After curling was highlighted on the international stage at the 2022 Winter Olympics, the focus remains on the sport as the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier is set to kick off this weekend.
Canada's national men's curling championship started on Friday, March 4 with 18 teams competing in Lethbridge, Alta. With the COVID-19 pandemic still impacting the provincial/territorial championships, Curling Canada opted to continue with the expanded competition.
Every province and territory is represented along with three Wild Card teams instead of the typical one.
Brendan Bottcher and Team Alberta made noise at the 2021 Brier, becoming the first team to win the bonspiel in six years that was not skipped by Kevin Koe or Brad Gushue. Bottcher and Co. defeated Koe and Team Wild Card 2 in a rematch of the 2019 Brier. Bottcher is the skip for Team Canada in 2022.
Koe, who won in 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2019, is going for a record fifth win, serving as the skip for Team Alberta. Gushue is looking for his fourth Brier title, which if successful, would put him in a category with Koe, Ernie Richardson, Randy Ferbey and Kevin Martin. He'll be the skip for Team Wild Card 1 and is coming off a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics.
Here's everything you need to know for the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier:
When is the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier?
This year's tournament begins Friday, March 4, with the final set to wrap up the competition on Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. ET.
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Network |
| Friday, March 4 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 (JIP TSN5) |
| Saturday, March 5 | 3:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 |
| Saturday, March 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN1/3 |
| Sunday, March 6 | 10:30 a.m | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Sunday, March 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 (JIP TSN 4) |
| Sunday, March 6 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/4 (JIP TSN 3) |
| Monday, March 7 | 10:30 a.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Monday, March 7 | 3:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Monday, March 7 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3/4 |
| Tuesday, March 8 | 10:30 a.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Tuesday, March 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Tuesday, March 8 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 (JIP TSN 3/4/5) |
| Wednesday, March 9 | 10:30 a.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Wednesday, March 9 | 3:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 |
| Wednesday, March 9 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 |
| Thursday, March 10 | 10:30 a.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1/3 |
| Thursday, March 10 | 3:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 |
| Thursday, March 10 | 8:30 p.m. | Pool Play | TSN 1 (JIP TSN 3/5) |
| Friday, March 11 | 10:30 a.m. | Tiebreaker | TSN 1 |
| Friday, March 11 | 2:30 p.m. | Playoff 1 | TSN 1 |
| Friday, March 11 | 8:30 p.m. | Playoff 2 | TSN 1/4 |
| Saturday, March 12 | 3:30 p.m. | Page Playoff | TSN 1 |
| Saturday, March 12 | 8:30 p.m. | Page Playoff | TSN 1/5 |
| Sunday, March 13 | 1 p.m. | Semifinal | TSN 1 |
| Sunday, March 13 | 8 p.m. | Final | TSN 1/4 |
What channel is the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier on in Canada?
The Brier will be broadcast on TSN, and RDS in French with live streaming available on TSN Direct, TSN.ca and the TSN app. Fans in the United States can watch the tournament on ESPN3.
The voice of Canadian curling, Vic Rauter, and Bryan Mudryk will have the call on-site in Lethbridge, Alta. They'll be joined by three-time Scotties champion Cathy Gauthier and 2006 Olympic gold medalist, multi-time Brier winner and men's world curling champion Russ Howard.
Where is the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier taking place?
The tournament will be hosted at the ENMAX Centre in Lethbridge, Alta.
Can fans attend the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier?
Fans are allowed back at the Brier after last year's tournament did not have them due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Province of Alberta lifted all capacity limits for large facilities and entertainment venues on March 1, meaning 100 percent capacity will be allowed at the ENMAX Centre.
What is the purse for the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier?
With 18 teams competing in 2022, the amounts awarded decreased slightly (down $5,000 each for first, second and third) to accommodate the extra teams.
Here's the breakdown for 2022:
Total purse: $300,000
1st: $100,000
2nd: $60,000
3rd: $40,000
Championship Pool (4th-8th): $15,000
Non-Championship Pool (9th-18th): $2,500
The winner of the 2022 Brier will represent Canada at the 2022 LGT World Men's Curling Championship in Las Vegas that runs from April 2-10.
Who won the last 10 Tim Hortons Brier?
2012: Ontario (Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Brent Laing, Craig Savill)
2013: Northern Ontario (Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden)
2014: Alberta (Kevin Koe, Pat Simmons, Carter Rycroft, Nolan Thiessen)
2015: Canada (Pat Simmons, John Morris, Carter Rycroft, Nolan Thiessen)
2016: Alberta (Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing, Ben Hebert)
2017: Newfoundland and Labrador (Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker)
2018: Canada (Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker)
2019: Alberta (Kevin Koe, B.J. Neufeld, Colton Flasch, Ben Hebert)
2020: Newfoundland and Labrador (Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker)
2021: Alberta (Brendan Bottcher, Darren Moulding, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin)
2022 Tim Hortons Brier pool standings
The 18 teams are split into two pools of nine, with each squad playing eight round-robin games. The top three teams from each pool advance to an expanded playoff round.
The No. 2 team in Pool A plays the No. 3 team in Pool B and the No. 3 Pool A team plays the No. 2 Pool B team in Page playoff qualifier games. The winners of those two contests advance to play the No. 1 teams of Pool A and Pool B. The winners of those games go to the Page 1v2 game, while the losers will compete in the Page 3v4 game.
After those first two Page playoff games, the standard Page playoffs begin with the winner of the Page 1v2 game advancing directly to the final. The loser plays the winner of the Page 3v4 game in the semifinal. The winner of the semifinal takes on the winner of Page 1v2 game in the finals for a chance to represent Canada at the 2022 LGT World Men’s Curling Championship in Las Vegas.
MORE: Why is Canada's men's curling championship called the Brier?
Pool A
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta (Koe) | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| Canada (Bottcher) | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| Saskatchewan (Flasch) | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Wild Card 2 (Dunstone) | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Ontario (Howard) | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| New Brunswick (Grattan) | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Prince Edward Island (Smith) | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Yukon (Scoffin) | 8 | 1 | 7 |
Pool B
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card 1 (Gushue) | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Northern Ontario (Jacobs) | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Wild Card 3 (Gunnlaugson) | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Manitoba (McEwen) | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| British Columbia (Pierce) | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Quebec (Fournier) | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Nova Scotia (Flemming) | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Northwest Territories (J Koe) | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Nunavut (Mackey) | 8 | 0 | 8 |
2022 Tim Hortons Brier pool schedule, results
Draw 1 (March 4, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
New Brunswick — 6
Wild Card 2 — 7.
Sheet B
Ontario — 4
Canada — 5
Sheet C
Alberta — 9
Saskatchewan — 8 (11)
Sheet D
Newfoundland and Labrador — 7
Yukon — 5
Draw 2 (March 5, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Wild Card 3 — 3
Northern Ontario — 5
Sheet B
British Columbia — 3
Manitoba — 10
Sheet C
Northwest Territories — 5
Nova Scotia — 11
Sheet D
Quebec — 3
Wild Card 1 — 9
Draw 3 (March 5, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Yukon — 13
Prince Edward Island — 7
Sheet B
Alberta — 14
Newfoundland and Labrador — 3
Sheet C
Ontario — 6
Wild Card 2 — 7
Sheet D
Canada — 6
New Brunswick — 4
Draw 4 (March 6, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Sheet A
Gushue (Wild Card 1) — 8
Nunavut — 1
Sheet B
Northwest Territories — 4
Quebec — 9
Sheet C
British Columbia — 4
Northern Ontario — 11
Sheet D
Manitoba — 6
Gunnlaugson (Wild Card 3) — 10
Draw 5 (March 6, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Ontario — 5
Alberta — 7
Sheet B
Dunstone (Wild Card 2) — 9
Yukon — 5
Sheet C
Newfoundland and Labrador — 4
New Brunswick — 9
Sheet D
Saskatchewan — 9
Prince Edward Island — 3
Draw 6 (March 6, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
British Columbia — 7
Northwest Territories — 3
Sheet B
Northern Ontario -- 7
Gushue (Wild Card 1) — 8
Sheet C
Quebec — 7
Gunnlaugson (Wild Card 3) — 9
Sheet D
Nova Scotia — 8
Nunavut — 4
Draw 7 (March 7, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Sheet A
Wild Card 2 — 9
Newfoundland and Labrador —3
Sheet B
New Brunswick — 4
Saskatchewan — 8
Sheet C
Prince Edward Island — 4
Canada — 11
Sheet D
Yukon — 3
Alberta — 9
Draw 8 (March 7, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Northern Ontario — 6
Quebec — 1
Sheet B
Gunnlaugson (Wild Card 3) — 6
Nova Scotia — 7
Sheet C
Nunavut — 1
Manitoba — 18
Sheet D
Gushue (Wild Card 1) — 8
Northwest Territories — 3
Draw 9 (March 7, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Canada — 8
Saskatchewan — 6
Sheet B
Newfoundland and Labrador — 4
Prince Edward Island — 6
Sheet C
Dunstone (Wild Card 2) — 8
Alberta — 6
Sheet D
New Brunswick — 4
Ontario — 5
Draw 10 (March 8, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Sheet A
Manitoba — 7
Nova Scotia — 4
Sheet B
Quebec — 9
Nunavut — 4
Sheet C
Northern Ontario — 8
Northwest Territories — 3
Sheet D
Gunnlaugson (Wild Card 3) — 9
British Columbia — 4
Draw 11 (March 8, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Alberta — 5
New Brunswick — 2
Sheet B
Saskatchewan — 6
Ontario — 3
Sheet C
Canada — 10
Yukon — 4
Sheet D
Prince Edward Island — 6
Dunstone (Wild Card 2) — 8
Draw 12 (March 8, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Northwest Territories — 3
Gunnlaugson (Wild Card 3) — 6
Sheet B
Nova Scotia — 7
British Columbia — 11
Sheet C
Manitoba — 6
Gushue (Wild Card 1) — 9
Sheet D
Nunavut — 2
Northern Ontario — 12
Draw 13 (March 9, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Sheet A
Saskatchewan — 12
Yukon — 3
Sheet B
Canada — 8
Dunstone (Wild Card 2) — 7 (11)
Sheet C
New Brunswick — 9
Prince Edward Island — 3
Sheet D
Ontario — 7
Newfoundland and Labrador — 3
Draw 14 (March 9, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Nova Scotia — 4
Gushue (Wild Card 1) — 10
Sheet B
Manitoba — 8
Northern Ontario — 6
Sheet C
Gunnlaugson (Wild Card 3) — 10
Nunavut — 1
Sheet D
British Columbia — 11
Quebec — 5
Draw 15 (March 9, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Prince Edward Island — 5
Ontario — 13
Sheet B
Yukon — 2
New Brunswick — 8
Sheet C
Saskatchewan — 8
Newfoundland and Labrador — 3
Sheet D
Alberta — 5
Canada — 4
Draw 16 (March 10, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Sheet A
Nunavut — 2
British Columbia — 9
Sheet B
Wild Card 1 — 6
Wild Card 3 — 5
Sheet C
Nova Scotia — 6
Quebec — 14
Sheet D
Northwest Territories — 3
Manitoba — 7
Draw 17 (March 10, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Newfoundland and Labrador — 3
Canada — 6
Sheet B
Prince Edward Island — 3
Alberta — 8
Sheet C
Yukon — 2
Ontario — 10
Sheet D
Wild Card 2 — 8
Saskatchewan — 9
Draw 18 (March 10, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A
Quebec — 9
Manitoba — 6
Sheet B
Nunavut — 4
Northwest Territories — 11
Sheet C
Wild Card 1 — 8
British Columbia — 7
Sheet D
Northern Ontario — 10
Nova Scotia — 2
2022 Tim Hortons Brier playoffs, schedule results
Tiebreaker (March 11, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Sheet A
Wild Card 2 (Dunstone) — 5
Saskatchewan (Flasch) — 9
Sheet C
Wild Card 3 (Gunnlaugson) — 9
Manitoba (McEwen) — 3
Playoff 1 (March 11, 2:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet A — A1
Wild Card 3 (Gunnlaugson) — 3
Canada (Bottcher) — 7
Sheet C — A2
Northern Ontario (Jacobs) — 3
Saskatchewan (Flasch) — 10
Playoff 2 (March 11, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet C — A3
Canada (Bottcher) — 4
Wild Card 1 (Gusuhe) — 3
Sheet D — A4
Saskatchewan (Flasch) — 2
Alberta (Koe) — 7
Page Playoff (March 12, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet B, 3 vs. 4
Saskatchewan (Flasch) — 7
Wild Card 1 (Gushue) — 9
Page Playoff (March 12, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Sheet B, 1 vs. 2
Canada (Bottcher) — 7
Alberta (Koe) — 9
Semifinal (March 13, 1 p.m. ET)
Sheet B
Canada (Bottcher) — 3
Wild Card 1 (Gushue) — 9
Final (March 13, 8 p.m. ET)
Sheet B
Alberta (Koe) — 8
Wild Card 1 (Gushue) — 9 (11)
