Nicole Baldwin’s Yukon rink is ready to rock.

The 2016 Scotties Tournament of Hearts gets underway in Grande Prairie, Alta., tonight with a pre-qualifying round to determine the final entry into the 12-team main draw.

Baldwin, 35, is captaining Yukon’s roster at the Canadian women’s curling championship.

Her rink also includes third Steph Jackson-Baier (from Victoria), second Ladene Shaw, lead Rhonda Horte and fifth Sandra Mikkelsen.

The team arrived in Grande Prairie Wednesday afternoon.

“Our goals are to play well, get through relegation and represent the Yukon in the Scotties main draw,” Baldwin told the Star this morning. “You can’t predict the future and you can’t do anything about the past, so we’re just living in the moment.”

Baldwin’s rink earned the territorial title two games to one over Jenna Duncan last month.

Yukon’s single round-robin schedule begins at Revolution Place tonight with a game against Northwest Territories skip Kerry Galusha at 7 p.m. MT.

On Friday, Yukon faces British Columbia’s Karla Thompson of Kamloops at 7:30 a.m., then Nunavut’s Geneva Chislett of Iqaluit at 4:20 p.m.

The top two teams following the mini tournament will square off in the play-in game on national television Saturday at 1:30, all times MT.

B.C. – the last-ranked team from last year’s Scotties – joins the three territories in the relegation round. Neither Yukon, nor N.W.T. advanced out of the pre-tournament in 2015, while Nunavut is taking part for the first time.

Baldwin is familiar with her northern rivals, but Thompson will be a new challenger.

The southpaw beat out two-time Scotties champion Kelly Scott to take the B.C. title last month.

But regardless of the competition, Baldwin’s rink is raring to get going.

“Of course there’s always going to be butterflies and excitement knowing that you’re representing the Yukon,” said Baldwin.

“But we’re ready. We’re prepared. We’re ready to play.”

Georgina Wheatcroft, a B.C. curler who owns an Olympic bronze medal, is coaching Yukon’s entry.

If Baldwin and company manage to crack into the main draw, they will square off against some of the world’s best teams.

Defending champion Jennifer Jones and teammate Jill Officer will take aim at their record-tying sixth gold medal.

If successful, the duo would join Colleen Jones as the only six-time winners of the national tournament.

The Scotties main draw – which will be televised on TSN – will wrap up next Sunday, with the final set for 6:30 p.m.