2026 Montana’s Brier: Gushue’s Farewell and Olympic Champions Compete

The 2026 Montana’s Brier, Canada’s national men’s curling championship, is set to begin Friday, February 27th, at the Mary Brown’s Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The tournament will be particularly poignant as it marks the final competitive appearance for Canadian curling legend Brad Gushue [TSN].

Gushue’s Swan Song

Brad Gushue, a six-time Brier Tankard champion, announced in September 2025 that the 2025-26 season would be his last [TSN]. The event in his home province provides a fitting backdrop for his farewell, and fans are expected to provide enthusiastic support throughout the tournament [Calgary Herald].

Olympic Gold Medalists in Action

Team Brad Jacobs, fresh off winning gold at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, will also be competing in St. John’s [TSN]. They are scheduled to play Prince Edward Island in their opening draw.

Newfoundland & Labrador Representation

Nathan Young will represent Newfoundland and Labrador, facing Nunavut in the opening draw. Brad Gushue’s team will open against Quebec at 7:30 PM local time.

Qualified Teams

A total of eighteen teams will participate in the 2026 Brier. The field includes:

• Canada (Brad Jacobs) [Wikipedia]
• Alberta (Kevin Koe) [Wikipedia]
• British Columbia (Cody Tanaka) [Wikipedia]
• Manitoba (Braden Calvert) [Wikipedia]
• New Brunswick (James Grattan) [Wikipedia]
• Newfoundland and Labrador (Nathan Young) [Wikipedia]
• Matt Dunstone [Wikipedia]
• Mike McEwen [Wikipedia]
• Brad Gushue [Wikipedia]

The winning team will represent Canada at the 2026 World Men’s Curling Championship in Ogden City, Utah [Wikipedia].