Koe Still Kicking with New Curling Young Gun

Some news out of Alberta because, y’know, it’s all about team changes and announcing team changes.

Not only is 2026 Brier finalist skip Kevin Koe back for another curling season next fall; he’s hooked up with another young gun to replace his departed young gun.

Edmonton’s Johnson Tao is the replacement for Tyler Tardi, as announced by Team Koe today.

Koe, Aaron Sluchinski and Karrick Martin snapped up Tao just days after the 27-year-old Tardi departed to skip the ex-Team McEwen, specifically Colton Flasch and the Marsh brothers.

In considering the blizzard of team lineup changes, it’s shocking to realize that Koe lost the Brier final just 11 nights ago in St. John’s.

Gadzooks.

Tao, who skipped Canada at the 2024 world juniors, is just 23 years old.  His previous team lost the Alberta final to Koe back in January.

While his spot on Team Koe is sure to increase his profile, I’m proud to say I recruited him for the 2024 Curling Cares calendar, when he was only 21. 

The image he designed and shot for that calendar illustrated his Chinese-Canadian heritage, and it was really something.

Anyway, I’m heading back to the desk where, I’m sure, there will be yet another curling team announcement posted to a social media account waiting for us. 

Right, gang?