Road to Brier up and running across Canada: Our guide to provincial curling battles

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The SaskTel Tankard has been hoisted by seven different male skips to wrap up the last seven provincial finals.

Rylan Kleiter hopes to make that eight — great for him and longtime teammates Joshua Mattern and Trevor Johnson, who’ve been at it for a while trying to reach the summit of Saskatchewan curling.

Like many other teams across the country over the next few days, they feel it’s finally their year for victory in their province — the step they have to win to reach the 2025 Brier in Kelowna, B.C., Feb. 28-March 9.

“Absolutely,” said Rylan Kleiter. “The three of us have been together for 12 or 13 years, and we added Matthew Hall from Ontario a couple of years ago.

“I feel like we’ve put in the work to get us in that spot to give ourselves a good chance. We’ve been playing against the top teams around the world this year to prepare for this week. So we’re just excited to get going.”

And so they’ve done just that in Kindersley, Sask., where nine men’s teams have gathered to get at it for provincial glory and that coveted spot representing Saskatchewan in the Brier.

A two-win day Tuesday for Kleiter and his Sutherland Curling Club rink helped jump-start them in the right direction — one they hope takes them to a one-win better finish than last year when they lost to Mike McEwen in a 7-3 final.

“I think just the experience is the difference now for us,” said Kleiter, 26. “Last year making it to the final gave us a good feel about what it’s like to be there. And there’s been lots of growth in practice and competing at a higher level.

“We travelled a bit through the last few years. But now we’re at that higher level — that grand-slam stage.”

Indeed, Kleiter & Co. are fresh off last week’s Grand Slam of Curling Masters — during which they finished with a 1-3 record — to help prep them for a run at the SaskTel Tankard and — hopefully — Brier honours.

“It’s been a good learning year for us just playing against those top teams and just growing together,” said Kleiter, whose rink’s successes have pushed them to a solid seventh in the Canadian Team Ranking System. “I think we’re doing the right things. We’re trying to pay attention to the details, and just getting out and practising lots and competing has us excited.

“But in Saskatchewan, there’s always a lot of depth. You have to be ready each and every game. You have to come out and play every game.”

Seven different winners in the last seven events is proof of that.

Here’s a breakdown of all the provincial championships on now in the bid for the Brier …

Saskatchewan

When and where: Through Sunday, Kindersley West Central Events Centre
Defending champs: McEwen (Nutana Curling Club, Saskatoon)
Who to watch: Kleiter, world junior champ in 2019; Steve Laycock, a 10-time Brier participant; Kelly Knapp, 2023 provincial champ; Charley Thomas, world junior champ in 2007 and ’06
The skinny: With McEwen having already secured a spot in the Brier as a high Canadian Team Ranking System points-earner, a new provincial champ will be crowned. Knapp was the winner two years ago, and he returns with the same squad — third Brennan Jones, second Mike Armstrong and lead Trent Knapp.

B.C.

Defending champ Catlin Schneider has moved on, taking up a prime gig as third for Manitoba’s Reid Carruthers.

In fact, nobody from last year’s winning crew — which also boasted third Jason Ginter, second Sterling Middleton and lead Alex Horvath — is back at this year’s provincials.

When and where: Through Sunday, Langley’s George Preston Arena
Defending champs: Schneider (Victoria Curling Club)
Who to watch: Brent Pierce, 2022 provincial champ; Jeff Richard, 2022 provincial champ; Jason Montgomery, provincial runner-up in 2024
The skinny: It’s wide open for the B.C. championship, although Pierce did skip the 2022 champion rink. His third from that team, Richard, moved on to skip his own entry and is gunning for the title himself. Last year’s runner-up, Montgomery, is back in the hunt, as well.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Of course, The Rock’s No. 1 curling son, Brad Gushue, already has his spot in the Brier as Team Canada after winning last year’s national championship.

So that opens the door — again — for another rink to roll into the Brier spotlight.

When and where: Through Sunday, St. John’s RE/MAX Centre
Defending champs: Andrew Symonds (RE/MAX Centre)
Who to watch: Symonds, Brier participant in 2011, ’19 and ’24; Greg Smith, Brier participant in 2018 and ’21; Nathan Young, Brier participant in 2022 and ’23
The skinny: When Gushue’s been at the national finale as a wild card or Team Canada, it’s been Symonds, Smith and Young earning the Brier job for Newfoundland. Each have skipped teams to a pair of Newfoundland and Labrador Tankards to their name since Gushue’s run of 11 straight titles that ended in 2017.

Northern Ontario

There’s a new decorated team in the mix for the Northern Ontario’s rep gig at the Brier.

That’s the one skipped by four-time grand-slam winner John Epping, who’s now based out of Sudbury with his team of Jacob Horgan, Tanner Horgan — skip and second, respectively, of the 2023 Northern Ontario kings — and Ian McMillan.

When and where: Through Sunday, Thunder Bay’s Port Arthur Curling Centre
Defending champs: Trevor Bonot (Fort William Curling Club)
Who to watch: Epping, Brier participant in 2018, ’20 and ’21; Bonot, 2024 provincial champ
The skinny: It appears to be a two-team race for the Al Hackner Trophy, with Epping bringing his star-studded cast in a bid to dethrone the defending champions skipped by Bonot and coached by legend Hackner himself.

Ontario

Scott Howard hopes to defend his title, and it got a little easier with the move of Epping to Northern Ontario.

In fact, Howard brought on the Camm brothers — Mat and Jason — from Epping’s 2024 crew in hopes of strengthening a push for a Brier title.

But first thing’s first … the Ontario Tankard.

When and where: Through Sunday, Cobourg Community Centre
Defending champs: Howard (Penetanguishene Curling Club)
Who to watch: Howard, a nine-time Brier participant; Jon Beuk, Brier participant in 2019 and ’21; Jayden King, provincial runner-up in 2024; Mark Kean, Brier participant in 2015
The skinny: Epping was the three-time Brier rep for Ontario, making him a perennial contender for the title. With his departure, it’s Howard’s to lose, although King gave him in a run in last year’s Tankard final, losing 8-7 in an extra end.

Prince Edward Island

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

And so defending P.E.I. champ Tyler Smith rides into this provincial final with the same rink he’s won with the two previous years.

He’s back with third Adam Cocks, second Christopher Gallant and lead Ed White in trying to make his way to a fifth consecutive Brier.

When and where: Through Sunday, Bloomfield’s West Prince Curling Club
Defending champ: Smith (Crapaud Curling Club)
Who to watch: Smith, Brier participant in 2021, ’22, ’23 and ’24
The skinny: How dominant was Smith in winning his fourth straight Island championship last year? He won each of the A, B and C events, negating the need for a playoff round. So it’s his crown to lose, obviously.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

X: @ToddSaelhofPM