Stoughton’s last stand at Players’ Championship
Our Players’ Championship preview series concludes with Pool B of the men’s division and features a legendary skip who will be playing in his final Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event.
Jeff Stoughton announced in February he plans to step back from competitive curling at the end of the year. The three-time Brier and two-time world champ grabbed the 12th and final berth for the season-ending Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event.
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Stoughton, who has completed a career Grand Slam, takes on the reigning Olympic champion in Brad Jacobs, longtime rival Glenn Howard and former teammate Reid Carruthers among others during the round robin.
Let’s take a closer look at Pool B of the men’s division before the Players’ Championship begins Tuesday night in Toronto.
TEAM JACOBS
Lineup: Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden and Ryan Harnden
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
WCT year-to-date OOM: 2nd
The Sochi Olympic gold medallists recently finished runner-up at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier and reached the semifinals at the Syncrude Elite 10 in March. Team Jacobs has qualified for the playoffs at all four Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling events so far this season and are closing in on capturing their first Slam title together.
TEAM LAYCOCK
Lineup: Steve Laycock, Kirk Muyres, Colton Flasch and Dallan Muyres
Hometown: Saskatoon
WCT year-to-date OOM: 4th
Laycock set a new a career-high with a runner-up finish at the Canadian Open in December but struggled during the Syncrude Elite 10 in March and missed the playoffs. Perhaps it was just the match play style and a return to the regular format will get them back on track.
TEAM CARRUTHERS
Lineup: Reid Carruthers, Braeden Moskowy, Derek Samagalski and Colin Hodgson
Hometown: Winnipeg
WCT year-to-date OOM: 5th
Team Carruthers has qualified at all three Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling events they’ve competed in this season and should be in the mix for the playoffs again as they close out their first season together. Carruthers defeated McEwen to win the Safeway Championship and represent Manitoba at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier.
TEAM EPPING
Lineup: John Epping, Mat Camm, Patrick Janssen and Tim March
Hometown: Toronto
WCT year-to-date OOM: 8th
Epping is a two-time Grand Slam winner and captured the Players’ Championship in 2012. Former Team Kean third Camm will be making his debut with Team Epping at the Players’ Championship and it’ll be interesting to see how he meshes with the group.
TEAM HOWARD
Lineup: Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Jon Mead and Craig Savill
Hometown: Penetanguishene, Ont.
WCT year-to-date OOM: 9th
Howard is a four-time Players’ Championship winner and captured the inaugural title in 1993. His team took the trophy the last time Toronto held in the Players’ Championship in 2013. It’ll be the final tournament on Team Howard for Mead and Savill with Howard bringing back Wayne Middaugh and adding his son Scott Howard for next season. Savill has won 12 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles while playing on Team Howard.
TEAM STOUGHTON
Lineup: Jeff Stoughton, Rob Fowler, Alex Forrest and Connor Njegovan
Hometown: Winnipeg
WCT year-to-date OOM: 12th
It’ll be Stoughton’s last stand as he plans to step back from competitive curling following the Players’ Championship. Among his many accomplishments in curling are three Brier titles, two worlds and a career Grand Slam. Stoughton might be a long shot to win as the 12th seed but the “final Slam” storyline worked out just fine for Kevin Martin last season.
