Einarson, Gushue among six rinks added to 2026 Scotties and Brier fields

By Canadian Press on July 18, 2025.

Three teams have been added to each of the 2026 Canadian men’s and women’s curling championships, Curling Canada announced Friday.

Four-time champion Kerri Einarson and her team from Gimli, Man., have been added to the field of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, set for Jan. 23-Feb. 1 at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont. She will be joined by Calgary’s Kayla Skrlik and Christina Black of Halifax.

Hometown favourite and six-time champion Brad Gushue was added to the Montana’s Brier, set for Feb. 27-March 8 at the Mary Brown’s Centre in St. John’s, N.L., along with Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone and Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen.

The teams were awarded spots based on their 2024-25 Canadian Team Ranking System results.

Two-time defending Tournament of Hearts champion Rachel Homan of Ottawa and defending Brier champion Brad Jacobs of Calgary had already qualified for their respective tournaments.

The remaining 14 teams in each tournament will be determined during the coming season.