News Canadian Open

Get to know the men’s teams competing in the Meridian Canadian Open running Jan. 8-13 in North Battleford, Sask.

Team Bottcher

Edmonton, AB | Team Bottcher played in their first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event of the season at the Tour Challenge (Tier 1) and quickly made up for lost time reaching their first final in the series finishing runner-up to Team Jacobs. Bottcher has represented Alberta at the past two Briers and earned the silver medal last year. Team Bottcher captured the Canad Inns Men’s Classic in October.

Team Calvert

Winnipeg, MB | Calvert is a two-time Canadian junior champion and winner of the 2015 world junior gold medal. McMillan previously played with Team Gunnlaugson and earned the Tour Challenge Tier 2 title last season. Team Calvert has claimed three World Curling Tour titles in their hometown this season.

Team Carruthers

Winnipeg, MB | Former frenemies Carruthers and McEwen joined forces this season. The retooled team won their first title together at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard in October. McEwen, who has won seven Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling championships, skipped his former team to back-to-back Canadian Open titles in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.

Team De Cruz

Geneva, SUI | De Cruz is the reigning Meridian Canadian Open champion. The team stole singles in the seventh and eighth ends to edge Team Edin 4-3 in last year’s final to earn their first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title. De Cruz claimed bronze for Switzerland at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Team Dunstone

Regina, SK | Dunstone, from Winnipeg, previously threw fourth stones for Saskatoon’s Team Laycock and stayed put in Saskatchewan to skip an all-new team. He is a two-time Canadian junior champion with two bronze medals at the world juniors. Moskowy won the inaugural Humpty’s Champions Cup with Team Carruthers in 2016.

Team Edin

Karlstad, SWE | Team Edin are the reigning world champions and Olympic silver medallists. They captured their first career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title at the 2016 Masters and became the first non-Canadian men’s squad to win a championship in the series. Edin has finished runner-up at the past two Meridian Canadian Open events.

Team Epping

Toronto, ON | Epping earned the Meridian Canadian Open in 2015 throwing 100 percent in the final against Team Gushue. His revamped roster with Laing and Savill won their first title together at the Shorty Jenkins Classic and added a Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling championship in October at the Canadian Beef Masters. Epping captured his first Ontario Tankard last year.

Team Gunnlaugson

Winnipeg, MB | Team Gunnlaugson kicked off last season capturing the Tour Challenge Tier 2 title to earn their promotion into the elite ranks where they’ve remained ever since. Neufeld previously played with Team McEwen and won seven Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles including back-to-back Canadian Open championships during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.

Team Gushue

St. John’s, NL | Team Gushue have captured the Meridian Canadian Open twice including the previous time the event was held in North Battleford in 2017. Gushue opened the season winning the Princess Auto Elite 10 to claim his 11th career Pinty’s Grand Slam title. They won three championships in the series last season plus the Pinty’s Cup.

Team Howard

Penetanguishene, ON | Glenn Howard has earned 14 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles as a skip including two at the Meridian Canadian Open. Team Howard shuffled the lineup this season with Scott Howard moving up to third. March, formerly with Team Epping, is the new addition at lead. They’ve won the Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic and Nissan Curling Classic events this season.

Team Jacobs

Sault Ste. Marie, ON | Team Jacobs are the 2013 Brier champions and world silver medallists plus 2014 Olympic gold medallists. Jacobs claimed his fourth Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title this season at the Tour Challenge Tier 1. Ryan Fry returns to the lineup following a leave of absence.

Team Kleiter

Saskatoon, SK | Kleiter recently claimed his third consecutive junior curling provincial championship. He is also a three-time under-18 provincial junior champion winning in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The team finished runner-up at the Estevan SCT and Moose Jaw Cash Spiel this season.

Team Koe

Calgary, AB | Koe is a three-time Brier winner and two-time world champion. He won the Canadian Open in 2013 defeating Team Gushue in the final. Koe and Hebert are the only holdovers from last year’s Canadian Olympic Team with Neufeld and Flasch joining this season.

Team McDonald

Kingston, ON | Team McDonald have had a solid start on tour in their first season altogether. McDonald finished runner-up at the Tour Challenge Tier 2 and claimed the Challenge de Curling de Gatineau title. They were also semifinalists at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard.

Team Mouat

Edinburgh, SCO | Team Mouat broke out on tour last season winning four titles including their first Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling championship at the 2017 Boost National. Mouat also made history becoming the youngest men’s skip to capture a Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title at age 23. The reigning European champions recently finished runner-up at the 2018 Boost National.

Team Muyres

Saskatoon, SK | Team Muyres defeated Team McDonald to win the Tour Challenge Tier 2 men’s title and receive an invitation to the Meridian Canadian Open. Muyres, who is playing his first season as a skip at the men’s level, also finished runner-up at the Medicine Hat Curling Classic and DEKALB Superspiel. Knapp is subbing for lead Dallan Muyres.