Men's Olympic Trials almost set

The men’s lineup for the Olympic Trials is almost set. There’s really just one spot left and two teams in the running for it. The fate of those two teams is out of their hands and in the hands of a third team that’s already in.

Let’s look at who will be filling the final eight spots for the trials process.

From 2008-09
Right now those teams would be:
Brad Gushue (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Mike McEwen (Manitoba)
Joel Jordison (Saskatchewan)
Jean-Michel Menard (Quebec)

From the three-year standings:
Bob Ursel (B.C.)

From the two-year standings:
Greg McAulay (B.C.)
Daley Peters (Manitoba)

From this year:
Ted Appelman (Alberta)

However, this is subject to change based on the play of Appelman. While Appelman’s position is solid, the one team whose fate is questionable is Daley Peters, whose not even at the Players’ Championship.
If Appelman loses his quarterfinals game, then the standings remain as above. However, a win by Appelman would propel him past Menard in getting one of the four spots based on the 2008-09 standings.
Menard then would take one of the two-year spots and McAulay would keep the other knocking Peters out.
That would then take us to the final spot, based on this year’s standings and that would go to Sean Geall of B.C.
So Geall’s hopes are still alive and rest on the shoulders of Appelman.

Now that’s four the final eight spots in Prince George at the pre-trials. But what about the final two direct spots in the Olympic Trials in Edmonton.
Going into this week, Kevin Koe and Wayne Middaugh were in front for those spots but with Middaugh’s failure to qualify for the playoffs at the Players’ the Ontario team has lost that chance.
Kevin Koe, who beat Middaugh to make the playoffs, has now ensured his spot at the Roar of the Rings in Edmonton through the three-year accumulated standings.
For the last spot, through the two-year accumulated standings, Jeff Stoughton’s qualification at the Players’ has almost assured him that spot.
If Stoughton wins his quarterfinal game, he will cinch the spot with 356.7 points.
If he were to lose his quarterfinal game, he would be left with 351.7 points, leaving a small opening for Randy Ferbey. However, the only way Ferbey could get that last spot would be by winning the Players’ and then he would walk away with the crown by less than five points — 356.288. If he loses again in the Players’, then Stoughton can book his tickets for Edmonton and not worry about Prince George.