The 2016 Manitoba men's curling championship kicks off next week in Selkirk.

This year's event has a new sponsor and a new trophy but features familiar names chasing the title.

The top seeds and opening matches were officially unveiled Thursday morning at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

Reid Carruthers’ West St. Paul foursome will have a target on their back as the province's top men's curling teams hit the ice next week in Selkirk – the defending Manitoba champion was named the number one seed.

"We were three last year and managed to win and there's been years before when we weren't the number one seed,” said Carruthers. “It's an honour to be named it by my peers but there's so many good teams in this field."

Five-time finalist Mike McEwen comes in as the number two seed.

Despite disappointing finishes at past provincials, third BJ Neufeld said the Fort Rouge squad remains confident heading into the event.

"We want to win this pretty badly,” said Neufeld. “We're going to work really hard and put our heads down and try to make it happen."

The number three seed, William Lyburn, said his team has been curling well and hopes to be in conversation come the playoff round next Friday.

"The last four years it's kind of been up and down,” said Lyburn. “We've either been right to the end or not there on the Friday night so it's just important to go in and play a good solid game and make sure we're up for every game no matter who it is."

Rounding out the top five – two teams from East St. Paul skipped by Alex Forrest (the number five seed) and Daley Peters (the number four seed).

Not on that list, 2016 Canadian junior men's champion Matt Dunstone.

Dunstone will compete and received high praise from opponents as a team to watch next week in Selkirk.

"They've been really good all year,” said Neufeld. “They've beat us a couple times and obviously we all watched them in the Canadian junior final and they were very impressive. It's going to be a good championship."

It all gets underway next Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. at the Selkirk Recreation Complex.