News Masters

Get to know the men’s teams competing in the 2019 Masters running Oct. 22-27 at North Bay Memorial Gardens in North Bay, Ont.

Team Bottcher

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Brendan Bottcher	Darren Moulding	Bradley Thiessen	Karrick Martin

Edmonton, AB | Bottcher is aiming for a fourth consecutive Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event title after capturing his first three all in a row last season at the Meridian Canadian Open, Players’ Championship and Humpty’s Champions Cup. Team Bottcher also finished runner-up at the Tour Challenge and are back-to-back Brier silver medallists.

Team De Cruz

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Benoit Schwarz	Sven Michel	Peter de Cruz	Valentin Tanner

Geneva, SUI | De Cruz, who skips while throwing second stones, won the Meridian Canadian Open in 2018. He has earned three bronze medals at the world championship and one at the Winter Olympics.

Team Dunstone

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Matt Dunstone	Braeden Moskowy	Catlin Schneider	Dustin Kidby

Regina, SK | Winnipeg-born Dunstone won four tour events with his new Saskatchewan-based squad last season. Moskowy won the inaugural Humpty’s Champions Cup with Team Carruthers in 2016.

Team Edin

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Niklas Edin	Oskar Eriksson	Rasmus Wrana	Christoffer Sundgren

Karlstad, SWE | Team Edin captured three Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles during the 2016-17 season including their first ever at the Masters. Edin won his record-tying fourth world championship gold medal last season matching Ernie Richardson for the most all-time among skips.

Team Epping

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John Epping	Ryan Fry	Mat Camm	Brent Laing

Toronto, ON | Epping linked up with longtime friend Fry this season and so far, so good as they’ve won the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard and Shorty Jenkins Classic. The event’s defending champion, Epping has won three major Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles as a skip.

Team Gushue

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Brad Gushue	Mark Nichols	Brett Gallant	Geoff Walker

St. John’s, NL | Gushue earned his 11th Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title last season by winning the Princess Auto Elite 10. The 2017 world champions have captured the Masters twice earning their first in 2014 and second in 2017.

Team Howard

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Glenn Howard	Scott Howard	David Mathers	Tim March

Penetanguishene, ON | Glenn Howard has won 14 Grand Slams as a skip including six Masters titles. They won the Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic and Nissan Curling Classic last season and were semifinalists at the Ontario Tankard.

Team Jacobs

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Brad Jacobs	Marc Kennedy	E.J. Harnden	Ryan Harnden

Sault Ste. Marie, ON | The 2014 Olympic champions Team Jacobs welcomed a 2010 Winter Games gold medallist with Kennedy joining at third this season. Jacobs captured his fourth Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling men’s title last year at the Tour Challenge on Northern Ontario ice in Thunder Bay.

Team Koe

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Kevin Koe	B.J. Neufeld	Colton Flasch	Ben Hebert

Calgary, AB | Team Koe captured the Pinty’s Cup in 2018-19 for the first time in the skip’s career thanks to a consistently strong season with runner-up finishes at the Masters, Players’ Championship and Humpty’s Champions Cup. Koe has won four Grand Slam titles as a skip with his first coming at the 2012 Masters.

Team McDonald

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Scott McDonald	Jonathan Beuk	Wesley Forget	Scott Chadwick

Kingston, ON | Team McDonald won the Ontario Tankard for the first time last season to represent the province at the Brier. McDonald also finished runner-up to Team Muyres in the 2018 Tour Challenge Tier 2 men’s division.

Team McEwen

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Mike McEwen	Reid Carruthers	Derek Samagalski	Colin Hodgson

Winnipeg, MB | The club formerly known as Team Carruthers won three tour events and represented Manitoba at the Brier last season. McEwen skipped his former squad to seven Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles while while Carruthers, Samagalski and Hodgson were winners of the inaugural Humpty’s Champions Cup in 2016.

Team Mouat

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Bruce Mouat	Grant Hardie	Bobby Lammie	Hammy McMillan Jr.

Edinburgh, SCO | Mouat earned his first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title at the 2017 Boost National and at age 23 became the youngest men’s skip to win an event in the series. Team Mouat finished runner-up to compatriots Team Paterson at the Boost National last season.

Team Paterson

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Ross Paterson	Kyle Waddell	Duncan Menzies	Michael Goodfellow

Glasgow, SCO | Team Paterson won their first career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title last season defeating compatriots Team Mouat for the Boost National. They also finished runner-up earlier in the year at the Ashley HomeStore Curling Classic in Penticton, B.C.

Team Schwaller

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Yannick Schwaller	Michael Brunner	Romano Meier	Marcel Kaeufeler

Bern, SUI | Team Schwaller captured back-to-back titles to start this season winning the Baden Masters and Oakville Fall Classic. Schwaller’s title victory at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard last year was his first as a skip on tour.

Team Shuster

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John Shuster	Chris Plys	Matt Hamilton	John Landsteiner

Duluth, USA | Shuster is the reigning Olympic gold medallist and captured his seventh U.S. men’s curling championship, fourth as a skip, last season. He also earned a bronze medal in the 2019 world mixed doubles championship with Cory Christensen.