The 2026 Canadian men's curling championship, known as the Brier, will run from February 27 to March 8 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The field includes 18 teams divided into two pools, featuring defending Olympic champions, provincial winners, and territorial representatives. Highlights include retirements, historic debuts, and experienced skips.
The tournament lineup was announced ahead of the event at venues in St. John's. Teams are split into Pool A and Pool B, with lineups including alternates where applicable.
In Pool A, Team Canada is led by skip Brad Jacobs of the Glencoe Club in Calgary, joined by Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, Ben Hebert, and alternate Mike Caione. They are the defending champions after winning Olympic gold in Cortina, Italy. Representing Newfoundland and Labrador, six-time champion Brad Gushue of the RE/MAX Centre and St. John’s Curling Club will play his last Brier, with teammates Brendan Bottcher, Mark Nichols, Geoff Walker, and alternate Adam Casey; they pre-qualified with a fourth-place national ranking last season.
Ontario's provincial champion is skipped by Jayden King of the Tillsonsburg Curling Club, with Dylan Niepage, Owen Henry, Victor Pietrangelo, and alternate Spencer Dunlop; King will be the first Black skip in Brier history, and Niepage, the third, is deaf and uses cochlear implants. Saskatchewan's Kelly Knapp of the Highland Curling Club in Regina leads Brennen Jones, Dustin Kidby, Mat Ring, and alternate Trent Knapp, following a 4-4 debut last year in London, Ontario. Quebec's Jean-Michel Ménard, a 2006 Brier champion and world silver medallist, skips Félix Asselin, Martin Crête, and Jean-François Trépanier from various clubs, with Asselin throwing fourth stones.
Nova Scotia's Kendal Thompson of the Halifax Curling Club, who went 3-4 in 2019, leads Stuart Thompson, Bryce Everist, Michael Brophy, and alternate Adam McKerihen, all rookies except him. Prince Edward Island fields a three-man team of skip Tyler Smith, Adam Cocks, and Edward White from the Crapaud Curling Club, undefeated in provincials due to Chris Gallant's job commitments. Another Newfoundland and Labrador entry is 23-year-old skip Nathan Young with Colin Thomas, Nathan Locke, Ben Stringer, and alternate Jeff Thomas, marking his third appearance after records of 1-7 in 2022 and 2-6 the next year. Nunavut's Derek Samagalski of the Iqaluit Curling Club skips Sheldon Wettig, Christian Smitheram, Justin McDonell, and alternate David Aglukark; he has nine prior Brier appearances as a front-end player.
Pool B features Manitoba's Matt Dunstone of the Granite Curling Club in Winnipeg, with Colton Lott, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden, and alternate Jacob Horgan; they ranked No. 2 nationally last season, and Dunstone was runner-up in 2025, 2023, and last year's Olympic trials. Saskatchewan's Mike McEwen of the Nutana Curling Club, ranked No. 3, leads Kevin Marsh, Colton Flasch, Dan Marsh, and alternate Brent Laing; McEwen was runner-up in 2024 in Regina, with Marsh throwing second stones.
Alberta's Kevin Koe, a four-time Brier and two-time world champion, skips Aaron Sluchinski, Tyler Tardi, Karrick Martin, and alternate Jacob Libbus; Sluchinski throws second, and Tardi was Jacobs' Olympic alternate. Manitoba's provincial champion Braden Calvert of the Fort Rouge Curling Club, a 2015 world junior champion, leads rookies Corey Chambers, Kyle Kurz, Brendan Milawka, and alternate Rob Gordon. New Brunswick's James Grattan of the Gage Golf & Curling Club in Oromocto marks his 18th Brier, tying for third all-time, with Joel Krats, Andy McCann, Noah Riggs, and alternate Drew Grattan.
British Columbia's Cody Tanaka of the Kamloops and Tunnel Town Curling Clubs skips Mitchell Kopytko, Jared Kolomaya, Coburn Fadden, and alternate Sam Husdon; all rookies except Kolomaya, who played in 2022 and throws second. Northern Ontario's Dustin Montpellier of the NCU Community Centre in Sudbury leads Sandy MacEwan (throwing fourth), Olivier Bonin-Ducharme, Luc Ouimet, and Lee Toner in a five-man rotation. Yukon's Thomas Scoffin of the Whitehorse Curling Club, with Kerr Drummond, Trygg Jensen, Joe Wallingham, and alternate Ben Robinson, had a best 4-4 record last year; Wallingham throws lead. Northwest Territories' Jamie Koe of the Yellowknife Curling Club, in his 18th as skip (second all-time), leads Glen Kennedy, Roland Robinson, Shadrach McLeod, and alternate Cole Parsons.
The report was first published by The Canadian Press on February 26, 2026.
