment.

Of course they happen to draw a Manitoba competitor in Team Ackland for their opener. Einarson owns the H2H 2-1 but it has been a few years since they faced off.

Could this be the start of a budding Manitoba rivalry?

(4) Team Gim

Opening Game: vs. (13) Team Constantini

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. SF at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

Korea's Team Gim has been a blog fav since last season and they continue to put up the big results to stay near the top of the Power Rankings mountain.

This team is 54-20 on the season. That is 74 games played between June (Korean Championships) and December. 12 events played!!

Could we see a trend emerging with Gim? QF --> SF --> QF --> SF??

At last year's Champions Cup, they emerged as a challenger when they reached the final.

Now they come to the slams as a championship contender.

Fun opener vs. debut Constantini. It wasn't too long ago where Gim was wearing Constantini's shoes as the new girls on the block.

Constantini got the better of them in their lone game, played earlier this season in Swift Current. Can Gim even up the H2H record?

(5) Team Jones

Opening Game: vs. (12) Team Wrana

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. 1-3 at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

For the sake of Team Jones, lets hope we are not seeing a trend in those GSOC results. If so, are we looking towards a 1-3 record in Camrose and early elimination?

This is still one of the strongest teams in the competition. Remember earlier in the season when they rode a 13 match winning streak, including winning back-to-back titles at the PB Invitational and Stu Sells Toronto?

This team has also shown they rebound quickly from tough losses. After the Tour Challenge, they ran off 3 straight SF results on tour before the QF result at The Masters.

Consistency + Resiliency = Winning!

The opening match against Sweden's Wrana is going to be fun. Jones and Wrana are deadlocked in their H2H record, each recording 4 wins. And they have split the season thus far as well, each securing a W.

Who takes the rubber match and overall H2H lead?

(6) Team Lawes

Opening Game: vs. (11) Team Ladouceur

#GSOC Results: SF at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency.

This is one consistent playoff contender. They have played 9 events this season, have reached the QF 4 times, the SF twice and the finals 3 times.

They also have 2 tour titles to their credit, winning the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic and Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic.

Of course they will have their altered lineup on the ice with Selena Njegovan moving up to skip and Laura Walker, subbing in for new mom Kaitlyn Lawes (Congrats to her and her family), playing vice.

They have never played their opening round opponents, rookies Team Ladouceur.

Who wins the Battle of the L? And who avoids taking the L early?

(7) Team Fujisawa

Opening Game: vs. (10) Team Keiser

#GSOC Results: SF at The National. TB at the Tour Challenge. 1-3 at The Masters.

Those slam results are not what we are used to seeing from Japan's Team Fujisawa. They are actually trending in the wrong direction at the slams.

The Pan-Continental champions have struggled since that big win, going a modest 7-7 in their 3 events that followed. They arrive in Camrose off a 4th place finish in Karuizawa before Christmas.

Experience and previous results could be the deciding factor in their opening game vs. Switzerland's Team Keiser.

They have only played once and that 1 W from The Masters...yup, it was against Keiser in the opening draw.

(8) Team Scheidegger

Opening Game: vs. (9) Team Hasselborg

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National. 2-2 at the Tour Challenge. TB at The Masters.

We talk about teams trending downwards at slams, Team Scheidegger is going the opposite direction.

It may be a slow trend but it is still a positive trend...and that is all you can ask for against a slam field.

In fact, the two slams remain the only events this season where this team has not reached the playoffs. They have advanced to 3 championship finals, 3 SF and 1 QF.

And you know they are aiming to peak at the right time heading into a very competitive Alberta Scotties competition coming up.

The #8 vs. #9 matchups are always intriguing. They should, in theory, be the closest opening round game as the two teams should be very evenly matched.

This game could go either way. Hasselborg does own the H2H record though.

Fun fact, the first time these two skips faced off was at the 2017 Canadian Open, which Hasselborg won 7-6.

Who gets the advantage in 2023?

(9) Team Hasselborg

Opening Game: vs. (8) Team Scheidegger

#GSOC Results: 1-3 at The National. QF at the Tour Challenge. QF at The Masters.

It has been a tough season for the 2018 Olympic champs. And that is not to say the results have not been great. Outside of the slams, they do have two tour titles under their sliders.

The Euro result was shocking, missing the playoffs on home ice.

And the team is still trying to find their groove while Sara McManus is away as a new mother (Congrats to her and her family). Therese Westman will spare for McManus in Camrose, playing lead while Agnus Knockenhauser plays third and Sofia Mabergs goes to second.

It sure feels weird to see this team as a #9 seed though, right? The most dangerous lower seed in the history of this event?

They couldn't ask for a better opener though, facing off against a team Hasselborg owns a 6-1 H2H record against.

Interesting fact, these two teams have only played one another at slam events: 3 at The Masters, 2 at The Players' Championship and 1 at the Canadian Open and Elite 10.

(10) Team Keiser

Opening Game: vs. (7) Team Fujisawa

#GSOC Results: QF at The National. TB at the Tour Challenge. 0-4 at The Masters.

Similar to Team Fujisawa above, Switzerland's Team Keiser will be looking to turn the slam trending results around in Camrose.

Don't let the results fool you either. This team did not earn their #10 seed on accident. They are a strong team flying under the radar and very capable of knocking off any team in this field.

They have wins this season against Scheidegger, Lawes, Gim, Peterson, Constantini and Wrana.

The opener is deja vu to The Masters opener. Can Keiser get revenge? The winner will at least be on the right path towards correcting their slam trend analysis. 

But which team will it be?

(11) Team Ladouceur

Opening Game: vs. (6) Team Lawes

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National, Tour Challenge and The Masters.

The rookie team many may not know but who many should be fearful of facing.

The #NextGen teams are no joke curling fans. They come in with confidence and are not scared by the bright slam lights and names on the back of their opposition.

Team Ladouceur, from Waterloo, Ontario, has 3 tour titles already this season (Whitby, Stroud, Kemptville) and reached 4 straight tour finals from September to October.

They rang in the new year in Miyota, Japan competing in the New Year Medalist Curling event, where they had a QF result losing to eventual champion Team Jentsch. 

They are 0-2 H2H against the entire field, taking losses to Team Gim in August and Team Jones in October.

(12) Team Wrana

Opening Game: vs. (5) Team Jones

#GSOC Results: TB at The National. SF at the Tour Challenge. 1-3 at The Masters.

So which team shows up in Camrose?

The one who surprised the field in Grande Prairie with a deep playoff run or the one who struggled in Oakville?

This is a hit or miss team this season. They can knock off anyone in the field but could also lose to anyone in the field.

They are 30-26 on the season. Their Points For / Points Against ratio is 7.6 / 7.6.

Flip a coin 100 times and with this team 50% will land heads and 50% will land tails.

It really can be anyone's guess as to what happens this week. And that makes them very fun to watch.

The opener against Team Jones will be exciting. Wrana and Zacharias are very much the future of the sport so anytime we can see them face off it will be fun. Add in the experience of Jennifer Jones and we should get a shoot out.

They have split their GSOC results this season with Wrana winning at the Tour Challenge and Jones winning at The National.

Oddly enough, Wrana and Jones split their H2H record last year as well, with each winning one game at the slams. Wrana won at The National. Jones won at The Masters.

The two skips have faced off once at The Canadian Open, back in 2019 with Jones prevailing.

(13) Team Constantini

Opening Game: vs. (4) Team Gim

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National, Tour Challenge and The Masters.

Forza Italia! Italy now has a men's and women's team competing on GSOC ice.

Team Constantini is making #HERstory in becoming the first Italian women's team to compete at a slam. And they are here to not only compete but to win.

This team has won two tour titles this season (Swift Current, Sundyberg) and made the playoffs at the European Championships, losing the bronze medal game to Scotland's Team Morrison.

But remember, at those same Euro's they did defeat Team Hasselborg and Team Tirinzoni in their final 2 RR games to reach the playoffs.

European teams can be very dangerous opponents for Canadian teams as they may not be as familiar with them. Constantini put together a smart schedule this season, mixing it up between big tour events in Europe but also coming over to Canada for a few events as well.

Those back to back events in Swift Current resulted in a championship win and a SF result.

You know that SF result just mentioned...who did Constantini beat in the QF?

Their opening round opponent in their GSOC debut, Team Gim.

(14) Team Ackland

Opening Game: vs. (3) Team Einarson

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National, Tour Challenge and The Masters.

The blog's Power Rankings have been high on Team Ackland this season...and for good reason.

The Manitoba foursome has reached 3 finals this season and closed off the 2022 calendar year with a tour title in Morris at the ultra competitive DEKALB Superspiel.

This is a very dangerous potential #BracketBuster who many may underestimate because they are slam rookie's.

I saw this team in person at the Autumn Gold last October and back then declared them future GSOC competitors. Fast forward a few months and here they are.

What a fun opening draw as well against the reigning Canadian champs and fellow Manitobans Team Einarson. Einarson owns a slight 2-1 H2H advantage but they have not played one another since the 2020 Manitoba Scotties, a game won by Ackland but an event won by Einarson.

Fun fact about Abby Ackland. She owns the career H2H advantage over Constantini, Jaeggi, Scheidegger and Wrana and has a split H2H with Gim and Tirinzoni.

(15) Team Jaeggi

Opening Game: vs. (2) Team Tirinzoni

#GSOC Results: DNQ at The National. DNQ at the Tour Challenge. TB at The Masters.

We talk about how hard it can be to earn a slam invite. You have to play your win and hope those ahead of you play their way out.

Enter Switzerland's Team Jaeggi, who did just that this season.

While they have yet to win a tour title, they do have 3 championship final appearances under the slider alongside a SF result in Scotland to kick start their season.

This is a fun team to watch but also a dangerous team to play. Lots of rocks in the rings. Lots of high scoring games. Lots of close games. 

When your Points For is 8.3 and your Points Against is 7.0, you know you can expect lots of scoring and close games.

And we get a case of #HERstory repeating in the opening round. At The Masters, who did Jaeggi draw first? Tirinzoni.

And who did they beat in that opener? Tirinzoni.

Who do they draw in their opener at The Canadian Open? Tirinzoni.

Jaeggi actually owns the H2H advantage over Tirinzoni but it is a close 18-16 record.

This Swiss rivalry is building steam...and fans should be living for it!

(16) Team Peterson

Opening Game: vs. (1) Team Homan

#GSOC Results: TB at The National. 0-4 at the Tour Challenge. SF at The Masters.

What do you do when you go 0-for at a slam? You dust yourself off quickly and rediscover your winning ways.

That is exactly what USA's Team Peterson did after Grande Prairie.

They reached the playoffs at the Pan-Continental, losing the bronze medal game to Einarson.

They reached back-to-back SF in Red Deer and The Masters in Oakville.

And they closed out 2022 with a tour title in Eveleth, Minnesota.

In their last 4 events, they own an impressive 17-4 record. And this is your #16 seed folks!

Of course they draw #1 seed Homan in their opener, whom Peterson is 0-6 against lifetime.

However, they have not faced one another since 2021. And Peterson is curling equally as hot right now.

This #1 vs. #16 battle could be a lot closer than many expect.

Qualifiers: Team Homan, Team Einarson, Team Scheidegger, Team Gim, Team Tirinzoni, Team Ackland, Team Fujisawa, Team Hasselborg

The Canadian Open Championship: Team Einarson def. Team Gim

What say you rock heads? Agree or disagree with the predictions?

Who do you have taking home the title in your #Sweep16 bracket?

#StayTuned

The blog will return next week with the updated Power Rankings.

How will the results affect the Power Rankings mountains?

And keep an eye on those B.C. Scotties results in Chilliwack with an 8-team triple knockout. It should be a great battle with Team Grandy and Team Brown leading the way.

The B.C. Tankard also hits the ice this week. Will the experience of being a former champ help out teams like Cotter, Joanisse, Pierce or Geall? Watch out for Team Gauthier and Team Cseke!

Plus Quebec will also look to crown their provincial champions starting this week with the Quebec Scotties and Quebec Tankard. Follow those results at the Curling Quebec site.

Team St-Georges and Team Asselin have to be considered the strong favourites.

Who will punch their ticket to the Scotties and join Team Einarson in the field?

Which Quebec men's team will join Team Canada's Team Gushue in the Brier field?

Welcome to Playdown Season!!