Team Newfoundland and Labrador ‘ready to rock’ at Scotties Tournament of Hearts
The country’s best female curlers will begin play today at the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Mississauga, Ont.
The first round of games will see Team Canada, four-time Canadian women’s champs Team Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., open against the Yukon.
In total, 27 players in the 18-team field are making their Scotties debuts in Mississauga, including Newfoundland and Labrador skip Mackenzie Mitchell. Second Kristina Adams is also making her Scotties debut, while third Jessica Wiseman makes her fourth appearance. Lead Stacie Curtis, who won the national under-20 title back in 2007, is making her eighth trip to the Scotties. The team is coached by five-time Brier competitor Geoff Cunningham.
Team Mitchell plays Manitoba in their opening game Saturday afternoon.
The event will feature 18 teams — Team Canada, three Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) qualifiers (Team Kayla Skrlik of Calgary, Team Christina Black of Halifax and Team Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg) and 14 provincial/territorial champions.
Team Einarson has assumed the Team Canada position, taking the place of 2025 Scotties champs Team Rachel Homan of Ottawa, who will be playing for Canada at the Winter Olympics in Italy. Team Einarson won silver at the 2025 Scotties in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Teams will play a complete eight-game round robin within their pools. From there, the top three teams in each pool advance to the playoffs.
The semifinal (Sunday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m.) winner takes on the winner of the Page 1v2 game in the final at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Here’s a look at how the two pools are set up:
(Teams listed according to overall seeding based on CTRS standings as of today, and listed in order of skip [player calling the shots], vice-skip [player holding the broom for the skip], second, lead, alternate, coach/High Performance Consultant)
Pool A
- 1. Team Canada, Kerri Einarson (Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Karlee Burgess, Krysten Karwacki, Reid Carruthers; Gimli, Man.)
- 4. British Columbia, Taylor Reese-Hansen (Megan McGillivray, Kim Bonneau, Julianna Mackenzie, Todd Troyer; Victoria)
- 5. Manitoba-Lawes, Selena Njegovan (Kaitlyn Lawes [throws fourth rocks], Laura Walker, Kristin Gordon, Erin Pincott, Marcel Rocque; Winnipeg)
- 8. Ontario, Hailey Armstrong (Grace Lloyd, Michaela Robert, Rachel Steele, Lori Eddy, Stephen Robert; Whitby)
- 9. Saskatchewan, Jolene Campbell (Robyn Silvernagle, Rachel Big Eagle, Dayna Demmans, Callan Hamon, Ben Gamble; Regina)
- *-12. Nova Scotia-Stevens, Taylour Stevens (Maria Fitzgerald, Alison Umlah, Cate Fitzgerald, Kevin Ouellette; Halifax)
- 13. Northwest Territories, Nicky Kaufman (Sydney Galusha [throws second rocks], Megan Koehler, Ella Skauge, Brynn Chorostkowski, Kerry Galusha; Yellowknife)
- 16. Quebec, Jolianne Fortin (Mégane Fortin [throws lead rocks], Emy Lafrance, Megan Lafrance, Brandon Lafrance; Jonquière)
- 17. Yukon, Bayly Scoffin (Patty Wallingham [throws second rocks], Raelyn Helston, Bailey Horvey, Shelby Jensen, Carolyn McRorie; Whitehorse)
Pool B
- 2. Alberta-Skrlik, Kayla Skrlik (Geri-Lynn Ramsay [throws lead rocks], Margot Flemming, Ashton Skrlik, Crystal Rumberg, Shannon Kleibrink; Calgary)
- 3. Nova Scotia-Black, Christina Black (Jill Brothers, Jennifer Baxter, Karlee Everist, Marlee Powers, Stuart MacLean; Halifax)
- *-6. Alberta-Sturmay, Selena Sturmay (Danielle Schmiemann, Dezaray Hawes, Paige Papley, Ted Appelman; Edmonton)
- *-7. Manitoba-Peterson, Kelsey Calvert (Beth Peterson, Katherine Remillard, Melissa Gordon-Kurz, Jill Officer, Winnipeg)
- 10. Northern Ontario, Krista Scharf (Sarah Potts [throws lead rocks], Ashley Sippala, Kendra Lilly, Bella McCarville, Rick Lang; Thunder Bay)
- 11. New Brunswick, Mélodie Forsythe (Rebecca Watson, Carly Smith, Jenna Campbell, Melissa Adams; Fredericton)
- 14. Prince Edward Island, Amanda Power (Veronica Mayne, Emily Best, Sabrina Smith, Peter Gallant; Summerside)
- 15. Newfoundland and Labrador, Mackenzie Mitchell (Stacie Curtis [throws lead rocks], Jessica Wiseman, Kristina Adams, Geoff Cunningham; St. John’s)
- 18. Nunavut, Julia Weagle (Sadie Pinksen, Leigh Gustafson, Alison Taylor, Colin Hodgson; Iqaluit)
Note: Because some matchups featuring the pre-qualified teams were pre-set as part of ticket-marketing campaigns, the pools were adjusted based on the approved seeding methodology as worked on in collaboration with Curling Canada’s Athlete Council.
For the entire 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts schedule, click here.