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A capsule look at teams entered in the Canadian men's curling championship

A team-by-team look at teams competing in the Canadian men's curling championship March 1-10 in Brandon, Man. TEAM CANADA Skip: Brad Gushue Teammates (third to lead): Mark Nichols, Brett Galland, Geoff Walker.
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A team-by-team look at teams competing in the Canadian men's curling championship March 1-10 in Brandon, Man.

TEAM CANADA

Skip: Brad Gushue

Teammates (third to lead): Mark Nichols, Brett Galland, Geoff Walker.

Club: Bally Haly Golf and Curling Club, St. John's, N.L.

Background: Going for the three-peat, only Randy Ferbey's Edmonton team has won three straight Canadian titles (2001-03).

CTRS Ranking: 5

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BRITISH COLUMBIA

Skip: Jim Cotter

Teammates: Steve Laycock, Tyrel Griffith, Rick Sawatsky.

Club: Vernon and Kelowna Curling Clubs. 

Background: After skipping Saskatchewan seven times at the Brier, Laycock changed provincial colours to curl with Cotter.

CTRS Ranking: 32

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ALBERTA

Skip: Kevin Koe

Teammates: B.J. Neufeld, Colton Flasch, Ben Hebert

Club: The Glencoe Club, Calgary

Background: Koe can join Ferbey, Kevin Martin and Ernie Richardson as the only skips to win four national championships.

CTRS Ranking: 1

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SASKATCHEWAN

Skip: Kirk Muyres

Teammates: Kevin Marsh, Daniel Marsh, Dallan Muyres

Club: Nutana Curling Club, Saskatoon

Background: While Muyres is a rookie skip at the Brier, he's competed in four previous national championships with Laycock.

CTRS Ranking: 11

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MANITOBA

Skip: Mike McEwen.

Teammates: Reid Carruthers, Derek Samagalski, Colin Hodgson.

Club: West St. Paul Curling Club.

Background: This was Team Carruthers until the Manitoba provincials when McEwen, who was already throwing fourth rocks, took over play calling.

CTRS Ranking: 8

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NORTHERN ONTARIO

Skip: Brad Jacobs

Teammates: Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden.

Club: Community First Curling Club, Sault Ste, Marie, Ont.

Background: This foursome won the 2013 Canadian championship and an Olympic gold medal in 2014.

CTRS Ranking: 2

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ONTARIO

Skip: Scott McDonald

Teammates: Jonathan Beuk, Wesley Forget, Scott Chadwick.

Club: Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, Kingston, Ont.

Background: Went 11-0 to win Ontario, beating John Epping three times and Glenn Howard en route.

CTRS Ranking: 9

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QUEBEC

Skip: Martin Crete

Teammates: Philippe Lemay, Eric Sylvain, Philippe Menard.

Club: Etchemin Curling Club, Saint-Romuald, Que.

Background: Crete was Jean-Michel Menard's vice in seven Briers and took over at skip when Menard retired.

CTRS Ranking: 37

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NEW BRUNSWICK

Skip: Terry Odishaw

Teammates: Jordan Pinder, Marc Lecoq, Grant Odishaw.

Club: Curl Moncton, Moncton, N.B.

Background: Odishaw will skip his province for the third time in a 21-year-span.

CTRS Ranking: NR

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NOVA SCOTIA

Skip: Stuart Thompson

Teammates: Colten Steele, Travis Colter, Taylor Ardiel.

Club: Dartmouth Curling Club, Dartmouth, N.S.

Background: Ardiel, a former Canadian junior bronze medallist, coached Jill Brothers to a Nova Scotia women's championship the same day he won the men's title with Thompson.

CTRS Ranking: 23

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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Skip: John Likely

Teammates: Anson Carmody, Steve Burgess, Robbie Doherty.

Club: Charlottetown and Western Community Curling clubs.

Background: Likely went 2-9 skipping P.E.I. at the Brier in 2002. Third Anson Carmody won a Canadian junior title in 2009 with Gushue second Brett Gallant.

CTRS Ranking: NR

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NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Skip: Andrew Symonds.

Teammates: Chris Ford, Adam Boland, Keith Jewer.

Club: St. John's Curling Club.

Background: Gushue's back-to-back Brier titles opens the door for a second Newfoundland team to make its Brier debut.

CTRS Rank: 137

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YUKON

Skip: Jon Solberg.

Teammates: Bob Smallwood, Clinton Abel, Scott Odian.

Club: Whitehorse Curling Club.

Background: Solberg threw fourth stones for Craig Kochan in 2017, when Yukon lost to Nova Scotia for the final berth in the main draw.

CTRS Ranking: NR

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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Skip: Jamie Koe

Teammates: David Aho, Matthew Ng, Cole Parson.

Club: Yellowknife Curling Club.

Background: Older brother of Alberta's Kevin Koe, Jamie makes his 13th appearance as a territories skip. Reached playoffs in 2012.

CTRS Ranking: NR

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NUNAVUT

Skip: Dave St. Louis

Teammates: Peter Mackey, Jeff Nadeau, Lloyd Kendall.

Club: Iqaluit Curling Club.

Background: St. Louis, an Iqaluit resident for 16 years who now lives in Ontario, went winless last year in Regina.

CTRS Ranking: NR

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WILD CARD

Skip: John Epping

Teammates: Mathew Camm, Brent Laing, Craig Savill.

Club: Leaside Curling Club, Toronto.

Background: Epping, who finished third in his Brier debut in 2018, replaced his front end prior to this season with super duo Laing and Savill.

CTRS Ranking: 3

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Skip: Brendan Bottcher

Teammates: Darren Moulding, Brad, Thiessen, Karrick Martin.

Club: Saville Community Sports Centre, Edmonton.

Background: Bottcher skipped Alberta to the final of last year's Brier in Regina before falling to Gushue. Defeated Epping in the semifinal.

CTRS Ranking: 4

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

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