Registered: Jan 2009
Location: Hovel of Fame
Posts: 11912

Only 2 names:
Homan + Schiedegger

Homan is still the most accurate & tough shot-pelter in the Canadian women's game. Top to bottom the best trained unit, too!

Scheidegger has been quietly amping up their game the last 3 to 5 years and have now superceded veterans like Jennifer Jones, Michelle Englot, Chelsea Carey.

The most interesting theme this year is the amazing battle for 3rd.

Both Tracy Fleury & Kerri EInarson are formidable foes - tough outs who only wilt vs. exceptionally accurate shot-pelters like Homan & Scheidegger.

Jones is still a formidable group - but they have a few too many weaknesses to be considered as anything more than an outside threat for Canadian gold. JJ now misses more than her fair share of shots - though still an amazing clutch shooter. Her team is solid but JJ's game invokes a higher degree of difficulty than all other teams - meaning more missed shots on the front side and at 3rd.

Rocque, SIlvernagle, Beth Peterson, Carey will always apply pressure to anyone they play but don't have the necessary horse-power to plough thru great fields.

Krista McCarville will always represent a viable threat from Northern Ontario - but are the least trained team at the top. That's her downfall. Krista is an amazing defensive skip who can thwart the best of them. But their lack of offensive output is the team's downfall. Krista is the inverse of JJ Jones - curling's biggest risk-taker. Krista minimizes risk unless behind by 2 or more.

Casey's biggest challenge is to get thru Alberta - where the moody Chelsea Carey is her #1 impediment. However, like last season, Casey will be able to fall back on the Scotties late entry game. She's just too strong not to get thru.

Silvernagle may not be an overwhelming threat for Sask'n but she's the #1 threat. Followed closely by Englot & Sherri Anderson, amongst others.

Fleury, Jones & Einarson will slug it out in a mini-Scotties in Manitoba. Very hard to call - Jones is the legend + more clutch than her two primary foes.

McCarville., Homan & Scheidegger virtual auto-berths. Carey is auto-berthed for the 2020 Scotties so Alberta will be Casey's for the taking - Laura Walker & Rocque trying to outdo her for the berth.

Scotties play-in game should be fascinating this year. Pick 2 of following:

Jones, Fleury, Rocque, Einarson, Silvernagle, Anderson, Walker, Peterson.

And if Homan is unexpectedly toppled in Ontario - add Rachel to the cluster for the final spot.

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Registered: Sep 2014
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An interesting analysis, ML, but I don't think Kerri Einarson and Tracy Fleury are in a race for third. Einarson and Fleury have beaten Scheidegger and Homan respectively this year. I believe the Jones team rolled through a bonspiel undefeated already too. I would put these five teams in the top tier, and any one of them can win on any given day. Scheidegger perhaps has the most to prove on the big stage.

Four of these teams are in Portage this weekend along with some very good international teams, so we should get a sense of where the Canadian teams stack up against each other and the world. That's my $0.02.

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Registered: Jan 2011
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quote:

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Originally posted by Qtownranger
An interesting analysis, ML, but I don't think Kerri Einarson and Tracy Fleury are in a race for third. Einarson and Fleury have beaten Scheidegger and Homan respectively this year. I believe the Jones team rolled through a bonspiel undefeated already too. I would put these five teams in the top tier, and any one of them can win on any given day. Scheidegger perhaps has the most to prove on the big stage.

Four of these teams are in Portage this weekend along with some very good international teams, so we should get a sense of where the Canadian teams stack up against each other and the world. That's my $0.02.

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Registered: Jan 2009
Location: Hovel of Fame
Posts: 11912

Team Homan clearly deliver the highest percentages in the shot-pelting department. They try hard to keep games simple and hammer control is almost life 'n death to them.

Homan already has 3 Scott titles to her credit and Jones had none at age 30. Obviously Homan has major warts appearing on her international and Olympic scorecard.

Fleury & Einarson are real comers. Einarson jumped her previous ship and somehow built the most powerful front end in women's curling plus has a former big name skip at 3rd. Kerri's downfall is she is occasionally sullen and her personal game flips between 70 + 90%. Fleury doesn't have the power game of Einarson but she's got a feisty 3rd plus 2 very good to excellent front-enders. Very strong mentally.

Scheidegger is the "Not as Mean" girls of the West. Shot-pelters from a way back. McTaggart now an elite 3rd. Entire team mirrors Team Homan - except Casey has bagels for Canadian titles.

Jones, now the legendary plodder still has an elite front end and an absolutely elite 3rd, although Kaitlyn seems to be coming off a less than stellar year. Still as clutch a shooter as there is in mens or womens game.

Her team degree of difficulty takes a few percentage points off Kaitlyn in particular and JJ now drives from 65 to 85% most outings. Still a force but no guarantee to emerge from Manitoba with Fleury & Einarson always lurking.

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