Teams finalized for Tim Horton’s Brier in Regina

The teams have been finalized for the 2018 Tim Horton’s Brier.

In three weeks, some of the best curlers in the country will descend upon Regina for a chance at Brier glory.

New to this year’s Brier is the much-debated format debuted last at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

The new format will see 16 teams vie for the championship — up from 15 last year — split into two pools with a championship round of play ahead of the page playoffs.

Brad Gushue will look to defend his title when the opening draw takes place March 3 at the Brandt Centre at Evraz Place.

Joining Gushue’s Team Canada rink in Pool A are: Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Yukon, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta and the Wild Card qualifier.

The first-ever wild card game to determine the final place in the tournament takes place the night before the official start of the Brier.

The game will feature a pair of Winnipeg rinks skipped by Mike McEwen and Jason Gunnlaugson. Each earned their spot in the qualifier by being one of the two best-ranked teams in the Canadian Team Ranking System not to win provincial or territorial playdowns.

Team Saskatchewan will be skipped by Steve Laycock, his fifth time skipping a Saskatchewan rink and sixth appearance at the Brier.

Joining Team Saskatchewan in Pool B are: Manitoba, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nunavut.

The pools were finalized Sunday after Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacob won his fourth-straight Northern Ontario provincial championship.

After round robin play, the top four teams from each pool advance to a championship pool to determine the final four playoff teams.

The 2018 Tim Horton’s Brier at the Brandt Centre at Evraz Place wraps up on March 11. Tickets are still available.