Jocelyn Peterman Joins Team Einarson in Major Roster Overhaul

GIMLI (Azat TV) – Two-time Olympian Jocelyn Peterman has officially joined Team Einarson as lead and vice, a move that anchors the squad’s significant roster reconstruction following their silver-medal finish at the 2026 world women’s curling championship in Calgary. The announcement comes just days after the Gimli-based rink parted ways with longtime third Val Sweeting, coach Reid Carruthers, and alternate Krysten Karwacki.

Strategic Tactical Adjustments for Team Einarson

The recruitment of Peterman facilitates a specific tactical evolution for the team. While Peterman takes over the lead position and assumes the role of vice, her responsibilities include calling skip stones from the tee. This adjustment allows the team to maintain the high-efficiency sweeping dynamic that has defined their recent success. Shannon Birchard, who moves up to the third position, and Karlee Burgess, now playing second, will continue to serve as the team’s primary sweepers for skip Kerri Einarson’s stones.

Building Toward the Next Quadrennial

This restructuring represents a pivot for the team as they look toward the upcoming 2026-27 season and the next Olympic quadrennial. Team Einarson, which has secured five Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles since 2020, sought to preserve its competitive edge after the departure of core personnel. According to reports from The Canadian Press, the team emphasized that Peterman’s extensive experience—garnered during her time with Jennifer Jones and, most recently, Kaitlyn Lawes—adds necessary depth and versatility to their lineup.

Peterman’s Path to the Gimli Rink

Peterman, 32, arrives at the team after her previous squad, skipped by Kaitlyn Lawes, opted to take a year off from competitive curling. Her resume includes a 2016 Scotties title, a 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials victory, and appearances at both the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the 2026 Milan Cortina Games in mixed doubles. Her transition to Team Einarson is viewed by analysts as a calculated effort to integrate a proven veteran into a high-stakes environment without sacrificing the team’s established physical sweeping capabilities.

The shift reflects a deliberate tactical decision to leverage Peterman’s experience as a vice while prioritizing the sweeping prowess of Birchard and Burgess, suggesting that the team is prioritizing refined on-ice communication and specialized roles to maintain their status as a top-tier international contender.