Alberta's Kevin Koe secured a playoff berth at the 2026 Brier in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, by winning his sixth straight game. Defending champion Brad Jacobs and Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador also locked in their spots with undefeated records in Pool A. The tournament advances to a dramatic final day of pool play on Thursday.
The Montana's Brier, Canada's men's curling championship, continued in St. John's on March 4, 2026, with key victories shaping the playoff picture. In Pool B, four-time Brier champion Kevin Koe's Team Alberta defeated Northern Ontario's Sandy MacEwen 8-2 in the afternoon draw, improving to 6-0 and clinching a spot in Friday's playoffs. This marks Koe's return to the postseason after missing out the previous two years. The 51-year-old skip shot at 94 per cent in the game and leads all skips at 90 per cent overall.
"It feels great. It's been a couple Briers since we've been even really kind of close," Koe said. His teammate Karrick Martin praised the performance, noting, "Our skipper is making everything... He’s the top skip right now."
In Pool A, Brad Jacobs' Team Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, beat Nova Scotia's Kendal Thompson 10-4, while Brad Gushue's Team Newfoundland and Labrador routed Prince Edward Island's Tyler Smith 12-3. Both teams sit at 6-0, securing their playoff berths. Gushue, competing in his final Brier at age 45 in his hometown, reflected on facing Jacobs, saying, "Listen, at the end of the week, I’d love to be playing Kevin in a rematch of 2017."
Thursday's schedule features the "Battle of the Brads" between Jacobs and Gushue for Pool A's top seed, along with tight races in both pools for the remaining spots. Manitoba's Matt Dunstone stands at 5-1 in Pool B after a 6-5 win over Yukon, while Saskatchewan's Mike McEwen is at 5-2. The top three teams from each nine-team pool advance, with ties broken by head-to-head records and pre-game measurements. The Brier winner will represent Canada at the world championship in Ogden, Utah, from March 27 to April 4.
