2015 Tim Hortons Brier

The 2015 Tim Hortons Brier was held from February 28 to March 8 at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.[1]

2015 Tim Hortons Brier
2015 Tim Hortons Brier
Host cityCalgary, Alberta
ArenaScotiabank Saddledome
DatesFebruary 28 – March 8
Attendance151,835
Winner Canada
Curling clubGlencoe CC, Calgary
SkipPat Simmons
ThirdJohn Morris
SecondCarter Rycroft
LeadNolan Thiessen
AlternateTom Sallows
CoachEarle Morris
Finalist Northern Ontario (Brad Jacobs)
« 2014
2016 »

In the final, the team of Pat Simmons, John Morris, Carter Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen, representing "Team Canada" as defending Brier champions defeated the reigning Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs rink, representing Northern Ontario. Simmons had to make a draw to the button in an extra end to win the championship.[2] With the victory, the Simmons rink went on to represent Canada at the 2015 Ford World Men's Curling Championship in Halifax, where they won the bronze medal.

Changes to competition format

For the first time, the event was expanded to include an entry from Nunavut, which has previously not participated in the Brier. Another notable change was having separate entries for the Yukon and Northwest Territories, which had historically competed as a single entry.

Starting with the 2015 tournament, the top ten teams automatically qualified to the main tournament, which was a competition between twelve teams as in years past. An eleventh team was the defending champions from the previous Brier who played as Team Canada. The four remaining unqualified teams played in a pre-qualifying tournament to determine the twelfth team to play in the main tournament.[3]

It was the first time in the history of the Brier that a Team Canada partook, which essentially allowed the defending champions direct re-entry into the event.[4] The skip of the previous year's winning team, Kevin Koe, formed a new team in the off-season and was not part of Team Canada. Koe won the 2015 Boston Pizza Cup with his new team and represented Alberta at the 2015 Brier. Koe's former teammates recruited John Morris to skip the first ever edition of Team Canada at the Brier. Morris was the runner-up from the previous year.[5]

Similar changes were also implemented for the 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, meaning that for the first time the Canadian men's and women's curling championships will be conducted using identical formats. Previous versions of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts differed from the Brier in that they included a Team Canada entry, but did not include a separate entry from Northern Ontario.

Teams

The teams are listed as follows:

Canada Alberta British Columbia
The Glencoe Club, Calgary

Skip: Pat Simmons[a]
Third: John Morris[a]
Second: Carter Rycroft
Lead: Nolan Thiessen
Alternate: Tom Sallows

The Glencoe Club, Calgary

Skip: Kevin Koe
Third: Marc Kennedy
Second: Brent Laing
Lead: Ben Hebert
Alternate: Jamie King

Vernon CC, Vernon &
Kelowna CC, Kelowna

Skip: Jim Cotter
Third: Ryan Kuhn
Second: Tyrel Griffith
Lead: Rick Sawatsky
Alternate: Grant Olsen

Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador
West St. Paul CC, West St. Paul

Skip: Reid Carruthers
Third: Braeden Moskowy
Second: Derek Samagalski
Lead: Colin Hodgson
Alternate: Steve Gould

Thistle-St. Andrew's CC, Saint John

Skip: Jeremy Mallais
Third: Zach Eldridge
Second: Chris Jeffrey
Lead: Jared Bezanson
Alternate: Jason Vaughan

Bally Haly G&CC, St. John's

Skip: Brad Gushue
Third: Mark Nichols
Second: Brett Gallant
Lead: Geoff Walker

Northern Ontario Nova Scotia Ontario
Soo CA, Sault Ste. Marie

Skip: Brad Jacobs
Third: Ryan Fry
Second: E. J. Harnden
Lead: Ryan Harnden
Alternate: Eric Harnden

Mayflower CC, Halifax

Fourth: Peter Burgess
Skip: Glen MacLeod
Second: Colten Steele
Lead: Robbie McLean
Alternate: Paul Flemming

Fenelon Falls CC, Fenelon Falls

Skip: Mark Kean
Third: Mathew Camm
Second: David Mathers
Lead: Scott Howard
Alternate: Bryan Cochrane

Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan
Silver Fox C&YC, Summerside
Charlottetown CC, Charlottetown

Skip: Adam Casey
Third: Josh Barry
Second: Anson Carmody
Lead: Robbie Doherty
Alternate: Robert Campbell

CC Etchemin, Saint-Romuald

Skip: Jean-Michel Ménard
Third: Martin Crête
Second: Éric Sylvain
Lead: Philippe Ménard
Alternate: Pierre Charette

Nutana CC, Saskatoon

Skip: Steve Laycock
Third: Kirk Muyres
Second: Colton Flasch
Lead: Dallan Muyres
Alternate: Gerry Adam

Northwest Territories Nunavut Yukon
Yellowknife CC, Yellowknife

Skip: Jamie Koe
Third: Mark Whitehead
Second: Brad Chorostkowski
Lead: Robert Borden
Alternate: Bill Merklinger

No team (declined invitation)[6]Whitehorse CC, Whitehorse

Skip: Bob Smallwood
Third: Wade Scoffin
Second: Steve Fecteau
Lead: Clint Ireland
Alternate: Scott Odian

CTRS ranking

The #1 ranked Mike McEwen rink lost in the Manitoba final.

Member Association (Skip)RankPoints
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs)2189.120
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)3174.950
 Manitoba (Carruthers)4138.430
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)5132.315
 Alberta (K. Koe)6126.730
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)1178.555
 Quebec (Ménard)1351.145
 Ontario (Kean)1449.075
 British Columbia (Cotter)1537.675
 Canada (Morris)1733.000
 New Brunswick (Mallais)NR0.000
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)NR0.000
 Nova Scotia (MacLeod)NR0.000
 Yukon (Smallwood)NR0.000

Relegation playoff

Combined record of each province/territory from 2012 to 2014

Key
Team directly qualifies to play in the tournament
Team must play in a pre-tournament round-robin to qualify
LocaleWLLocaleWL
 Manitoba258  Northwest Territories1518
 Ontario258  British Columbia1419
 Alberta249  Saskatchewan1419
 Newfoundland and Labrador1914  Prince Edward Island924
 Quebec1716  Nova Scotia528
 New Brunswick1617  Yukon00
 Northern Ontario1518  Nunavut (declined to play)00

Nunavut declined to send a team while Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon played a single round-robin at the Scotiabank Saddledome in order to determine which one of the three teams would qualify for the tournament. The teams with the two best records were to advance to the play-in game which was contested Saturday, February 28, concurrent with the opening draw of the Brier round-robin. However, each team finished the round robin tied with a 1-1 record which saw Nova Scotia eliminated based on pregame draws to the button.[7] Prince Edward Island then defeated the Yukon to advance to the main draw of the tournament.

Round-robin standings

LocaleSkipWLPFPAEWELBESES%
 YukonBob Smallwood111310961573%
 Prince Edward IslandAdam Casey111211690179%
 Nova ScotiaGlen MacLeod111216880275%

Round-robin results

All draw times are listed in Mountain Standard Time (UTC−7).[8]

Draw 1

Thursday, February 26, 7:00 pm

Sheet B12345678910Final
 Yukon (Smallwood) 2201111XXX8
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)0010000XXX1

Draw 2

Friday, February 27, 8:00 am

Sheet B12345678910Final
 Nova Scotia (MacLeod) 203001012X9
 Yukon (Smallwood)020210000X5

Draw 3

Friday, February 27, 3:30 pm

Sheet B12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey) 20140202XX11
 Nova Scotia (MacLeod)01001010XX3

Pre-qualifying final

Saturday, February 28, 1:30 pm

Sheet D1234567891011Final
 Yukon (Smallwood) 110002001106
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)003110010017

Round-robin standings

Final round-robin standings

Key
Teams to Playoffs
Teams to 2016 Relegation Round
LocaleSkipWLPFPAEWELBESES%
 Northern OntarioBrad Jacobs10180394934181188%
 Newfoundland and LabradorBrad Gushue9280615142121185%
 SaskatchewanSteve Laycock746858424023886%
 CanadaPat Simmons746461444317987%
 AlbertaKevin Koe6572634942131489%
 QuebecJean-Michel Ménard657067455011485%
 British ColumbiaJim Cotter5663604638211082%
 OntarioMark Kean566479414914683%
 Prince Edward IslandAdam Casey5664694448111183%
 ManitobaReid Carruthers476663414613888%
 New BrunswickJeremy Mallais295079385010481%
 Northwest TerritoriesJamie Koe0114688374712479%

Round-robin results

All draw times are listed in Mountain Standard Time (UTC−7).[8]

Draw 1

Saturday, February 28, 1:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 02010102017
 Quebec (Ménard)00101010104
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)00010103005
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 01002010037
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Canada (Morris) 01000211016
 Manitoba (Carruthers)00201000104

Draw 2

Saturday, February 28, 6:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers)010010020X4
 Saskatchewan (Laycock) 200200201X7
Sheet B1234567891011Final
 Alberta (K. Koe)010201100207
 British Columbia (Cotter) 102020002018
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean) 10203000118
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)01020211007
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)00202000105
 New Brunswick (Mallais) 10010011026

Draw 3

Sunday, March 1, 8:30 am

Sheet B12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean) 20302010109
 Quebec (Ménard)02010202018
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 020020203X9
 Alberta (K. Koe)002101010X5
Sheet D1234567891011Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 030201010029
 Canada (Morris)001020300107

Draw 4

Sunday, March 1, 1:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)103001030X8
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe) 010110101X5
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)10120010117
 Canada (Morris) 01001101004
Sheet C12345678910Final
 New Brunswick (Mallais) 101101010X5
 Quebec (Ménard)020030201X8
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 20101001207
 British Columbia (Cotter)02010100015

Draw 5

Sunday, March 1, 6:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey) 01010202006
 British Columbia (Cotter)00101010115
Sheet B12345678910Final
 New Brunswick (Mallais)010020010X4
 Manitoba (Carruthers) 102102102X9
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)01002102XX6
 Saskatchewan (Laycock) 20040040XX10
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean) 100101000X3
 Alberta (K. Koe)020020021X7

Draw 6

Monday, March 2, 1:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 New Brunswick (Mallais)02010020005
 Canada (Morris) 10100101026
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)00010102XX4
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 02104020XX9
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 02010000003
 British Columbia (Cotter)00200001126
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)00202000105
 Quebec (Ménard) 01020200016

Draw 7

Monday, March 2, 6:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Alberta (K. Koe)10200111017
 Quebec (Ménard) 02010000205
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Saskatchewan (Laycock) 30130100XX8
 Canada (Morris)00002011XX4
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 003100201X7
 Ontario (Kean)000001020X3
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers) 200020301X8
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)001101020X5

Draw 8

Tuesday, March 3, 8:30 am

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers)12050201XX11
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe) 00101010XX3
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)01020001XX4
 Alberta (K. Koe) 20302010XX8
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)100201030X7
 New Brunswick (Mallais) 001020001X4
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean)000100020X3
 British Columbia (Cotter) 021010004X8

Draw 9

Tuesday, March 3, 1:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 11223101XX11
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)00000010XX1
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 11102023XX10
 New Brunswick (Mallais)00010100XX2
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Quebec (Ménard)00202000408
 British Columbia (Cotter) 01010111016
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)00010010103
 Canada (Simmons) 00101201016

Draw 10

Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 20020011028
 Ontario (Kean)02101100106
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers)00001010XX2
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 22000201XX7
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Canada (Simmons)02010000216
 Alberta (K. Koe) 10100100003
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Quebec (Ménard) 20200010027
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)01020001105

Draw 11

Wednesday, March 4, 8:30 am

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Canada (Simmons)00100203028
 British Columbia (Cotter) 10020020207
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Quebec (Ménard) 200110301X8
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)010002020X5
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)010331010X9
 Prince Edward Island (Casey) 102000201X6
Sheet D12345678910Final
 New Brunswick (Mallais)000102010X4
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 030020101X7

Draw 12

Wednesday, March 4, 1:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)01010000103
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 10101001015
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean)00010102004
 Canada (Simmons) 10100020217
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers)011001010X4
 Quebec (Ménard) 200110102X7
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Alberta (K. Koe)01021010207
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 20200102018

Draw 13

Wednesday, March 4, 6:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Alberta (K. Koe)002021002X7
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe) 010200100X4
Sheet B1234567891011Final
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)000202011017
 Prince Edward Island (Casey) 001030100106
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean) 02010010XX4
 New Brunswick (Mallais)20102301XX9
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers) 02002103XX8
 British Columbia (Cotter)10010010XX3

Draw 14

Thursday, March 5, 8:30 am

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)041011001X8
 New Brunswick (Mallais) 200100010X4
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 01110101016
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs)00001030105
Sheet C12345678910Final
 British Columbia (Cotter) 020011002X6
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)000100010X2
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Quebec (Ménard)001010102X5
 Canada (Simmons) 010202020X7

Draw 15

Thursday, March 5, 1:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Manitoba (Carruthers) 20020010207
 Ontario (Kean)03100102018
Sheet B12345678910Final
 New Brunswick (Mallais) 020100100X4
 British Columbia (Cotter)102011020X7
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Alberta (K. Koe) 10201001005
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)01010110026
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)01011002XX5
 Prince Edward Island (Casey) 20200410XX9

Draw 16

Thursday, March 5, 6:30 pm

Sheet A12345678910Final
 Quebec (Ménard)00100102004
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 01020020117
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Alberta (K. Koe)00021020218
 Manitoba (Carruthers) 10100302007
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 10000102026
 Canada (Simmons)01000010103
Sheet D1234567891011Final
 Ontario (Kean) 100001050018
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)010000301207

Draw 17

Friday, March 6, 8:30 am

Sheet A12345678910Final
 British Columbia (Cotter)000001010X2
 Saskatchewan (Laycock) 010010101X4
Sheet B12345678910Final
 Ontario (Kean) 02202020XX8
 Northwest Territories (J. Koe)10010101XX4
Sheet C12345678910Final
 Prince Edward Island (Casey)01100100115
 Manitoba (Carruthers) 00010001002
Sheet D12345678910Final
 Alberta (K. Koe)10311002XX8
 New Brunswick (Mallais) 01000110XX3

Playoffs

Bronze Medal Game
   
2  Newfoundland and Labrador5
3  Saskatchewan7

1 vs. 2

Friday, March 6, 6:30 pm

Sheet B12345678910Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 100030102X7
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)020101010X5
Player percentages
 Northern Ontario  Newfoundland and Labrador
Ryan Harnden91%Geoff Walker94%
E. J. Harnden88%Brett Gallant95%
Ryan Fry84%Mark Nichols89%
Brad Jacobs84%Brad Gushue82%
Total87%Total90%

3 vs. 4

Saturday, March 7, 1:00 pm

Sheet B1234567891011Final
 Saskatchewan (Laycock) 100101020207
 Canada (Simmons)010030102018
Player percentages
 Saskatchewan  Canada
Dallan Muyres89%Nolan Thiessen93%
Colton Flasch82%Carter Rycroft92%
Kirk Muyres75%John Morris85%
Steve Laycock78%Pat Simmons89%
Total81%Total90%

Semifinal

Saturday, March 7, 6:00 pm

Sheet C12345678910Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 10100200206
 Canada (Simmons)02010002038
Player percentages
 Newfoundland and Labrador  Canada
Geoff Walker86%Nolan Thiessen95%
Brett Gallant76%Carter Rycroft79%
Mark Nichols86%John Morris78%
Brad Gushue75%Pat Simmons79%
Total81%Total83%

Bronze medal game

Sunday, March 8, 9:30 am

Team1234567891011Final
 Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) 200200010005
 Saskatchewan (Laycock)012010000127
Player percentages
 Newfoundland and Labrador  Saskatchewan
Geoff Walker92%Dallan Muyres75%
Brett Gallant83%Colton Flasch78%
Mark Nichols82%Kirk Muyres83%
Brad Gushue74%Steve Laycock89%
Total83%Total81%

Final

The 2015 Brier final was the first Brier final to start with four blanks. This game came down to the final stone of the eleventh end, where Pat Simmons had a draw to the pin for the win.

Sunday, March 8, 5:00 pm

Sheet C1234567891011Final
 Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 000020010205
 Canada (Simmons)000000203016
Player percentages
 Northern Ontario  Canada
Ryan Harnden93%Nolan Thiessen83%
E. J. Harnden89%Carter Rycroft91%
Ryan Fry88%John Morris86%
Brad Jacobs85%Pat Simmons93%
Total89%Total88%

Statistics

Top 5 player percentages

Round Robin only

Leads%
Colin Hodgson95
Ben Hebert93
Nolan Thiessen91
Geoff Walker89
Jared Bezanson89
Seconds%
Brent Laing91
Carter Rycroft90
Derek Samagalski88
E. J. Harnden87
Tyrel Griffith86
Thirds%
Ryan Fry92
Marc Kennedy91
Braeden Moskowy89
John Morris88
Kirk Muyres87
Fourths%
Brad Jacobs86
Steve Laycock84
Pat Simmons84
Brad Gushue82
Jean-Michel Ménard82

Perfect games

PlayerTeamPositionShotsOpponent
Brent Laing  AlbertaSecond18  Northern Ontario
Ryan Harnden  Northern OntarioLead18  British Columbia
Ryan Fry  Northern OntarioThird18  Ontario
Colin Hodgson  ManitobaLead16  Northern Ontario

Awards

The awards and all-star teams are listed as follows:[9]

All-Star Teams[9]

First Team

Second Team

Ross Harstone Sportsmanship Award[9]
Paul McLean Award[9]
  • Jim Young, longtime camera man for TSN's curling broadcasts
Hec Gervais Most Valuable Player Award

Provincial and territorial playdowns

Notes

References