Jeff Stoughton confirmed this evening that Mark Nichols will move to Winnipeg and replace Steve Gould at lead for his team, as they attempt a run for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. Nichols left Brad Gushue’s Newfoundland team at the end of the 2010-2011 season, and joined the Stoughton rink for the Players’ Championship in Summerside this past April. Nichols was replaced on the Gushue rink by PEI native Adam Casey. Charlottetown’s Brett Gallant recently joined the Gushue team, as well, replacing Ryan Fry.

PEICurling.com photo: Mark Nichols talks to Brad Gushue (back to camera) at the Players’ Championship in Summerside

Nichols played third with Gushue for 13 years, winning Olympic gold in 2006 in Turin, Italy, as well as the 2001 world junior men’s title (PEI’s Suzanne Gaudet rink won the junior women’s that year). The St. John’s native also skipped Newfoundland and Labrador to the province’s first and only national mixed championship.