(by Jason Simmonds)
ST. JOHN’S – It will not be a surprise if the P.E.I. crowd adopts the Brad Gushue rink at the Sun Life Financial Grand Slam of Curling Players’ Championship in Summerside from April 17 to 22.
PEICurling.com photo: Brett Gallant (left), Adam Casey (right)
Adam Casey of Seven Mile Bay and a product of the junior program at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside, is the rink’s third stone while Brett Gallant of Charlottetown will play second stone.
Casey steps into the position vacated when Ryan Fry part ways with the team recently. Casey and Gallant curled together in junior.
“Brett is obviously a P.E.I. guy, so we figured it would be an easy fit,” said Gushue. “And with his history with Adam too, it was a pretty easy selection based on a comfort standpoint, and the fact he is going to be at home.
“We figured it would be a nice opportunity for him.”
Next year
Gushue said the possibility of Gallant joining the rink next year has been discussed.
“It’s definitely a possibility,” said Gushue, 31. “We want to see how it works (this week). We’ve put ourselves in a position to have the luxury to see how it is going to work by making the move at the time we did.
The Players’ Championship marks the first time Gushue will play in a tour event on P.E.I. His first round-robin game is against recently-crowned world champion Glenn Howard on Wednesday at 4 p.m.