In an effort to avoid distractions, the reigning national men’s curling champion, Brad Gushue, has hoped to keep his team’s roster developments in house until after the upcoming World Cup.
In an effort to avoid distractions, the reigning national men’s curling champion, Brad Gushue, has hoped to keep his team’s roster developments in house until after the upcoming World Cup.
As reports of Brett Gallant’s future plans surfaced on Friday, the team decided to issue a statement on Saturday confirming that he would be leaving the team at the end of the season.
“We had heard rumors before the Olympics that he would continue,” Gushue said on Saturday. “We played with it and know it through the Olympics and through the Brier. So this is not new to us.
“The only difference at the moment is that it’s public.”
The news came less than a week after Gushue’s st.
Gushue said Gallant – who is getting married this summer and plans to live in Alberta – told him last week of his plans.
“Of course it’s a little sad because it’s an amazing team,” Gallant said. “Three of the best teammates you could ever have. This team is still at the highest level of the game.
“It’s a tough decision, but I think all great things come to an end.”
Gallant will join a new team, Ausso said, adding that Gushue, Vice Mark Nichols and lead Geoff Walker will continue next season with a new team member, who will be named in the coming weeks.
The Gushue team, called Wild Card One at Brier, defeated Kevin Koe of Alberta in the final last Sunday. They played as scorers last weekend after Nichols withdrew due to a positive test for COVID-19.
Gushue, Nichols, Gallant and Walker have won four of the last six Brier titles. They also won a world title in 2017 and 11 Grand Slam titles together as quarters.
Gallant declined to give specifics about his future curling plans or how and when he told his teammates the news.
“It’s tough talks, especially when we’re still competing in all those things,” he said. “Amidst some really (great) heights for our team, it makes the decision so much harder.”
They will represent Canada at the April 2-10 World Cup in Las Vegas and then close the season with appearances at two Grand Slam events.
“This past week has certainly been a challenge for all of us,” Gushue told the Canadian Press. “But I think we all want the same end goal and that’s good to play in the worlds and obviously the Champions Cup and the Championship.
“There’s still a lot at stake and still three really big events. The timing of this is terrible, but it’s a kind of culture in the curling community that it all happens according to the nationalities.”
Several top teams on the home curling scene – including rinks skipped by Jennifer Jones, Tracy Fleury, Brad Jacobs and Brendan Bottcher to name a few – announced this week that line-up changes will be made after the season.
Also on Saturday, teams skipped by John Epping and Matt Dunstone said this will also be their last season with their current quarters.
Epping and second Mat Camm will continue to play together next season and plan to announce their new team-mates at a later date.
The current quarters of Epping, Camm, third Ryan Fry and lead Brent Laing will close the campaign with appearances at the two remaining Grand Slam events.
“We had a strong run and a lot of fun together during our run as a quarterback,” Epping said in a team statement.
Dunstone’s team announced that all four players – the jump, third Braeden Moskowy, second Kirk Muyres and lead Dustin Kidby – would go in separate directions. Their next appearance is at the Players’ Championship.
This report from the Canadian Press was first published on March 19, 2022.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
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