麻豆社区

Thomas Scoffin has received the call to the big leagues.

The longtime Yukon curling standout will play second for Brendan Bottcher鈥檚 rink at the National in Oshawa, Nov. 10 to 15.

The Pinty鈥檚 Grand Slam of Curling event will be televised on Rogers Sportsnet. The elite series of men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 curling events, which are part of the World Curling Tour, features the world鈥檚 best teams.

Bottcher鈥檚 Edmonton rink is currently ranked eighth in the world.

Bottcher鈥檚 regular second, Brad Thiessen, will be representing Alberta at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, being held simultaneously in nearby Toronto.

Usually a skip, the 21-year-old Scoffin said he doesn鈥檛 mind throwing weight and sweeping for Bottcher.

鈥淚t will be a change for me, but I鈥檝e got the skillset,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e played peels and draws before, so I鈥檒l just go out there and try to execute. I鈥檓 joining a really, really good team and I鈥坖ust want to fit in.

鈥淚鈥檓 super humbled to have this opportunity so early in my competitive men鈥檚 curling career,鈥� he said, noting the Yukon鈥檚 鈥渢ight鈥� curling community has played an important role in all of his achievements.

鈥淚鈥檝e accomplished a lot in the past decade, but I鈥檝e had a lot of help along the way from the community of Whitehorse.鈥�

Other members of Bottcher鈥檚 group are third Tom Appelman and lead Karrick Martin 鈥� Kevin Martin鈥檚 son.

Scoffin will take on some of the world鈥檚 top teams during the event, as Bottcher鈥檚 rink is in the same pool as current Olympic champion Brad Jacobs, defending Brier champion Pat Simmons and Sweden鈥檚 Niklas Edin.

Still, the University of Alberta student didn鈥檛 sound fazed in an interview this morning.

鈥溾�滻鈥檓 not nervous yet,鈥� Scoffin told the Star. 鈥淚鈥檓 just super excited to be participating in a Grand Slam event. It will be the biggest competition I鈥檝e played in so far, and I鈥檓 looking forward to it.鈥�

Currently the skip of the University of Alberta Golden Bears varsity rink, Scoffin said he will enter the provincial Brier playdowns this season, but his 鈥渦ltimate goal鈥� is to see his rink repeat as Canadian Interuniversity Sport champions.

Scoffin was the obvious choice to replace Thiessen, said Team Bottcher鈥檚 coach Rob Krepps.

鈥淗e has all the same knowledge of systems and strategies as Team Bottcher,鈥濃�圞repps said. 鈥淭hey come out of the same program. ... I鈥檓 sure he鈥檚 going to perform very well.鈥�

Scoffin last represented Yukon at the 2012 Canadian juniors in Napanee, Ont., where the territory finished tied for fifth with a 7-5 record.

Ironically, Bottcher鈥檚 Alberta rink won that national junior title.

The following year, Scoffin led Alberta all the way to the junior final, before falling to Manitoba鈥檚 Matt Dunstone in Fort McMurray, Alta.