2025 Montana's Brier: Top Teams and Players to Watch in the Canadian Men's Curling Championship

Image credits: Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

The 2025 Montana's Brier, the Canadian men's curling championship, is just around the corner, and the competition is expected to be fierce. Defending champion Brad Gushue will be looking to win his fourth consecutive title, but he'll face stiff competition from other top teams, including those led by Brad Jacobs and Matt Dunstone. The tournament will feature 18 teams, divided into two pools for round-robin play, with the top three teams from each pool advancing to the championship round.

Among the top contenders are Jacobs, who has been vocal about his concerns over new broomhead technology, and Dunstone, who has been on a hot streak lately, winning several tour titles. Other teams to watch include those led by John Epping, Mike McEwen, and Kevin Koe. The winner of the Brier will represent Canada at the world men's curling championship, which will be held in Moose Jaw, Sask., from March 29 to April 6. The tournament will also be a key stepping stone for teams looking to qualify for the Canadian Olympic trials in November.

The issue of broomhead technology has been a major topic of discussion in the curling world, with many top players expressing concerns that the new "black foam" gives sweepers too much control over the stone. As a result, all 18 teams in the field have agreed to use the traditional "white foam" on their broomheads, rather than the new, firmer material. This decision was made in an effort to maintain the integrity of the game and prevent any potential advantages that the new technology might provide.

Here are the 18 teams competing in the 2025 Montana's Brier:

• Team Brad Gushue (Newfoundland and Labrador)
• Team Brad Jacobs (Alberta)
• Team Matt Dunstone (Manitoba)
• Team John Epping (Northern Ontario)
• Team Mike McEwen (Saskatchewan)
• Team Kevin Koe (Alberta)
• Team Reid Carruthers (Manitoba)
• Team Rylan Kleiter (Saskatchewan)
• Team Sam Mooibroek (Ontario)
• Team Owen Purcell (Nova Scotia)
• Team Felix Asselin (Quebec)
• Team Jamie Koe (Northwest Territories)
• Team Karsten Sturmay (Alberta)
• Team Tyler Tardi (British Columbia)
• Team Nathan Young (New Brunswick)
• Team Bryan Cochrane (Prince Edward Island)
• Team Jake Higgs (Nunavut)
• Team Terry Odishaw (New Brunswick)

The competition is expected to be fierce, with several teams having a legitimate shot at the title. The teams will be battling it out for the championship, and the players will be giving it their all to come out on top.

The 2025 Montana's Brier promises to be an exciting tournament, with many talented teams and players vying for the top prize. With the issue of broomhead technology temporarily put to rest, the focus can now shift to the action on the ice, where the best teams in Canadian men's curling will be competing for the championship title.

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