According to Donna Spencer of the Canadian Press on Tuesday, Kevin Koe has named a new second. He has decided to replace Jacques Gauthier with Aaron Sluchinski of Drayton Valley, Alberta.
It is interesting that Sluchinski is joining Koe as his second when Sluchinski beat Koe in the final of the 2024 Boston Pizza Cup on February 11 by a score of 6-3 in Hinton, Alberta. Sluchinski’s win over Koe was considered a significant upset at the time. Sluchinski won his first Alberta Provincial Men’s Curling title, and had teamed up with Jeremy Harty, Kerr Drummond and Dylan Webster.
The reason why Koe made this change was due to performance. According to Gauthier, he was cut by Koe. Gauthier admitted he did not have a very good Brier in March, as the team had a record of two wins and six losses. However, the entire team did not curl well. Interestingly, Sluchinski clobbered Koe 8-4 in draw one of the event.
Koe will reportedly have Sluchinski hold the broom when he throws his final two stones in every end. At 49 years of age, there is speculation that Koe may retire after this Olympic cycle leading up to and including the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Ironically it was in Cortina d’Ampezzo where Koe won the World Men’s Curling Championship for the first time. In 2010, Koe beat Norway 9-3 in the final.
