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TORONTO — Olympic memories danced through Kaitlyn Lawes’s mind as she stepped off of the ice from practice Tuesday for the Players’ Championship.

“Gangnam Style” by South Korean musician Psy was blasting from the speakers inside Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre and Lawes was instantly reminded of her time winning gold in mixed doubles at the Pyeongchang Winter Games in February.

It’s been that kind of dream year for Lawes, who rejoined Jennifer Jones’s team at third in time to help the Winnipeg-based club capture the world championship last month in North Bay, Ont.

“Oh my goodness, it’s been an absolute whirlwind couple months but what a season,” Lawes said. “Twenty-eighteen has certainly been good to me and I feel very honoured and privileged to have been able to represent Canada at both the Olympics and the worlds with my team.”

The Players’ Championship is big for Team Jones — which also includes lead Dawn McEwen and second Jill Officer — as they not only enter as the defending champs but also top the table for the GSOC’s Bonus Cup with a hefty 19-point lead over second-place Team Chelsea Carey. The Bonus Cup, awarded to the season champions with a $75,000 prize, will be handed out following the conclusion of the Players’ Championship.

“We’re so thrilled to be back trying to defend our title from last season,” Lawes said. “We’re in a good position with the [Bonus] Cup as well. We want to try and focus on having a good week here and play some strong games. We’re in a tough pool, so we’ll have to play hard but this is our favourite event. We love playing here at the Mattamy Athletic Centre and the history in this building is pretty cool.”

It’s not often a Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tournament returns to the same venue (or even the same city or province) from season to season but the Players’ Championship has dug roots in at the iconic Maple Leaf Gardens with the arena hosting the event for the fifth time in six seasons.

“Toronto has been great to us and what a fantastic building,” Lawes said. “All of the volunteers keep coming back year after year so there are a lot of familiar faces. We’re really excited about this week.”

Team Jones kicks off the Players’ Championship Tuesday night against Eve Muirhead’s team from Scotland.

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The grind also continues for Sweden’s Niklas Edin, who flew into Toronto straight from winning the world championship Sunday in Las Vegas.

Edin earned his third gold at the worlds although no two have been the same. He said this one was special after a heartbreaking silver at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

“We played really well during that whole Olympic event there but didn’t play as well in the final,” said Edin, who lost in the gold-medal game to American John Shuster. “During worlds now, I think we played as well again. We were on top of the field after round robin, won our games and made a terrific game in the final to win the cup again.”

It was also redemption for Edin from last year’s worlds after falling three times, including the final, to Canada’s Brad Gushue during the tournament in Edmonton. Edin turned things around in Las Vegas shooting 95 percent Sunday to win 7-3.

“That was nice. We needed one of those performances against Brad Gushue,” Edin said. “He’s always good. They beat us last year at worlds three times and we were just focused on not allowing that this year. We know we have to play great to have a chance at beating them.

“Winning this title is huge. Them winning back-to-back Briers and going again, obviously they’re an experienced team now at worlds as well. A really big one for us. I think it was the most well-played event we’ve played so far.”

Edin said his team was feeling fatigue to start at the worlds but managed to save their energy levels for the playoffs. They’ll turn to a similar strategy here, especially as they are not only defending the Players’ Championship men’s title but are also in the chase for the Bonus Cup too.

“We have no funding next year and need some money,” Edin said. “This cup is going to be huge for us if we could do well in this and maybe get in the mix for one of the top four spots that get bonus. … We’ve just got to save up some energy. It’s good we’re not playing until tomorrow.”

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Anna Hasselborg said it’s still very surreal being the reigning Olympic champion.

Hasselborg claimed gold for Sweden at the Pyeongchang Winter Games defeating EunJung Kim, representing the host nation, in the final.

“I don’t think it has sunk in yet and I’m not sure it ever will,” Hasselborg said. “We just keep going, being in the moment and having fun. It doesn’t have to sink in if you’re just having fun.”

Hasselborg hasn’t even had time to let it sink in as her team — featuring third Sara McManus, second Agnes Knochenhauer and lead Sofia Mabergs — also represented Sweden at the worlds and finished runner-up to Team Jones. Now Hasselborg shifts her focus to the Players’ Championship as she aims for a first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title.

“This is the second time we’ve played this and it means the world to be back here,” said Hasselborg, who is ranked No. 2 on the World Curling Tour behind Jones. “We love it here in Toronto. We’re going to try to top this season off and just really try to refocus and enjoy being here. We’re really happy to be back on the Slam ice.”

Analytics have played an integral part in Team Hasselborg’s rise into the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling and to the top of the World Curling Tour rankings over the past couple seasons.

“We had the confidence going into what shots and what kind of end we wanted to play,” Hasselborg said. “I’m a very analytical person, so I just try to improve our play and the game all the time. I think it has helped us a lot.”

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The Players’ Championship is a homecoming event for Team Rocque’s Laura Crocker, who is originally from nearby Scarborough, Ont.

Crocker, who now lives in Edmonton, loves playing in the Toronto event and is expecting quite the crowd of support.

“My family gets to come watch and a lot of the people I grew up with curling at Scarboro Golf & Country Club, which actually just closed,” Crocker said. “I just threw their last rock the other day so I’m sure there will be lots of members and it’ll be a little emotional to see everyone knowing that Scarboro is done but it’s really fun. I love playing here.”

Crocker, who normally throws third and calls the game, has moved up to fourth stones this week as Kelsey Rocque was unable to make the trip. Kendra Lilly from Thunder Bay’s Team McCarville is filling in at third.

This will be Team Rocque’s last hurrah together with the team heading their separate ways next season.

“It’s too bad Kelsey couldn’t be here as well,” said Crocker, who will skip her own squad in 2018-19. “We would have loved to have played with her. Work sometimes gets in the way and with us not moving forward as a team it was more important for her to focus on her job.

“I’m really excited to play with Kendra. Jen [Gates] and I have played together for almost eight years so it’s going to be fun playing one last time and maybe a little sad too.”

Crocker will get the opportunity to suit up for Team Canada after claiming the mixed doubles national championship earlier this month in Leduc, Alta., with Kirk Muyres. The team of Crocker and Muyres scored two points in the eighth to upend Kadriana Sahaidak and Colton Lott 8-7 in the final.

“Kirk is the best teammate ever,” Crocker said. “We had a great time together and just seemed to click. We made the right shots at the right time, which is really important in mixed doubles. We managed to hang on in that last game so now a week today we leave for Sweden.”

“Anytime you can put a maple leaf on your back is a huge honour,” she added. “We couldn’t be more excited.”