Men's Curling at the 2026 Olympics: Roster Breakdown & Bracket Analysis

Carter
13 minutes ago
3 min read

If Mixed Doubles is a sprint, the Men’s Tournament is a heavyweight boxing match. From February 11th to 21st, the most tactical minds in the sport will clash in Cortina.

The 2026 field represents a massive "changing of the guard." While legends like Niklas Edin return, familiar faces like John Shuster are out, replaced by a new generation of sharpshooters. Here is your guide to the teams, the drama, and the medal favorites.

🇺🇸 The USA Shock: Enter Team Casper (see GreatCurlings interview w/ Casper Here)

For the last two Olympics, American curling was John Shuster. But 2026 brings a new era.

The Team: Daniel Casper (Skip), Luc Violette, Ben Richardson, Aidan Oldenburg.
The Story: In a stunning upset at the US Trials, the young Team Casper defeated Team Shuster to book their ticket to Italy. Casper, a former World Junior Champion, plays an aggressive, high-risk style that contrasts sharply with the defensive "peel game" of the older generation.
The Question: Can a team with zero Olympic experience handle the pressure of the Cortina ice?

⚔️ The "Big Three" Favorites

While the US brings a wildcard, three European giants are the undisputed favorites for Gold.

1. The Dynasty: Sweden (Team Edin)

Skip: Niklas Edin
Resume: Defending Olympic Champions (2022), 7x World Champions.
The Vibe: Inevitable. Niklas Edin is widely considered the "GOAT" of modern curling. His team (Oskar Eriksson at third) is a machine. They don't just beat you; they grind you down.
Why they could lose: They are the oldest team in the field. Can they keep up with the physical sweeping power of the younger teams?

2. The Heavyweights: Great Britain (Team Mouat)

Skip: Bruce Mouat
Resume: World #1 (2024-2025), 2022 Olympic Silver Medalists.
The Story: Bruce Mouat lost the Gold Medal to Edin in 2022 by one inch in the final end. That loss has fueled a four-year revenge tour. They are technically the best hitting team in the world.
Key Stat: They rarely miss cheap shots. If you give them an open draw, they will take it.

3. The Home Heroes: Italy (Team Retornaz)

Skip: Joël Retornaz
Resume: World Ranked #1 for much of the 2024/25 season.
The Story: Retornaz has transformed Italian curling from an afterthought to a powerhouse. Playing in front of a home crowd in Cortina, they will have the loudest advantage in the tournament.

🇨🇦 The Canadian Redemption: Team Jacobs

The Team: Brad Jacobs (Skip), Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, Ben Hebert.
The Story: Canada left the 2022 Olympics without a Men's medal, a national crisis. They have responded by sending a "Super Team."
The Twist: Brad Jacobs won Olympic Gold back in 2014. He has returned to the top specifically to "fix" Canadian curling. This team is built for power—they throw harder than anyone else, which helps keep the stone straight on the dedicated Olympic ice.

📅 Key Matches to Watch (Round Robin)

Feb 11: USA vs. Italy. (Casper’s debut vs. the loud home crowd).
Feb 14: Sweden vs. Great Britain. (The Gold Medal Rematch).
Feb 18: Canada vs. USA. (The North American rivalry).

🏁 Final Thoughts: A Clash of Generations

The 2026 Men’s Tournament is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in Olympic history. We are witnessing a collision between the "Old Guard"—legends like Niklas Edin and Brad Jacobs who have defined the sport for a decade—and a fearless new wave of talent led by Team Casper and Team Mouat.

The ice in Cortina will be unforgiving, and the margin for error will be microscopic. One missed peel or a heavy draw could be the difference between Olympic immortality and going home empty-handed.

The Action Doesn't Stop Here While the men rely on brute power, the Women’s game is often defined by pure finesse and technical perfection. Don't miss our breakdown of the final event of the Games: Read the 2026 Women’s Curling Preview.

Missed the start of the Olympics? Catch up on the chaos of the Mixed Doubles Tournament to see how the ice will be played earlier in the week.