Trophies, rivalries and a bar: What curlers expect in Rock League’s debut season

Curling is set to enter the great unknown.

Debuting Monday, Rock League is just a little different from your typical tournament, from mixed 10-player teams to new rules to a bar that will be positioned in between the sheets on the ice.

After an Olympic season full of marquee events, it’s hard not to wonder whether ending with a potentially gimmicky — though forward-thinking — one will affect the competitiveness on the ice.

“I’m not setting my expectations too high,” reigning Scotties champion and Shield Curling Club’s Kerri Einarson said.

“Going into playing with a whole new team, there’s even language barriers there and some things that we’ll have to work through as a team. But I think key to this week’s success would definitely just be going out there playing relaxed, enjoying it, having fun and whoever has the most fun and who’s chill and not so uptight will have success this week.”

Then again, Shield will meet Northern United in its second match on Tuesday, and the European-heavy team doesn’t appear to have any let-up.

“We’re all taking it very seriously. It’s maybe got the view of being a bit fun and a good atmosphere, but I think the curling itself is gonna be quite intense and quite a competitive atmosphere,” Northern captain Bruce Mouat said.

“And I think we’re all here for the same reason. We don’t want to be here [just] to participate. We all want the trophy at the end of the day.”

Indeed, by Sunday, one of six squads will twist their custom handle on a curling rock that makes up the league trophy and become champions of the inaugural Rock League season.

Action begins Monday at Toronto’s Mattamy Athletic Centre, with three draws per day and live coverage throughout on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.

Sweden’s Isabella