(Image Credit: Team Gushue/Facebook)

By Curtis Galbraith

Curling

Last Brier for Team Gushue starts Friday

Feb 27, 2026 | 3:26 PM

The 2026 Brier that starts Friday in St. John’s will be the last for Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue team.

The Gushue side will open against Quebec in the first draw. It will start at 4 p.m. Friday Alberta time.

Beaverlodge’s Geoff Walker has been the lead on the Gushue rink for many years, during which time the rink has won the Brier six times.

 Walker says it is bittersweet knowing this is the last one.

 “I haven’t known anything other. Brad asked me to join the team 15 years ago, and when I went to my first Brier, it was very exciting.”

 “Now, looking back on what we’ve accomplished over (that) time, it’s pretty special, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. But, we’re not just going to have fun and cherish the moment, as much as it’s going to be great, we still want to try and win it.”

Walker still expects this Brier to be mostly the same as the others he has played in.

“I think the biggest thing is the crowds are going to be unbelievable, and I think it’s going to be a really good atmosphere to play in.”

 “Obviously, with being home in St. John’s for our team and  being Brad’s last Brier, I think people are going to be showing up in droves, and I think it’s going to be quite the moment.”

Walker joined his teammates on Wednesday after travelling was delayed by snowstorms.

“We were supposed to come out on Saturday, myself and (second) Brendan (Bottcher) and our coach Jeff (Hoffart), and we got hung up in Toronto for almost five days.”

 “We were practicing there, at least. We were able to find some ice in Toronto and still get on the ice.”

 Walker says the whole team did not practice together until Wednesday.

 The Gushue team won the Brier the last time it was in St. John’s in 2017. Walker says that was also the team’s first Brier win.

 “That was special, so we’re looking to repeat the same results from that one. That would be a pretty special way for Brad to go out, for sure.”

 Walker says he has “some ideas) about where his curling career will go next.

“I would like to play at least another quad, so at least another four years and go from there.”

“We’ll get through this week first, and then, I would imagine, there will be a lot of news and stories coming out.”

The Alberta champions start Saturday against the Manitoba champs at 11 a.m. Alberta time. Former Grande Prairie resident Kevin Koe is skipping the Alberta side this year.

The other teams taking part include the newly-crowned Olympic champions, skipped by Brad Jacobs.