This marked the fifth time the Brier was held in Regina, the first time since2006.
The 2018 tournament was the first to use a new 16-team format, featuring representation by all fourteen member associations ofCurling Canada, alongside the defending champions (as Team Canada), and a newwildcard team. As part of this new format, the Bronze medal game was removed from the schedule.
Curling Canada introduced a new 16-team format for both the Brier andTournament of Hearts for 2018, under which all 14 member associations of Curling Canada are now represented in the main field, rather than being limited by a pre-qualifying tournament. The teams were divided into two pools for round robin play, after which the top four teams from each advanced to a Championship Pool. Alongside the inclusion of the previous year's champions as Team Canada, the final spot in the tournament was filled by awildcardplay-in game held on the Friday before the tournament.[1]
TeamCanada'sBrad Gushue set a new record for the most Canadian national men's championship game wins as a skip when he skipped the 114th victory of his Brier career over theNorthwest Territories on March 5.[2]
Each team that finished fifth through eight in their pool played the team that finished in the same position in the opposite pool for the purpose of determining final tournament ranking. For example, the winner of the game between fifth place teams was ranked ninth place overall, the loser of that game was ranked tenth place, and so on.
All wins and losses earned in the round robin (including results against teams that failed to advance) were carried forward into the Championship Pool.
^British Columbia's alternateBrad Wood threw lead stones after the fourth end during Draw 2, because leadDavid Harper abruptly left the tournament to join his wife for the birth of their second child.[3] Wood continued to throw lead stones for the rest of the Brier except for Draw 10; Harper returned to throw lead stones against Newfoundland and Labrador before leaving once again.[4] Before Team BC's placement round match, thirdJeff Richard left to join his wife for the birth of their child; in their game against New Brunswick, secondAndrew Nerpin threw third stones, while alternate Brad Wood and Nerpin split the throwing of second stones.[5]
^abNorthern Ontario's alternateTanner Horgan threw lead stones during Draws 9, 19 & 20; leadRyan Harnden was hospitalized with an illness for a day during Draws 19 and 20.[6]
^abDuring Draw 9, Quebec's alternateÉmile Asselin threw lead stones for the last 3 ends.
^abcDuring Draw 8, Yukon'sWade Scoffin threw second stones for six ends; leadSteve Fecteau threw second stones for three ends, while alternateClint Ireland threw lead stones for three ends.
Canada
Alberta (Brendan Bottcher)
Wildcard (McEwen)
Northern Ontario (Jacobs)
Ontario (Epping)
Saskatchewan (Laycock)
Nova Scotia (Murphy)
British Columbia (Geall)
Quebec (Fournier)
New Brunswick (Grattan)
Yukon (Scoffin)
Northwest Territories (Koe)
Newfoundland and Labrador (Smith)
Prince Edward Island (MacKenzie)
Nunavut (St. Louis)
