Tim Horton's Brier 2015: Dates, Draw Schedule, Format for Curling Event

The 2015 Tim Hortons Brier is set to begin on Saturday in Calgary with 12 teams from across Canada competing for one of the biggest prizes in curling.

As ever, the winner of this year's Brier will go on to represent Canada in the World Men's Championship, beginning in late March.

Thus the stakes are very high ahead of the action at the Scotiabank Saddledome, with reigning champions Alberta—this year competing as Team Canada for the first time—looking to make it two victories in succession.

Proceedings begin on Saturday, Feb. 28 with the start of the round-robin phase when each team will play each other. The full schedule is available via curling.ca.

The main draw opens up with Northern Ontario's clash with Quebec, following the Brier's first ever pre-qualifying stage which sees Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island (PEI) and the Yukon battling for the final place in the tournament proper.

As noted by The Guardian's Dave Stewart, the Yukon were convincing winners in the pre-qualifying opener:

Following the round-robin phase, a Page playoff round will decide who competes in March 8's final, the top two teams meeting for the first knockout round with the winner advancing straight to the final.

The loser of the first playoff match will move to the semi-final to face the victor of the knockout match between the teams who finished third and fourth at the round-robin phase.

The standout clash in this year's schedule sees Team Canada face Team Alberta on Tuesday.

Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

Victorious Brier skip from 2014, Kevin Koe, left the triumphant Alberta side soon after last year's win, to be replaced in Team Canada by John Morris.

Koe replaced retiring legend Kevin Martin and leads Team Alberta in this year's tournament. He will face his old teammates on Tuesday in the 2015 Brier's most anticipated match.

Morris is already a two-time Brier champion—from 2008 and 2009—and also picked up a gold medal at the 2010 Olympics.

Thus, the 36-year-old has enormous experience and will be looking to lead his new side to another victory this time around, and he is clearly eager to make an impact with Team Canada, per TSN:

"

This is an historic event. Having a Team Canada there and to be asked to skip it from the other guys, it's amazing. I feel great and very grateful for it and I'm looking forward to putting on that Maple Leaf at the Saddledome.

"

There is set to be plenty of pedigree on show at this year's Brier with two other Olympic champions also taking to the ice.

Sochi gold medallist in 2014 Brad Jacobs leads the team from Northern Ontario, while 2006 champion Brad Gushue competes for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Calgary is set for nine days of intense action and immense quality with some of the world's best curlers on show, and as ever, the stakes are incredibly high.