Five surprises so far at the 2025 Brier

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Surprise, surprise! When it comes to the Brier, there’s always one or two — and more — that make the 10-day-long national curling championship a little more interesting and exciting.

At this year’s edition in Kelowna, B.C., we might have to dig a little deep, because pretty much everything seems to be going according to form so far.

Among those many things we expected from the field are those teams at the top of the standings, including Canada’s Brad Gushue and his Newfoundland and Labrador rink having made the playoffs early Wednesday.

Alberta’s Brad Jacobs and Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen both clinched in Wednesday afternoon action.

And the élite Manitoba rinks skipped by Matt Dunstone and Reid Carruthers went into Thursday’s play with a chance to earn berths, as well.

Otherwise, where are the surprises at Prospera Place?

Here’s our take on five of those making the event interesting heading into the final day of round-robin play at the 2025 Brier …

1. Koe’s Struggles

Four-time Brier winner Kevin Koe came in hoping to rebound from a 2-6 finish last year.

With his credentials, you figured it would probably happen. After all, the wily veteran and two-time world champ is still among the top skips and shot-makers on the planet.

The 50-year-old from Calgary even recruited last year’s Alberta champion skip, Aaron Sluchinski, to help with the bounce-back.

But for some reason, it hasn’t happened for superstar Koe and this winter’s Alberta kings.

Instead, it was just two wins in their first six games, and that’s not good enough in Pool A — the ‘Pool of Death’, with Gushue, Dunstone, Carruthers and Northern Ontario’s John Epping also in the race.

The latest loss came Wednesday morning to Gushue — a 7-6 heartbreaker in an extra end — to eliminate the Glencoe Club squad from playoff contention.

2. Epping A, man!

Maybe it doesn’t come as a surprise to Epping and his Northern Ontario champs that they are enjoying success at this Brier.

After all, they have worked hard at their craft, dedicating themselves to the year at hand when they formed over the off-season.

But that’s just it. Epping and his Sudbury rink-mates are in their first year together, with limited Brier experience — at least compared to the others in the field leaving a mark on the national championship this week.

However, they’ve turned a busy schedule — no Canadian men’s team has played more games this season — into a well-designed blueprint for the Brier, and it’s paid dividends for the Northern Credit Union Community Centre crew.

Team Epping has been a tremendously tough out and fully deserving of a playoff spot.

3. Broomgate swept away

There were some worries among the curlers a pre-tournament verbal agreement not to use the controversial black-foam broom-heads would be tested.

But on the same day as the Brier started, Goldline — coming to a mutual agreement with World Curling — voluntarily withdrew its Pursuer foam from competitive use, citing “the best interest of fairness and maintaining the integrity of the sport.”

While the product meets all World Curling equipment specifications and was originally approved for use, further on-ice testing provided evidence that it exceeds the limits outlined in the World Curling Statement of Principles for Competition Equipment, says World Curling.

“Following concerns raised with us and the provision by some athletes of video evidence, we contacted Goldline,” said World Curling secretary general Colin Grahamslaw. “They were unequivocal in their response that the Pursuer foam should be withdrawn pending further investigation.”

Instead, the early-event frost issues proved to be biggest concern at the Brier, but even that has straightened out itself with the ice crew getting a quick handle on the problem.

4. Island timeout

Tyler Smith is making his fifth straight Brier visit, and the lineup of his Prince Edward Island champs isn’t much different than what it looked like the previous three trips.

But it sure looks different on the scoreboard for them compared to last year in Regina.

Yes … they were still considered Davids coming in among the many Goliaths of the sport, but they left their sling-shots at home this winter.

After getting off to a 4-1 start to post an impressive 5-3 record and narrowly missing the playoffs a year ago, Smith and his Crapaud Community Curling Club rink didn’t record a win until their seventh game this time around — that one coming Wednesday afternoon in a 10-5 smash of Northwest Territories’ Aaron Bartling.

Everybody loves an underdog, and after last year, the P.E.I. party was thought to be on again this year.

Unfortunately, there’s been no celebration.

5. Asselin’s angst

What’s happened with P.E.I. is similar to the follies of Félix Asselin and his Québec kings.

Only it’s coming two years after their last visit to the Brier.

In 2023, Team Asselin also counted a 5-3 record and missed the playoffs by a hair, as well.

But it’s been less stellar in their return in Kelowna, struggling to find that darkhorse form so far.

Asselin even brought in 2006 Brier victor Jean-Michel Ménard to give them a bump for this bid to win a national title.

Unfortunately, they found themselves on the wrong side of too many games they could win — and even then, they were lucky to get away with a ‘W’ over NWT.

A loss to Nova Scotia’s Owen Purcell on Wednesday afternoon truly hurt Québec in what’s now a long-shot chance to make the playoffs.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

X: @ToddSaelhofPM