There will be a new men’s Winter Olympic curling champion crowned at the AMJ Players’ Championship after Team Brad Gushue of Canada fell short of reaching the playoffs in Toronto. In a dramatic twist of fate, Gushue’s title defense came to a premature end at the hands of Italy’s Team Joël Retornaz, who edged out the reigning Winter Olympic curling champs 7–6 in an extra end on Friday.
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Winter Olympic Curling: Gushue’s Olympic Legacy Under Threat
The clash was a rematch of last year’s Winter Olympic curling final but delivered a very different outcome. While Gushue stood atop the podium a year ago, this time he bowed out of the event with four consecutive losses, marking a sharp downturn in performance. In contrast, Team Retornaz—already eliminated from playoff contention after a tough week—played spoiler with a defiant win in their final round-robin Winter Olympic curling game, salvaging pride and sending Gushue packing. You Can Read Winter Olympic 2026: World Mixed Doubles Olympic Curling Championship 2025
The match encapsulated the contrasting trajectories of the two teams. Retornaz’s rink had endured a disappointing string of results, but found a spark of brilliance when it counted most. For Gushue, the tournament began with promise—opening with a win over Team Matt Dunstone—but quickly unraveled. The four straight losses that followed sealed their fate and marked a concerning trend for the decorated Winter Olympic curling skip.
Grand Slam Woes Continue for Gushue
For Gushue, the loss at the Players’ Championship is part of a broader slump in the Grand Slam of Curling series. The veteran skip has now lost 11 of his last 12 games in Slam events, a stat that is nearly unthinkable for a team with such pedigree. A 15-time Grand Slam champion, Gushue has long been a fixture atop the curling world, but recent results have cast a shadow over his current form. The critical moment came in Friday’s game when Gushue, holding the hammer and a one-point lead coming home, had the chance to close things out.
Instead, he gave up a steal that allowed Retornaz to tie the game and force an extra end. In the additional frame, Gushue’s final draw came up short, conceding the decisive point and ending his championship defense.
It’s frustrating, Gushue admitted post-game. We just didn’t execute well enough all week. You can’t afford to give teams like Retornaz that many chances. while Gushue’s credentials are unquestioned, this latest setback raises questions about the team’s momentum heading into the summer and toward the 2025–26 Winter Olympic cycle.
The Road to Winter Olympic Milano-Cortina 2026: Canada’s Quest for Olympic Curling Glory
With the Winter Olympic Milano Cortina 2026 inching closer, every major event between now and then carries extra weight. For Canadian teams, especially veterans like Gushue, the Grand Slam circuit offers both a competitive platform and a proving ground. Performances here help shape Olympic team selections and overall readiness.
Gushue, who led Canada to a bronze medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and competed again in Beijing 2022, remains one of the country’s top skips. However, as the competition intensifies, the margins grow thinner. Canada is under increasing pressure to reassert itself internationally after recent Olympic disappointments in both men’s and women’s Winter Olympic curling.
European Olympic Curling Rising: A New Challenge for Canada at Winter Olympic Milano-Cortina 2026
Italy’s win, meanwhile, is a reminder of the growing strength of European curling. Retornaz’s team has been a rising force on the world stage and will likely play a central role at Milano-Cortina, where Italy hopes to challenge for its first Winter Olympic curling medal.
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The internationalization of the sport has shifted the Olympic landscape. Nations like Sweden, Scotland (as Great Britain), Switzerland, and Italy have all invested heavily in high-performance programs, narrowing the gap with Canada. Gushue’s loss to Retornaz isn’t just a blip—it’s indicative of the fierce parity in modern Winter Olympic curling.
Canada’s Crowded Winter Olympic Curling Field
Looking ahead to Olympic qualification, Canada faces an increasingly competitive domestic field. Alongside Gushue, skips like Brendan Bottcher, Matt Dunstone, Kevin Koe, and the emerging Team Carruthers are all battling for position. With Winter Olympic Curling Canada expected to determine its Olympic representatives through trials or selection events, consistency on the Grand Slam and international circuit will be paramount. For Gushue, turning things around will mean rediscovering the precision and strategy that made his team one of the most feared in the sport. His experience is invaluable, but recent performance may impact his standing heading into the next Olympic cycle.
Still, the Newfoundland and Labrador native is no stranger to adversity. Over the course of his career, Gushue has weathered slumps, rebuilt teams, and delivered under pressure. His Olympic gold in 2006 remains a career highlight, and his ability to bounce back from setbacks is well-documented. We’ve got work to do, no question, Gushue said. But we’ve been here before. You regroup, you learn, and you push forward.
Italy’s Rising Olympic Curling Power: A Dark Horse for Milano-Cortina 2026
While the tournament ends early for Team Retornaz, nevertheless, the victory over Gushue provides a confidence boost and offers a glimpse of their potential. Moreover, as the host nation at the next Winter Olympics, Italy will receive automatic qualification in the men’s curling event. This advantage gives Retornaz a valuable runway to prepare, test lineups, and refine their strategy on home ice. As the host nation at the next Winter Olympic, Italy will receive automatic qualification in the men’s Winter Olympic curling event. That gives Retornaz a valuable runway to prepare, test lineups, and refine their strategy on home ice.
The Italian skip has steadily built a world-class squad and, with home support in Milano Cortina 2026, could emerge as a dark horse contender for the podium. Their performance in the Grand Slam, even with early exits, shows they are capable of beating the best on any given day.
Retornaz’s rise parallels that of several non-traditional curling nations gaining traction. The globalization of curling has intensified Olympic competition and will make the Winter Olympic 2026 Games the most unpredictable in years.
The Road Ahead: Gushue’s Olympic Legacy and the Quest for Redemption
For now, Gushue and his team will likely take time to reassess and refocus. The Grand Slam of Winter Olympic Curling season continues, and with the Players’ Championship now behind them, eyes turn to the remaining events and the lead-up to Olympic qualification. While missing the playoffs is a blow, it’s not a fatal one. Curling is a game of peaks and valleys, and Gushue has the track record to engineer a rebound. His leadership, experience, and competitive fire remain assets that few teams can match.
But the clock is ticking. With Winter Olympic Milano Cortina 2026 on the horizon and a hungry field of challengers nipping at their heels, Team Gushue must rediscover their spark—and fast. For a skip who’s stood atop the Olympic podium and claimed nearly every accolade the sport has to offer, the path forward is clear: return to form, or risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving Winter Olympic curling landscape.
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