In a surprising turn of events, Team Chelsea Carey has lost its coveted spots at both the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay and the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax following the unexpected exit of third Karlee Burgess to the rival Team Kerri Einarson from Manitoba. Curling Canada confirmed this major shake-up on Friday.

According to Curling Canada’s regulations, a team must maintain at least three of its previous players to keep its qualification status. With Burgess leaving, Team Carey now finds itself perilously short, as they only retain two players from the previous season’s lineup.

This departure allows Alberta's Team Selena Sturmay to seize the pre-qualified spot for the Scotties, while Burgess's new team, Team Einarson, will benefit by securing their Trials spot. Team Einarson has proven to be a formidable opponent in recent competitions, having won the past two Scotties titles and showcasing their prowess on the national scene.

Burgess had a standout performance previously playing with six-time Canadian champion Jennifer Jones, reaching the finals in the last two Scotties tournaments but ultimately falling short against Team Einarson in 2023 and Team Rachel Homan in 2024. With Jones now retired from four-person curling, the experienced two-time Scotties champion, Chelsea Carey, has stepped in to lead the Winnipeg-based rink for this season.

Despite the turmoil, Team Carey had a strong ranking in the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) and initially qualified for the 2025 Scotties with Burgess, Emily Zacharias, and Lauren Lenentine returning to the fold. However, with Burgess's departure, the team must now regroup and rebuild.

The setback doesn't end there; they were also in line for a spot at the Olympic Trials being the highest unqualified team on the CTRS at the conclusion of the last season. The stakes are incredibly high as the team navigates through the rest of the season, striving to reestablish themselves in the competitive curling landscape.

As the curling community watches with bated breath, will Team Carey be able to overcome this hurdle and reclaim their spot in the spotlight? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain—this season just got a whole lot more interesting! Stay tuned for updates as Team Carey embarks on their challenging road ahead!