Team Saskatchewan's Playoff Hopes Dashed at National Curling Championship
Team Saskatchewan's journey at the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts has come to an end, with the squad failing to secure a spot in the playoff round of Canada's premier women's curling championship. Skipped by Jolene Campbell for the first time in a decade, the Regina Highland Curling Club team saw their tournament hopes extinguished on Wednesday following a crucial loss to Team Ontario.
Mississauga Disappointment for Saskatchewan Curlers
The national women's curling championship in Mississauga, Ontario proved challenging for Campbell and her teammates. The Saskatchewan squad, featuring third Robyn Silvernagle, second Rachel Big Eagle, lead Dayna Demmans, alternate Callan Hamon, and coach Ben Gamble, faced elimination after falling 8-4 to Hailey Armstrong's Team Ontario in what became a must-win situation.
This defeat officially removed Saskatchewan from playoff contention, as only the top three teams from each nine-team pool advance to the championship weekend. The loss marked a disappointing conclusion to what began as a promising return to the national stage for Campbell as skip.
Rollercoaster Performance Throughout Tournament
Team Saskatchewan's path through the round robin was marked by dramatic highs and lows. After winning the provincial championship for the first time in ten years, Campbell opened the Scotties with an 11-3 loss to Nova Scotia's Taylour Stevens before rebounding with an 8-5 victory over British Columbia's Taylor Reese-Hansen.
The team then demonstrated resilience with a remarkable 6-5 comeback win against Nicky Kaufman's Team Northwest Territories. However, momentum shifted with subsequent losses to Team Quebec (7-2) and Team Canada (10-4), the latter featuring skip Kerri Einarson. A 10-4 victory over Yukon kept playoff hopes temporarily alive before the decisive loss to Ontario.
Experienced Squad with Deep Scotties History
For Campbell, this tournament represented her sixth career appearance at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Her most recent participation came as third for skip Chelsea Carey's Regina squad in 2022. Prior to that, Campbell last skipped a Saskatchewan team in 2016, following three years as an alternate with Amber Holland from 2010 to 2012.
Silvernagle brought considerable experience to the team, making her fourth Scotties appearance after previously skipping Team Saskatchewan in 2019, 2020, and 2023. Her best result came in 2019 when she earned a bronze medal at the national championship.
Big Eagle, formerly Erickson, participated in her third Scotties but her first as an active player after serving as an alternate in 2021 and 2022. Demmans was making her tournament debut, adding fresh energy to the veteran lineup.
Looking Ahead to Saskatchewan's Curling Future
Saskatchewan concludes their round robin schedule with a Thursday afternoon match against Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes. While playoff aspirations have ended, the tournament provides valuable experience for the developing team.
The province's last Scotties victory dates back to 2011 when Amber Holland's rink—featuring third Kim Schneider, second Tammy Schneider, lead Heather Kalenchuk, and Campbell as alternate—claimed gold in Prince Edward Island by defeating defending champion Jennifer Jones and Team Canada. That championship team went on to secure silver at the World Women's Curling Championship in Denmark.
Despite the early exit from playoff contention, Team Saskatchewan's performance at the 2026 Scotties demonstrates the competitive depth of Canadian women's curling and sets the stage for future championship pursuits.
