Kelowna Brier Crystal Ball

This week will likely see more upsets and more turmoil than usual. A year ago, Brad Gushue was a heavy favourite and he delivered—this year, who knows?

I have some random thoughts.

• I’m cheering hard for my old team, skipped by Quebec’s Felix Asselin. As many know, I have been replaced by another Brownie-loving, bald as **** older guy named Jean-Michel Ménard.

This team is very good, and the experience will make them very tough. I’m not sure they have the consistency to win it all, but they will stir the pot.

And JF Trepanier—whom I’ve raved about before—will win all-star lead honours.

• Sam Mooibrook skips a very good curling team. He leads a young U25 squad that has been putting in the work, more so than any other team in southern Ontario. 

They won their provincial championship undefeated. 

Hard work pays off.

They might struggle a bit under the TSN TV lights, though they didn’t appear to in their opening matches.

Regardless, once they really find their footing, look out.

• It has been foolish to bet against Gushue at the Brier since 2018, but this year a wager might not be so dumb. Although Gushue is still the most consistent thrower of a curling rock on the planet, team turmoil has to be affecting him.

Someone finally pointed out the obvious: Brendan Bottcher is not one of the top sweepers in the country. He is now in the house, calling the line while Mark Nichols sweeps Gushue’s stones.

They definitely don’t seem to be as strong coming in this year, but Gushue is still Gushue (please pronounce it correctly) and many have declined to gamble against him. 

I don’t blame them.

• I’m happy to see John Epping back in the limelight after a few tough years. I was very surprised when I heard he would be playing out of Northern Ontario with the Horgan brothers, but it has worked out beyond expectations.

John is a true curling artist. He is not a pretty sight when throwing a curling stone, and he needs to be confident and free, and supported by his team. 

He seems to have found that this season. If he can get back to the form he showed five or six years ago where he could win games on his own, look out.

Expect some fun shotmaking displays.

• I have no idea what to expect from Kevin Koe this year. 

Last year’s Brier was a disaster for the veteran skip. 

He is back with a new third, but who knows how this team will do. 

To state the obvious; Kevin Koe has won the Brier in the past simply by being Kevin Koe, but it doesn’t feel like his squad has any momentum heading into Kelowna.

• Some good young teams will be fun to watch: Owen Purcell from Nova Scotia, Rylan Kleiter from Sasky and Cameron de Jong from B.C. are all teams that have had success in “Tier 2.” I suspect they will all face some Brier jitters but will also provide some entertaining curling and win a few unexpected games.

• I played against Tyler Smith in Charlevoix this year, and his team looked amazing. P.E.I. has been the free space on the bingo card in some past Briers, but this will not be the case this year. Expect them to have a good showing, as they did last year in Regina.

• My prediction: McEwen vs. Matt Dunstone in the championship final. The final six will have a number of surprises, and will likely include one or two teams that most fans will have never heard of. 

It will be a welcome change.