KELOWNA, B.C. — Numerous blowout games. A 6-2 team missing the playoff cut. No tiebreakers.
The 18-team format at the Montana's Brier has had its share of critics even though six strong teams made it to the playoff round at Prospera Place.
Six-time Brier champion Brad Gushue went one step further after round-robin play concluded by suggesting that relegation - a much-criticized qualification round that was only used for a few years - be considered again.
"I think it would be worth a discussion," Gushue said. "I'm not advocating for it but I think that's the best option that's been shared with me that gets us back to that full round-robin that I used to love playing and I think the fans (loved).
"It gets the best teams there. It's worth talking about."
In the relegation format, which Curling Canada called a "pre-qualifying" stage when it was used from 2015-17, the four lowest-seeded provinces and territories played a round-robin.
The winner would reach the main draw and the three losing teams would go home. Longtime Northwest Territories women's skip Kerry Galusha weighed in on the subject on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
"As someone who participated in all 3 years of relegation it made us work harder and get better…not saying it’s the answer but we are going to see lopsided games for years to come until the Northern teams start working harder and travelling more. I knew what we had to do."
Curling Canada moved to a 16-team setup for the Brier and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2018. The defending champion and all provincial and territorial winners were given direct entry along with a wild-card team.
Two pools of eight teams were used in a format that has since expanded to 18 teams with three pre-qualified entries based on the previous season's rankings.
Format debate found another gear this past week when Northern Ontario's John Epping and Manitoba's Reid Carruthers finished tied for third place in their pool at 6-2.
Their head-to-head record was the tiebreaker, leaving Epping on the outside even though a 5-3 team from the other pool - Nova Scotia's Owen Purcell - made the cut.
"It's weird to play a Brier and it's a double-knockout," Epping said.
Supporters feel the format creates more intensity in the early going. The cutoff for the Friday qualifying games ahead of the Page playoffs heightens mid-week drama.
Top rinks still play hard because seeding and hammer are on the line. At the same time, several teams in the field have essentially no chance against the well-funded, well-travelled powerhouse rinks.
"We're trying to make everybody happy and we're not making anybody happy," said Brent Laing, who coached Mike McEwen's Saskatchewan side. "It's a bit of a mess."
Darren Moulding, who coached Thomas Scoffin's Yukon team, said ranking imbalance in the pools can also be a factor. He noted that sometimes in pro leagues like the NHL, MLB or the NFL, a team with a mediocre record can sneak into the playoffs.
"In sports, it's never perfect," he said. "If you change the format to make that not happen, there's going to be something else that you sacrifice."
Nunavut's Shane Latimer and Aaron Bartling of the Northwest Territories both went 0-8 in round-robin play.
Bartling was dumped 20-2 in his second game and gave up an average of almost 11 points a game. Latimer, meanwhile, was outscored 83-25 over his eight losses.
"I don't see with the way it's currently structured how it helps these lower-ranked teams to come in here and get blown out," said former Curling Canada event manager Warren Hansen. "I know it's a big thrill for a lot of them (to be here).
"But I can't really see myself enjoying coming into this venue and this setting and getting completely annihilated, which a lot of them have this week."
Curling Canada announced in 2023 that the current format for the national playdowns will remain in place through next season.
"If any changes are made, they would begin in the next (Olympic) quadrennial," an organization spokesman said via email.
Another intriguing format quirk came after Alberta's Brad Jacobs went a perfect 8-0 in round-robin play and then lost his first qualifying game.
That forced him into a situation where his only route to a title would be four straight must-wins in the playoffs.
Jacobs was one victory away from doing just that after a 7-5 semifinal win over Gushue on Sunday afternoon. He was scheduled to play Manitoba's Matt Dunstone in the evening final.
"At the end of the day, there's certain games you can't lose," Laing said. "I don't know all the answers.
"The old format was a lot simpler, that's for sure."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2025.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
