Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones will play the final game of her career with the team

Manitoba-Jones skips Jennifer Jones gets emotional after losing to Ontario-Homan in the Scotties final in Calgary, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Jennifer Jones' legendary playing career in women's curling came to an end Friday night at the Princess Auto Players Championship.

A packed house at the Jones Mattamy Athletic Center saw her bye after a 7-6 loss to Sweden's Anna Hasselborg, eliminating her Winnipeg team from playoff contention 1-4.

Tina Turner's “The Best” played over the arena's speakers in a fitting salute to the iconic skip who won Olympic gold, two world championships, six Scotties and one Grand Slam of curling titles.

“I feel good about my decision,” Jones told Sportsnet's Robbie Doherty after the game. “I mean, look at the crowd tonight, it was amazing, I'm so thankful for all the memories and all the people who came to support. I will miss him with everything in me, but I know I have so many great memories and I will always look back on them fondly.”

Jones recalled just a few of those memories, but being a part of the growth of women's curling over the past two decades is also something that holds special meaning for her.

“I think, I think, in 2005, our first championship shot in Canada, the Olympic gold medal, the semi-finals in that Olympics and the trials in Winnipeg, there are many things, but also when the women finally came. To the slams, all of them,” Jones told Doherty. “Like the players, our first, then all of them, and how women's curling has evolved over the time that I've been involved. It was so much fun to be a part of this journey. I think that's something I'm really grateful for.”

This is not a final goodbye, but a goodbye for now. Jones plans to continue playing mixed doubles with her husband, Brent Laing, and will also serve as a strategic advisor to The Curling Group, a new venture that has acquired the Grand Slam of Curling series from Sportsnet.

Jones would have to win to extend his tournament and career as he would advance to a tiebreaker against Kerry Einarson (2-3).

“It was such an honor to be on the ice for his 'last dance,'” Hasselborg said. “We played a really good game, Jenn played a really good game, it was a fun game. You don't get many games like this in your career, where the house is full and people are cheering for every frame. It was something I will always remember.”

That was the first half, with the teams trading singles in the first and second, then doubles in the third and fourth.

Jones forced another single in the fifth, but in the sixth, his last rock burned into the guards, allowing Hasselborg to knock it out of the park for a three count and an eventual 6-4 lead.

You can never count out Jones, and his last rock in the seventh came around the keeper to return Hasselborg's counter for the tie.

Still, Jones had to steal the win and Hasselborg cleaned up the house by doubling his first skip stone. Jones made a hit with his final rock in the Grand Slam of Curling, and Hasselborg took it out and held on for the win.

It was a big day for Hasselborg, who beat Stefania Constantini's team 5-4 in the morning draw as her team qualified for the playoffs with a 3-2 record.

“We've been playing better and better and today was our best day,” Hasselborg said. “I'm looking forward to playing well and making the playoffs.”

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