John Epping believes the sky’s the limit for his new Manitoba rink
john epping announced on Wednesday (ET) that he has formed a Manitoba-based rink with B. J. Neufeld, Ryan Wiebe and Ian McMillan. The move comes after his team fell short in the Northern Ontario final this season and the Horgan brothers left, leaving Epping and McMillan to explore new options. He said Manitoba’s deep field — including Braden Calvert and Jordon McDonald — will make provincial qualification a tougher task.
John Epping: new Manitoba lineup and immediate challenge
john epping will skip a lineup that pairs his experience with established Manitoba names. The announced roster lists B. J. Neufeld at third, Ryan Wiebe at second and Ian McMillan at lead, with the team slated to play out of Manitoba for the 2026-27 season. Neufeld brings a long résumé — a Canadian championship with Team Kevin Koe, a silver medal at the World Men’s Curling Championship that same year, a finalist finish at the 2017 Olympic Trials, 10 Brier appearances and seven Grand Slam titles — after being cut by Team Matt Dunstone and later linking with Reid Carruthers in 2025-26 without securing a Brier berth. Wiebe, 25, recently parted ways with Team Sam Mooibroek and makes his Manitoba return after a lone Brier appearance in 2025. Ian McMillan, a Dryden native who now lives in Winnipeg, joins Epping again after skating with him in prior seasons.
Early season form, recent results and roster history
john epping’s recent competitive record is part of the backdrop to this move. His team lost the Northern Ontario final this season after a key error against an underdog opponent, leaving him watching the Brier from the couch despite a top-eight world ranking earlier in the season. Team Epping also posted a 3-4 mark at the Canadian Curling Trials in November. For Epping, who has made four Brier appearances with a bronze medal in 2018 as his best finish, the shift to a Manitoba base is driven by both roster reality and the desire to remain alongside McMillan when the Horgan brothers opted to join other plans.
Immediate reaction
“Manitoba has always been such a strong province, ” said John Epping, skip of his new Manitoba-based rink, acknowledging the stiff provincial competition ahead. He added that teams led by Braden Calvert and Jordon McDonald present immediate tests that will demand consistency from his new lineup.
Quick context
john epping spent the past two seasons competing out of Northern Ontario with Jacob and Tanner Horgan and Ian McMillan; when the Horgan brothers left to join other plans, Epping and McMillan explored playing options and settled on Manitoba. The newly announced team will be entered for competition in the 2026-27 season.
What’s next
With the roster locked, expectations now shift to how quickly the new quartet gels and performs against Manitoba’s entrenched contenders. Watch for the team’s first competitive outings in the lead-up to provincial playdowns, where john epping and his teammates will have to navigate a crowded field to reach nationals in the coming season. The rink’s early results and entry list for provincial qualifiers will determine whether the optimistic projection that “the sky’s the limit” holds up on the road to the Brier.
