Six Teams Emerge as Contenders for 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Championship
The playoff picture is now clear at the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, with six elite teams remaining in contention for the Canadian women's curling championship. After seven intense days of round-robin competition at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, the field has been narrowed to three Manitoba squads, two Nova Scotia crews, and one Alberta rink.
Veteran Experience Meets Youthful Energy in Playoff Mix
The surviving teams represent a fascinating blend of championship experience and emerging talent. Three skips bring previous national championship experience to the playoff stage: Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes, Nova Scotia's Christina Black, and Alberta's Selena Sturmay. These veteran competitors understand the pressure of curling's biggest stage and will rely on their past experiences as they navigate the playoff format.
Meanwhile, two rinks are making their first appearance at the national championship: Manitoba's Beth Peterson and Nova Scotia's Taylour Stevens, whose crew represents the youngest team among the six playoff contenders. Their fresh energy and enthusiasm have already made an impact on the tournament, with Stevens expressing both excitement and determination about their playoff berth.
"That's crazy to hear that we're in the playoffs," said the 25-year-old skip from Chester, Nova Scotia. "I'm going to cry again. This was our goal all along, and we've accomplished our first goal, but we don't want to let loose or anything. We're still going to play hard in the playoffs."
Defending Champions and Undefeated Teams Highlight Field
Adding to the championship pedigree is Kerri Einarson's rink, which won three consecutive Scotties titles from 2020 through 2023 and now competes under Team Canada's colors. The 38-year-old skip from Selkirk, Manitoba, expressed enthusiasm about the tournament's competitive balance and the emergence of new talent.
"It's amazing to see the newer teams doing well," Einarson remarked. "It's really good for our sport. There's so many young talented curlers out there."
The round-robin results showcased exceptional performances, with both Lawes and Peterson finishing with perfect 8-0 records to claim top seeds in their respective pools. Lawes represents Winnipeg's Heather Curling Club, while Peterson hails from Winnipeg's Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club.
"We all believe in each other," said Laura Walker, second for Kaitlyn Lawes' rink. "But you never expect to go undefeated in a round robin with a field as good as this."
Playoff Format and Matchups Set for Friday Competition
The playoff system follows the Page playoff format used in recent Scotties tournaments. The top three teams from each pool advance to Friday's qualifying round, where the first-place teams from each pool will face the second-place teams from the opposite pool in 1-v-2 seeding games scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
The matchups feature Peterson against Einarson and Lawes versus Black. Winners of these seeding games advance directly to the playoff round, while the losing teams drop to the 3-v-4 seeding games at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, where they'll face the third-place teams from each pool.
The complete list of playoff teams includes:
- Kaitlyn Lawes (Winnipeg's Heather Curling Club) - 8-0 record, top seed from Pool A
- Beth Peterson (Winnipeg's Assiniboine Memorial CC) - 8-0 record, top seed from Pool B
- Kerri Einarson (Gimli Curling Club) - 7-1 record, second seed from Pool A
- Christina Black (Halifax Curling Club) - 6-2 record, second seed from Pool B
- Taylour Stevens (Halifax Curling Club) - 6-2 record, third seed from Pool A
- Selena Sturmay (Edmonton's Saville Community Sports Centre) - 6-2 record, third seed from Pool A
As the tournament moves into its decisive phase, the question remains whether youth will be served in replacing Rachel Homan as Scotties champion, or whether veteran experience will prevail in the battle for curling supremacy.
