Quick Read
- Val Sweeting has joined Kayla MacMillan’s Victoria-based rink as third after eight seasons with Kerri Einarson.
- The move comes shortly after Sweeting helped Team Einarson secure a silver medal at the 2026 World Women’s Curling Championship.
- Team MacMillan, currently seventh in the national rankings, expects the veteran’s addition to make them favorites for the 2027 Scotties.
VICTORIA (Azat TV) – In a significant roster shift for the Canadian curling circuit, eight-time Grand Slam champion Val Sweeting has officially joined Kayla MacMillan’s Victoria-based rink. The move, announced Monday, April 13, 2026, marks the end of Sweeting’s highly successful eight-season tenure as the third for Kerri Einarson’s Gimli-based squad.
A strategic shift for Team MacMillan
The addition of the 38-year-old veteran to the Victoria Curling Club rink is expected to immediately elevate the team’s national standing. Currently ranked seventh in the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS), Team MacMillan sought Sweeting’s extensive experience to bolster their competitiveness. Sweeting, who holds five Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles, will retain her role as third, replacing Brittany Tran on a roster that features second Lindsay Dubue and lead Lauren Lenentine.
The end of an era with Team Einarson
The transition follows a silver-medal performance at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Calgary last month. According to reports from the Winnipeg Free Press, the separation from the Einarson rink was not entirely unexpected, as rumors had circulated throughout the 2025–26 campaign. Despite the difficulty of parting ways after nearly a decade of dominance, Sweeting expressed confidence in her decision, noting that she admired MacMillan’s calm demeanor and shot-making abilities.
Elevating the Victoria rink
The MacMillan rink’s ambition is supported by a high-profile coaching staff, including seven-time world champion Niklas Edin. With Sweeting joining a core that includes talented young players like Dubue and Lenentine, industry analysts at TSN suggest the team is now poised to become a favorite to represent British Columbia at the 2027 Scotties in Charlottetown. Sweeting concluded her final season with Einarson ranked second among all thirds, boasting an 83.1 percent shooting accuracy.
The departure of such a decorated veteran from a championship-caliber team like Einarson’s, coupled with her immediate integration into an up-and-coming squad like MacMillan’s, underscores the aggressive pursuit of veteran leadership as teams look to reset their competitive trajectory following the conclusion of the 2026 Olympic cycle.