The 2025 Montana's Brier, Canada's national men's curling championship, was held from February 28 to March 9 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia.[1][2] The winning Brad Jacobs rink will represent Canada at the 2025 World Men's Curling Championship at Temple Gardens Centre in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.[3]
Summary
Prior to the event, all the teams agreed not to use the new controversial 'black foam' brush heads, that are legal for competition. The new brush heads have firmer foam, which has caused debate among curlers,[4] with the ensuing controversy being dubbed "Broomgate 2.0" or "foamgate",[5] in reference to the brush head scandal from the 2015–16 season.
In Draw 6, Alberta (Jacobs) defeated Northwest Territories 20–2 setting a playoff-era record (since 1980) for most points scored in a game, breaking the record of 18 set in 2022 by Manitoba.[6] This was also the first time a team scored 20 or more points in a game at the Brier since 1968 (which was also held in Kelowna) when Manitoba defeated British Columbia 22–5.[7]
Team Canada, skipped by Brad Gushue was the first team to clinch a playoff berth in their morning game on March 5, after defeating Alberta's Kevin Koe rink, 7–6. Later in the day, Saskatchewan's Mike McEwen and Alberta's Brad Jacobs also earned playoff spots, after wins against Saskatchewan's Rylan Kleiter and Team Ontario (Sam Mooibroek), respectively. Kevin Koe, a former World Champion was eliminated from playoff competition for the second straight season.[8]
On March 6, Reid Carruthers of Manitoba took the last playoff spot in Pool A, which had been dubbed the "Pool of Death" due to its depth.[9] He had the evening off, but clinched after Manitoba's Matt Dunstone beat Gushue, which earned Dunstone first place in the pool, and gave Carruthers the tiebreaker advantage over Northern Ontario's John Epping who finished with the same record, as they had beaten them in pool play. Had Gushue won, Epping would have made the playoffs instead. In Pool B, Nova Scotia's Owen Purcell earned the final playoff sport after beating Ontario.[10] It was the first time Nova Scotia made the playoffs since 2006.[11]
In the 1/2 playoff qualifier games, Team Manitoba–Dunstone took on Saskatchewan–McEwen, while Alberta–Jacobs took on Team Canada, skipped by Brad Gushue. Dunstone beat McEwen 6–5, sending his team to the 1 vs. 2 page playoff game, and relegating McEwen to play Manitoba–Carruthers in the 3/4 qualifier game. Meanwhile, Gushue defeated Jacobs 7–4 in the other 1/2 game, in the "battle of the Brads", putting Team Canada in the 1 vs. 2 page playoff, and sending Jacobs into the 3/4 game against Nova Scotia's Owen Purcell rink.[12] In the Gushue–Jacobs game, Jacobs missed an in-off in the seventh which could have resulted in multiple points, but instead resulted in a Gushue steal. It was Team Jacobs' first loss in the event.[13]
In the 3/4 games, Team Carruthers sent McEwen packing, defeating them 6–4, while Jacobs sent Team Nova Scotia home, beating them 10–6. The turning point in the McEwen–Carruthers game came in the sixth end, when McEwen attempted a double takeout for three. He hit the first Carruthers rock too thin, resulting in a steal of two instead, an error McEwen later called "catastrophic", and a "monumental error in reading angles", as the shot for three may not have even been possible. The wins put Carruthers and Jacobs into the 3 vs. 4 page playoff game.[12][13]
In the page 3 vs. 4 game, Jacobs defeated Carruthers, 6–5. Carruthers blamed his loss on a few "half shots". Meanwhile, in the page 1 vs. 2 game, Dunstone beat Team Canada 7–4. Team Canada skip Brad Gushue blamed his defeat on an "ad hoc" strategy, failing to "build many ends". The win put Jacobs into the semifinal to face Gushue, while Dunstone earned a bye into the final with his team's win. Carruthers was eliminated.[14]
In the semifinal, Team Jacobs beat Canada's Brad Gushue rink 7–5. Jacobs took a 3–1 lead in the fifth when they scored three after Gushue ticked a guard on his first, and missed a hit and roll attempt on his last. This allowed Jacobs to make a hit for the three points. Gushue came back with a three-ender of his own in the eighth when he made a double takeout on his last stone of the end to take a 5–4 lead. Jacobs responded by making a hit for two in the ninth to take a 6–5 lead into the last end. The game came down to the last shots, with both teams facing time-clock pressure. On his last, Jacobs made a draw to the four-foot behind a guard to sit shot. To win, Gushue had to tap the rock back to score two points. On his final shot, Gushue threw the rock heavy, only grazing the Jacobs rock, giving up a steal and the game. The crowd gasped after the miss by the six-time Brier champion who was looking for his fourth straight championship.[15] The win put Jacobs into the Brier final for the first time in 10 years.[16]
In the final, Team Jacobs took on Team Dunstone in front of a sellout crowd of 5,483. Team Dunstone started with hammer, and blanked the first four ends. In the fifth, Jacobs missed a cross-house double which was followed up by Dunstone drawing for two to take a 2–0 lead. In the sixth end, Dunstone made a tapback to sit two, forcing Jacobs to draw for a single. In the seventh, Dunstone jammed on a double attempt which gave Jacobs a steal to tie the game at two. The teams then blanked the eighth. In the ninth end, Dunstone flashed on his first shot, and would be forced to take a single point, to take a 3–2 lead into the final end. In the 10th end, Team Dunstone tried to bunch up stones around the button in an attempt to force Jacobs to just one, but Team Jacobs made eight perfect shots in the end. On his first Jacobs made a soft tap to sit four, which Dunstone replied by making a freeze to hold Jacobs to sit just one. On Jacob's final stone, he picked out the frozen Dunstone rock to score three, and with it the Brier championship. It was Jacobs' first Brier title since 2013, the fourth Brier championship for third Marc Kennedy, and the fifth title for second Brett Gallant and lead Ben Hebert.[17] It was the first time in Brier history that a team won four straight elimination games to win the event.[16]
Teams
A total of eighteen teams qualified for the 2025 Brier. The fourteen Canadian curling member associations held playdowns to determine who represented their province or territory. Team Canada was represented by Team Brad Gushue, who won the 2024 Montana's Brier.[18]
In a slight change in the qualification format from 2024, three teams in the field pre-qualified for the 2025 Brier based on their 2023–24 Canadian Team Ranking Standings, which meant they bypassed the provincial qualifiers. These spots went to Teams Brad Jacobs, Mike McEwen and Matt Dunstone.[19] This was different from the 2024 qualification where two teams pre-qualified for the event with the final spot going to the highest ranked team on the CTRS standings following the conclusion of the provincial championships.[20]
The teams were as follows:
| Canada[18]
|
Alberta
|
British Columbia
|
| St. John's CC, St. John's
Skip: Brad Gushue
Third: Mark Nichols[a]
Second: Brendan Bottcher[a]
Lead: Geoff Walker
Alternate: Adam Casey[a]
|
The Glencoe Club, Calgary[b]
Skip: Kevin Koe
Third: Aaron Sluchinski
Second: Tyler Tardi
Lead: Karrick Martin
Alternate: Mike Libbus
|
Victoria CC, Victoria
Skip: Cameron de Jong
Third: Alex Horvath
Second: Corey Chester
Lead: Brayden Carpenter[c]
Alternate: Paul Cseke[c]
|
| Manitoba
|
New Brunswick
|
Newfoundland and Labrador
|
| Granite CC, Winnipeg
Skip: Reid Carruthers
Third: B.J. Neufeld
Second: Catlin Schneider[d]
Lead: Connor Njegovan
Alternate: Kyle Doering[d]
|
Gage G&CC, Oromocto
Skip: James Grattan
Third: Joel Krats
Second: Paul Dobson[e]
Lead: Andy McCann[e]
Alternate: Drew Grattan[e]
|
St. John's CC, St. John's
Skip: Ty Dilello
Third: Ryan McNeil Lamswood
Second: Daniel Bruce
Lead: Aaron Feltham[f]
Alternate: Nathan King[f]
|
| Northern Ontario
|
Nova Scotia
|
Ontario
|
| Northern Credit Union CC, Sudbury
Skip: John Epping
Third: Jacob Horgan
Second: Tanner Horgan
Lead: Ian McMillan
|
Halifax CC, Halifax
Skip: Owen Purcell
Third: Luke Saunders
Second: Scott Saccary
Lead: Ryan Abraham
Alternate: Calan MacIsaac
|
Whitby CC, Whitby
Skip: Sam Mooibroek
Third: Ryan Wiebe
Second: Scott Mitchell
Lead: Nathan Steele[g]
Alternate: Gavin Lydiate[g]
|
| Prince Edward Island
|
Quebec
|
Saskatchewan
|
| Crapaud Community CC, Crapaud
Skip: Tyler Smith
Third: Adams Cocks
Second: Christopher Gallant
Lead: Ed White
|
Glenmore CC, Dollard-des-Ormeaux,
Curling des Collines, Chelsea,
CC Etchemin, Saint-Romuald &
CC Valleyfield, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
Fourth: Félix Asselin
Skip: Jean-Michel Ménard
Second: Martin Crête
Lead: Jean-François Trépanier
|
Nutana CC, Saskatoon
Skip: Rylan Kleiter
Third: Joshua Mattern
Second: Matthew Hall
Lead: Trevor Johnson[h]
Alternate: John Mattern[h]
|
| Northwest Territories
|
Nunavut
|
Yukon
|
| Hay River CC, Hay River
Skip: Aaron Bartling
Third: D'arcy Delorey
Second: Norman Bassett[i]
Lead: Eric Preston[i]
Alternate: Adam Naugler[i]
|
Iqaluit CC, Iqaluit
Skip: Shane Latimer
Third: Sheldon Wettig
Second: Justin McDonell
Lead: Peter Van Strien
|
Whitehorse CC, Whitehorse
Skip: Thomas Scoffin
Third: Kerr Drummond
Second: Trygg Jensen
Lead: Joe Wallingham
|
| Alberta (Jacobs)[19]
|
Saskatchewan (McEwen)[19]
|
Manitoba (Dunstone)[19]
|
| The Glencoe Club, Calgary
Skip: Brad Jacobs
Third: Marc Kennedy
Second: Brett Gallant
Lead: Ben Hebert
Alternate: Mike Caione
|
Nutana CC, Saskatoon
Skip: Mike McEwen
Third: Colton Flasch[j]
Second: Kevin Marsh[j]
Lead: Dan Marsh
Alternate: Brent Laing[j]
|
Fort Rouge CC, Winnipeg
Skip: Matt Dunstone
Third: Colton Lott
Second: E.J. Harnden
Lead: Ryan Harnden[k]
Alternate: Adam Kingsbury[k]
|
CTRS Rankings
As of February 10, 2025
Source:[21]
Map of teams
Team Canada Pre-Qualified Teams Provincial Winners
Provincial winners that are in the same location as Team Canada or the Pre-Qualified teams are listed at the bottom
Round robin standings
Final Round Robin Standings[22][23]
Pool A Round Robin Summary Table
| Pos.
|
Team
|
AB–K
|
BC
|
CAN
|
MB-C
|
MB-D
|
NB
|
NL
|
NO
|
NU
|
Record
|
| 5
|
Alberta (Koe)
|
—
|
8–5
|
6–7
|
4–5
|
2–6
|
10–4
|
5–1
|
5–9
|
10–2
|
4–4
|
| 7
|
British Columbia
|
5–8
|
—
|
3–5
|
5–6
|
4–7
|
5–7
|
8–3
|
6–8
|
10–3
|
2–6
|
| 2
|
Canada
|
7–6
|
5–3
|
—
|
7–3
|
6–7
|
8–3
|
9–2
|
6–5
|
12–3
|
7–1
|
| 3
|
Manitoba (Carruthers)
|
5–4
|
6–5
|
3–7
|
—
|
6–8
|
6–4
|
14–2
|
8–6
|
7–3
|
6–2
|
| 1
|
Manitoba (Dunstone)
|
6–2
|
7–4
|
7–6
|
8–6
|
—
|
9–3
|
5–4
|
7–8
|
13–2
|
7–1
|
| 6
|
New Brunswick
|
4–10
|
7–5
|
3–8
|
4–6
|
3–9
|
—
|
5–4
|
6–7
|
8–3
|
3–5
|
| 8
|
Newfoundland and Labrador
|
1–5
|
3–8
|
2–9
|
2–14
|
4–5
|
4–5
|
—
|
6–9
|
10–6
|
1–7
|
| 4
|
Northern Ontario
|
9–5
|
8–6
|
5–6
|
6–8
|
8–7
|
7–6
|
9–6
|
—
|
13–3
|
6–2
|
| 9
|
Nunavut
|
2–10
|
3–10
|
3–12
|
3–7
|
2–13
|
3–8
|
6–10
|
3–13
|
—
|
0–8
|
Pool B Round Robin Summary Table
| Pos.
|
Team
|
AB–J
|
NT
|
NS
|
ON
|
PE
|
QC
|
SK–K
|
SK–M
|
YT
|
Record
|
| 1
|
Alberta (Jacobs)
|
—
|
20–2
|
7–3
|
11–5
|
10–3
|
6–4
|
6–3
|
9–6
|
10–3
|
8–0
|
| 9
|
Northwest Territories
|
2–20
|
—
|
4–7
|
2–12
|
5–10
|
8–9
|
2–8
|
2–14
|
2–6
|
0–8
|
| 3
|
Nova Scotia
|
3–7
|
7–4
|
—
|
7–3
|
10–6
|
7–6
|
7–2
|
6–8
|
5–7
|
5–3
|
| 4
|
Ontario
|
5–11
|
12–2
|
3–7
|
—
|
8–4
|
11–4
|
4–9
|
4–8
|
9–3
|
4–4
|
| 8
|
Prince Edward Island
|
3–10
|
10–5
|
6–10
|
4–8
|
—
|
5–7
|
4–7
|
4–6
|
5–8
|
1–7
|
| 5
|
Quebec
|
4–6
|
9–8
|
6–7
|
4–11
|
7–5
|
—
|
8–5
|
4–9
|
7–5
|
4–4
|
| 7
|
Saskatchewan (Kleiter)
|
3–6
|
8–2
|
2–7
|
9–4
|
7–4
|
5–8
|
—
|
2–7
|
6–8
|
3–5
|
| 2
|
Saskatchewan (McEwen)
|
6–9
|
14–2
|
8–6
|
8–4
|
6–4
|
9–4
|
7–2
|
—
|
7–5
|
7–1
|
| 6
|
Yukon
|
3–10
|
6–2
|
7–5
|
3–9
|
8–5
|
5–7
|
8–6
|
5–7
|
—
|
4–4
|
Round robin results
All draw times are listed in Pacific Time (UTC−08:00).[24][25]
Draw 1
Friday, February 28, 6:30 pm
Draw 2
Saturday, March 1, 1:30 pm
Draw 3
Saturday, March 1, 6:30 pm
Draw 4
Sunday, March 2, 8:30 am
Draw 5
Sunday, March 2, 1:30 pm
Draw 6
Sunday, March 2, 6:30 pm
Draw 7
Monday, March 3, 8:30 am
Draw 8
Monday, March 3, 1:30 pm
Draw 9
Monday, March 3, 6:30 pm
Draw 10
Tuesday, March 4, 8:30 am
Draw 11
Tuesday, March 4, 1:30 pm
Draw 12
Tuesday, March 4, 6:30 pm
Draw 13
Wednesday, March 5, 8:30 am
Draw 14
Wednesday, March 5, 1:30 pm
Draw 15
Wednesday, March 5, 6:30 pm
Draw 16
Thursday, March 6, 8:30 am
Draw 17
Thursday, March 6, 1:30 pm
Draw 18
Thursday, March 6, 6:30 pm
Bracket
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Page 1/2 Qualifiers | | | Page 3/4 Qualifiers | | | Page playoff system | | | Semifinal | | | Final |
|
| | | | | |
|
| A1 | MB (Dunstone) | 6 | | 1 | MB (Dunstone) | 7 | | 1 | MB (Dunstone) | 3 |
| | | | | | | | |
| B2 | SK (McEwen) | 5 | | | | | | 2 | CAN (Gushue) | 4 | | | | | | 4 | AB (Jacobs) | 5 |
| | | | |
| | | | | |
|
| B1 | AB (Jacobs) | 4 | | 2 | CAN (Gushue) | 5 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| A2 | CAN (Gushue) | 7 | | | | | | | | 4 | AB (Jacobs) | 7 | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | B2 | SK (McEwen) | 4 | |
| | | | | |
| | | A3 | MB (Carruthers) | 6 | | | |
| | | |
| | 3 | MB (Carruthers) | 5 |
| | | | | |
| | | 4 | AB (Jacobs) | 6 | | |
| | | | | |
| B1 | AB (Jacobs) | 10 | |
| | | | | |
| | | B3 | NS (Purcell) | 6 | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
Championship round
Page 1/2 Qualifier
Friday, March 7, 12:30 pm
Page 3/4 Qualifier
Friday, March 7, 6:30 pm
Page playoff round
1 vs. 2
Saturday, March 8, 6:30 pm
3 vs. 4
Saturday, March 8, 12:30 pm
Semifinal
Sunday, March 9, 11:00 am
Final
Sunday, March 9, 5:00 pm
Statistics
Top 5 player percentages
Round robin only; minimum 6 games played[26]
| Key
|
|
|
First All-Star Team
|
|
|
Second All-Star Team
|
Perfect games
Round robin only; minimum 10 shots thrown
- ^ Threw second stones for the first five ends and third stones for the last three ends.
Awards
All-Star Teams
The All-Star Teams were determined by a combination of media vote and playing percentages:[27]
Ross Harstone Sportsmanship Award
The Ross Harstone Sportsmanship Award is presented to the player chosen by their fellow peers as the curler who best represented Harstone's high ideals of good sportsmanship, observance of the rules, exemplary conduct and curling ability.[27]
| Name |
Position |
Team
|
| Sheldon Wettig |
Third |
Nunavut
|
Hec Gervais Most Valuable Player Award
The Hec Gervais Most Valuable Player Award was awarded to the top player in the playoff round by members of the media in the Montana's Brier.[28]
Paul McLean Award
The Paul McLean Award is presented by TSN to a media person who has made a lasting contribution behind the scenes to the betterment of the sport.[27]
- Ted Wyman (in memoriam; accepted by his son Chris) – a respected longtime curling writer for the Winnipeg Sun who lost his battle with cancer in November 2024.
Ray Kingsmith Award
The Ray Kingsmith Award is presented to an individual who best demonstrates the commitment and dedication to the sport that made Kingsmith the consummate sport executive.[27]
Provincial and territorial playdowns
Source:[29]
Notes
- ^ a b c For the last three ends of Draw 15, Team Canada's alternate Adam Casey threw second stones, second Brendan Bottcher threw third stones and third Mark Nichols sat out.
- ^ For the last two ends of Draw 9, Team Alberta skip Kevin Koe removed himself from the game with the rest of the team moving up the lineup one position. Alternate Mike Libbus threw lead rocks and skipped the game.
- ^ a b Team British Columbia's alternate Paul Cseke threw lead stones for the last end of Draw 11.
- ^ a b Team Manitoba (Carruthers)'s alternate Kyle Doering threw second stones for the last three ends of Draws 3 and 13.
- ^ a b c For the last two ends of Draw 11, Team New Brunswick's alternate Drew Grattan threw lead stones, lead Andy McCann threw second stones and second Paul Dobson sat out.
- ^ a b Team Newfoundland and Labrador's alternate Nathan King threw lead stones for the last three ends of Draw 3.
- ^ a b Team Ontario's alternate Gavin Lydiate threw lead stones for the last three ends of Draw 4.
- ^ a b Team Saskatchewan (Kleiter)'s alternate John Mattern threw lead stones for the last end of Draw 8.
- ^ a b c Team Northwest Territories used a front-end rotation.
- ^ a b c For the last three ends of Draw 12, Team Saskatchewan (McEwen)'s alternate Brent Laing threw second stones, second Kevin Marsh threw third stones and third Colton Flasch sat out.
- ^ a b Team Manitoba (Dunstone)'s alternate Adam Kingsbury threw lead stones for the last end of Draw 3.
References
- ^ "2025 Montana's Brier presented by AGI". Curling Canada. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ Kathy Michaels (October 27, 2023). "Kelowna confirmed as host of the 2025 Brier". Global News. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ "BKT Tires World Men's Curling Championship 2025". World Curling Federation. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ "Broomhead foam issues on hold for Montana's Brier, but curlers still fuming". TSN. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ "Brier Brush Foam Fireworks?". The Curling News. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ "Brier Records". Curling Canada Stats Archive. Curling Canada. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "1968 MacDonald Brier". Curling Canada Stats Archive. Curling Canada. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Defending champ Gushue, McEwen and Jacobs all clinch playoff spots at Brier". TSN. March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Dunstone vs. Koe to be featured in opening night of Montana's Brier on TSN". TSN. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Dunstone, Jacobs win pools as Carruthers grabs playoff spot". TSN. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Epping Ousted with Gushue Brier Loss". The Curling News. March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Dunstone, Gushue win qualifying games to reach Page playoff 1-2 game at Brier". TSN. March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ a b "Sixth and Seventh End Brier Boo-boos". The Curling News. March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ "Dunstone advances to Brier final as Gushue, Jacobs to play in semis". TSN. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ^ "Six-time champion Gushue falls in semifinal after missing tap". TSN. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ^ a b "Return of The Fist Pump". The Curling News. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "Jacobs edges Dunstone to capture first Brier Tankard since 2013". TSN. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ a b "Three in a row!". Curling Canada. March 10, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "CTRS Teams Confirmed!". Curling Canada. June 26, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ "Early Brier qualifiers!". Curling Canada. July 11, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ "2024–25 CTRS Standings". Curling Canada. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
- ^ "Standings – Pool A". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ "Standings – Pool B". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ "Draw". Curling Canada. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ "Schedule". 2025 Montana's Brier. Curling Canada. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Positional Percentage Comparison". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "All-Stars, Awards, announced at 2025 Montana's Brier". 2025 Montana's Brier. Curling Canada. 8 March 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
- ^ "Golden Boys". 2025 Montana's Brier. Curling Canada. 10 March 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
- ^ "2024-25 Provincial and Territorial Playdown Schedule" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
External links
|
|---|
| Macdonald Brier | |
|---|
| Labatt Brier | |
|---|
| Nokia Brier | |
|---|
| Tim Hortons Brier | |
|---|
| Montana's Brier | |
|---|