Seasoned Team Gushue tops Young talent in all-Newfoundland and Labrador tilt

If you’re going to learn a lesson from anyone on the ice at the 2026 Montana’s Brier, presented by AGI, then there are few better to have as a teacher than the winningest skip in Montana’s Brier history: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue.

And when you’re one of the best to ever play the game, with an astounding record 193 career Brier wins to your name (including Monday’s) those lessons don’t get handed out for free, as Team Gushue bested Newfoundland and Labrador’s Team Nathan Young (2-3; St. John’s) 8-5 on Monday evening at the sold-out Mary Brown’s Centre in St. John’s.

The win keeps Gushue, alongside his RE/MAX Centre – St. John’s Curling Club squad of third Mark Nichols, second/vice-skip Brendan Bottcher, lead Geoff Walker, alternate Adam Casey, and coach Jeff Hoffart, at a perfect 4-0 record and tied for Pool A’s interim lead with Team Canada’s Brad Jacobs (4-0; Calgary).

Though the NL versus NL matchup was certainly a headliner for the ever-avid curling fans in St. John’s, the atmosphere gave the game distinct meaning to Gushue, knowing he’d be facing a peer and someone who he has taken onto his squad as a fifth player at the 2022 Pan Continental Curling Championships in Calgary.

“It’s pretty special,” said Gushue. “I haven’t had the chance to play (against) Newfoundland too much in my career. But Nathan is a good dude and I really enjoy being around him. He came with us as a fifth to the Pan Continental before, so to play him at a Brier, to play him in front of a sold-out house, it was awesome. It was a cool atmosphere out there.”

Team Young held tough for the first half of the game, even leading the venerable Team Gushue 3-2 after the third end, but a fifth-end long in-off allowed Gushue to steal two and lead by as many headed into the break.

“I think we’re playing really well,” said Gushue. “Nathan and his team challenged us — they made some really great shots early in the game to hold them in it and force us to play well.”

The shot proved to be a palpable momentum shift in favour of the grizzled vets and was, to borrow a Newfoundland saying, some sweet.

“Once we got that steal of two, I could really feel the momentum switch,” said Gushue. “I made a really good shot there on my first. A lot of risk, if I miss that, and we’re probably looking at giving up three or four. Huge turn-around and after that I really think we kept our foot on the gas and applied some pressure.”

Gushue has undeniably put in the hard hours on the road to being an Olympic gold and bronze medallist and a six-time Montana’s Brier champion, boasting 23 Brier appearances; another Canadian men’s record. Young may be on the same trajectory if the similarities between Gushue and Young persist.

“We’re both from Newfoundland, we both work really hard at it,” said Gushue. “We both were coached by Jeff Thomas growing up, so a lot of similarities. I’m looking forward to watching him and whoever else represents Newfoundland, but there’s no doubt in the next five or 10 years, we’re going to see more of Nathan Young. He’s a great player.”

For now, Gushue is happy to pass the torch to whoever may come to represent Newfoundland and Labrador in the future.

“Yeah, certainly, I’m done,” laughed Gushue. “We’re going to have to pass the torch. We do have some good young players, and more to come, like Zachary French, who went to the under-18’s this year and made the playoffs. Hopefully we can continue to develop them because you’re going to need more than one or two. When you get a bunch, they can push each other; that’s what Mark and I did when we were growing up.”

In other Monday evening action from the 2026 Montana’s Brier, Team Québec’s Jean-Michel Ménard (3-1; Des Collines, Glenmore, Belvédère, Etchemin, Valleyfield) won its third straight, 8-5 over Team Nova Scotia’s Kendal Thompson (1-3; Halifax) while Prince Edward Island’s Team Tyler Smith (2-3; Crapaud) banked an 8-6 win over Saskatchewan’s Team Kelly Knapp (1-3; Regina), and Ontario’s Team Jayden King (3-2; Tillsonburg) bettered Nunavut’s Team Derek Samagalski (0-5; Iqaluit) 8-3.

Team Canada, skipped by Brad Jacobs, had the bye Monday evening.

The 2026 Montana’s Brier continues Tuesday with draws at 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (all times NT).

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2026 Montana’s Brier are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/.

TSN and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the 2026 Montana’s Brier. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.

For ticket information for the 2026 Montana’s Brier, go to www.curling.ca/2026brier/tickets/

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/fr/2026brier/nouvelles/