Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
Kelly Knapp is heading into this year’s Montana’s Brier with some extra confidence.
After winning his second career provincial SaskTel Tankard title last month in Melville, the Regina product is set to lead Team Saskatchewan into the national men’s curling championship for the first time since 2023.
“They were very different feelings,” said Knapp. “In 2023, I had never done it before, so it was more surprising at that time.
“I didn’t even know if (that) day would ever come or what that feeling would be like whereas this (year), I was cautiously optimistic just with the season that we were having.
“We were feeling quite good going in and it just felt more like a realistic possibility to me.”
Knapp, third Brennen Jones, second Dustin Kidby, lead Mat Ring, alternate Trent Knapp and coach Brian McCusker will begin play in Pool A at the 2026 Montana’s Brier on Saturday as they take on defending champion Brad Jacobs and Team Canada, fresh off an Olympic gold medal.
A second Saskatchewan team is also in the field as Mike McEwen and his Saskatoon squad will be in Pool B, with their first draw on Saturday afternoon against the Northwest Territories.
As for Knapp, while the Highland Curling Club squad didn’t play in a ton of events this season, they were extremely successful in the ones they did play in as the group won four of the five Saskatchewan Curling Tour events they entered.
The foursome also qualified for the playoffs on the Tier 2 side of the Grand Slam of Curling’s Canadian Open event in December in Saskatoon.
“We went and played in that, which was only a few weeks before our Tankard provincial, and we did very well in that,” said Knapp. “We beat three of the top 20 teams in the world. So I think that was a really big confidence boost for us to make playoffs in that tough field and just realize the level that our game is at.
“I think that the timing of that event and just our performance there was exactly what we needed going into Melville.”
And in Melville, Knapp and company put together a 7-1 round robin record, losing only to defending champion Rylan Kleiter in the round robin. After Knapp beat Kleiter in the 1 vs. 2 page playoff game to book his spot in the final, the two teams would meet for a third time in the week after Kleiter advanced to the final with a win over Steve Laycock in the semifinal.
And the championship game came down to the final end with Kleiter narrowly missing his final shot giving Knapp the win, which capped off his ninth win in 10 games over the span of seven days after going 5-0 to win in 2023.
“(2023) was a triple knockout, and we were one of the top four seeds, so we didn’t have to play in the first draw,” said Knapp. “Really it only took us three games to qualify out of the A side, and then we had the 1 vs. 2 game and then the final. And three of those five games were against the same team, the Steve Laycock team. It was a much shorter, lighter week for us, whereas this one was a Sunday-to-Sunday event and we had a full round robin.
“(This year) was just a very long, gruelling week. And obviously it started off quite well for us; we were always near the top of the standings. And with each passing game, you start thinking more and more of what’s to come, even though you’re trying your hardest to stay in the moment.”
After nearly seven weeks after their Tankard win, Team Knapp is now headed to St. John’s, N.L. this week knowing more of what to expect the second time around.
“That big arena feel is a new experience,” said Knapp, who went 4-4 at the 2023 Brier, narrowly missing the playoffs. “I remember our first game at the Brier back in 2023, it was against Team Dunstone. They were the No. 1 seed; a very experienced team.
“We had gone from playing on very keen ice the entire season, throwing 15 seconds from hog to hog, and then suddenly our first game with a Brier, the ice is frosty, draws are running about 13 and a half (seconds), and we’re televised on TSN.
“It was just all a very different feel. That type of experience is invaluable.
“I’ve wanted to get back to the Brier the past few years,” continued Knapp. “We had an OK showing there in 2023 and I just feel like myself, personally, and our team, we’ve taken the next step here and I’m just so happy to get back and I think we can do better this time.
“I think it feels sweeter in that sense just to try and get a bit of redemption on playoffs and utilize the skills and the experience that we’ve gained since 2023.”
While Knapp and Jones have remained in their positions since 2023, Kidby, a two-time Brier bronze medalist who was an alternate on Knapp’s team in 2023, has taken over the second position while Ring has joined the team at lead and will play in his first Brier with Trent Knapp, Kelly’s twin brother who was the team’s lead in 2023, now serving as the alternate.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in in the experience of those guys and Matt had his best event of the entire year and just shows that when the pressure is on that he’s that he’s going to bring his best,” said Knapp. “I think that our game is more finely tuned. We’re throwing higher percentages. Our confidence is definitely there.
“I feel a lot better about my own game and my own development compared to 2023 so if all goes to plan, it should lead to a better result. But you’ve got to bring it up at the right time and you need a few breaks as well.”
tshire@postmedia.com
