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In just four months, a campaign that started with such optimism is essentially over. 

"There's nothing left to play in," said coach Glenn Howard. "So it's really unfortunate. I guess it is what it is in today's curling (world).

"The team has disbanded and I'm no longer coaching them because there's no team."

The departure of third Karlee Burgess on Jan. 2 for a position on Team Kerri Einarson sealed the team's fate. Her exit left the team one player short of the minimum required for pre-qualification at the Scotties. 

With the deadline passed for provincial playdowns, avenues to the Feb. 14-23 national playdowns were shut down.

In a social media post confirming the Burgess news, the team said it will "make announcements in the near future on our team's plans." None have been forthcoming and Carey has declined media interviews, including a request made Wednesday night.

The team page on X, formerly known as Twitter, still includes a picture of Carey, Burgess, second Emily Zacharias and lead Lauren Lenentine. The page has been dormant for nearly three weeks.

Howard, who's coaching his son, Scott, and daughter, Carly, at the Ontario playdowns this week, said he chatted with Burgess before she made her decision. 

"It does affect a bunch of us," Howard said. "Obviously Chelsea, Emily, Lauren and (I), it does affect quite a bit. That's the unfortunate part of making this type of decision. Karlee by no means took this lightly but she knew there would be repercussions as a result of it and that's the hardest part you've got to deal with."

Burgess, who's filling in for injured Team Einarson second Shannon Birchard for the rest of the season, made her debut with the squad last week at the WFG Masters in Guelph, Ont. Burgess said it was a great opportunity and she was excited to have a fresh start. 

Einarson, a four-time Scotties champion, is ranked second in Canada. Carey, who succeeded Jennifer Jones at skip, started the season at No. 2 but has slid to 11th.

Team Einarson reached the playoffs in its first competition with Burgess in the lineup before losing in the quarterfinals.

"This is the problem with curling: you don't have an owner or a manager or anybody to make these decisions," Howard said. "You make them as a player and it's difficult. But that's the way curling is. 

"There seems to be a lot of changes in curling these days that I'm not used to. It did come as a shock to me."

Team Carey played in seven events this season but did not reach a semifinal. 

The poor results also left the Winnipeg-based team outside the qualification standard for the 2025 Grand Slam of Curling events. The squad also lost its pre-qualified berth in the ºÃÉ«tv Curling Trials. 

Zacharias played a limited schedule this season due to work and school commitments. That forced the team to either play as a trio or use substitute players.

"It's really hard," Howard said of the lineup adjustments. "You can play it off like it isn't, but it's hard."

TSN reported that Lenentine was going to join Team Einarson as an alternate at the Scotties. The Winnipeg-based team, which learned last week that lead Briane Harris was eligible to return from a provisional suspension, has yet to announce its full roster plans. 

This is the first year that Curling Canada named all three pre-qualified Scotties entries before the start of the season. Last year, the final wild-card team was named on the eve of nationals once the provincial/territorial playdowns were complete.

Edmonton's Selena Sturmay — next in line on the 2023-24 rankings list that determines early entry — claimed the vacated Scotties berth while Einarson secured the spot for the trials.

"Karlee is a very flexible curler, she can play any position," Howard said. "She's obviously going to be a really good fit for them. Upbeat, outgoing, great teammate."

This report by ºÃÉ«tvwas first published Jan. 22, 2025.