The host province hasn’t won a Canadian Men’s Curling Championship since Rick Folk’s Saskatoon foursome turned the trick way back in 1980.

This year’s Tim Horton’s Brier starts Friday in Regina with the wild-card game and preliminary round-robin play beginning Saturday. While not from Regina, the Saskatoon-Nutana team, skipped by Steve Laycock, will be the home foursome. For Laycock, this will be his sixth Brier appearance and third as a skip.

In addition, for the first time in Canadian Men’s Curling history, there will be 16 teams in the field…10 provincial champions, three territorial winners, Northern Ontario, defending champion Brad Gushue and a wild-card team…either Mike McEwen or Jason Gunnlaugson. Saskatchewan will be in Pool B…along with Northern Ontario, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Nunavut.