5 Burning Questions at curling worlds with Canada looking sharp for playoffs

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It’s like déjà-vu of Uijeongbu.

Yes, Brad Jacobs and his Canadian crew are humming along in Saskatchewan just like Rachel Homan was in South Korea.

Whether it results in a take of the title at the 2025 BKT World Men’s Curling Championship remains to be seen. And we’re only two days away from finding that out with the final slated for Sunday afternoon.

But it’s looking pretty good for Canada, isn’t it?

With that, let’s dive into the weekend ahead with 5 Burning Questions about what’s coming up based on the round robin, which ended Friday with six playoff teams — Canada (11-1), Switzerland (9-3), Scotland (8-4), Sweden (8-4), China (8-4) and Norway (7-5) — being decided in the chase for the coveted crown.

1) CAN CANADA KEEP IT UP?

Why not, since Jacobs & Co. have been sharp all week long in Moose Jaw, Sask.?

The proof is in the stats for the top-seed heading into the playoffs.

The skip himself is the one humming along the smoothest at Temple Gardens Centre. The amicable Jacobs has executed like few others ever at the worlds with four games in the high-90s percentage wise — 99, 98, 98 again and 97 — to give him a 92.8% total through nine games.

Only two other curlers have a better execution at the worlds and they are both — unsurprisingly — leads, including teammate Ben Hebert on top at 94.8%.

The superstar skip from Sault Ste. Marie stumbled in a few recent draws, but better now than during the playoffs.

Jacobs had Friday’s final two draws of the round robin to work out any glitches, but really, he has been sensational.

It has helped Canada to the best team execution — a sparkling 91.7% — among all 13 world entries.

With Jacobs, Hebert and also Marc Kennedy tops among thirds — at 89.6% — it’s no wonder Canada is kicking butt and taking no prisoners.

And, not to be outdone, second Brett Gallant went into Friday second only to Sweden’s Rasmus Wranaa, curling with 89.6% efficiency.

2) WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE SCOTS?

Bruce Mouat’s Scotland squad came into the worlds with the planet’s top ranking among men’s rinks.

The skip from Edinburgh and his 2023 world champs also started hot and handed Canada its only loss ahead of Friday’s final day of the round robin, when Canada topped Austria (1-11) 8-2 in seven ends in the afternoon and dumped USA 8-3 at night.

But suddenly, it’s not all tartan and tweed for the Great Scots, with four losses in their past eight games — including an 8-2 drop to middling Czechia and a final round-robin 9-2 loss Friday night to China.

Mouat & Co. also struggled against USA’s Korey Dropkin on Thursday afternoon, leaving many to wonder what’s not right with the Scots.

We know they’ll be fine come playoffs, which they qualified for with Friday’s early 6-1 take-down of Germany. But fine won’t win the world title.

3) IF NOT THE SCOTS, THEN WHO RIVALS CANADA?

Good question.

The Canadians grabbed one of the top-two playoff spots with the matinee win over Austria to earn the important bye through to the semifinal round.

So that’s another advantage for the Jacobs rink, from Calgary’s Glencoe Club, which already has a leg up with home-ice support behind it.

And it was Switzerland’s Yannck Schwaller grabbing the other bye, albeit not without troubles. That rink lost two of seven affairs down the stretch, including a timely — and decisive — drop to Canada when the Swiss had a chance to wrestle first place away from Jacobs.

Late in the round robin, it seemed nobody wanted it.

There was old foe and decorated winner — Sweden’s Niklas Edin — back in the picture after a struggling season. He seemed to find his form, including ripping off wins in five of their past six​ games — to perhaps defend the crown won last year. Remember, Edin and his crew from Karlstad have won five of the six world titles, making them ever-live at this event. But an early Friday 10-8 loss to Italy hurt him.

China’s Xu Xiaoming was right there in the bye fight too, but the rink from Harbin lost three straight matches with its bite suddenly subdued.

4) WHAT HAPPENED TO OTHER CONTENDERS?

Italy’s Joël Retornaz (5-7), Germany’s Marc Muskatewitz (5-7) and USA’s Korey Dropkin (4-8) were all expected to be in the playoff mix.

But heading into Friday’s final day of the round robin, they all needed to sweep the day and get some help to make the playoffs.

And that didn’t happen.

Retornaz and his Cembra crew have medalled twice — both bronzes — in two of the past three worlds. But with them likely to represent host Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, it seems like their shine for this event was off. Their game certainly has been.

Same goes in the aim for the Germans — the sexy pick for these worlds after edging the Scots for the 2024 European championship. That bad loss to Scotland early Friday eliminated Muskatewitz & Co. from the playoff picture.

And the terribly inconsistent Americans lost six of their last seven games at these worlds, including handing South Korea its only win of the tournament.

Oof.

5) WHAT HAPPENS NOW WITH PLAYOFFS?

Here’s how the playoff slate shapes up …

EXTRA ENDS

Other Friday morning scores saw: China smash South Korea (1-10) 10-1; and Norway (7-4) drop-kick Austria 8-2 … Also in the afternoon, it was: Germany 9-4 over USA; Switzerland 6-5 over Czechia (6-6); and Japan (5-7) 9-7 over Italy … The evening’s wrap-up of the round robin also saw: Sweden top Norway 6-4; and Switzerland defeat South Korea 9-5.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM