There are prior dates by which the Feds need to list anyone who might be appointed, and then, at least in the past, another date before the Olys in which the potential up-to-eight need to be submitted. I suspect the skaters/teams would be told before then if they aren't on the second list. I believe Weaver or Poje said that CAN chose to tell them they were out of the TE just before the Olympics, and it was not easy, and I'd think USFS would not want that to happen and would have everyone do the NDA thing.
I think there are very few decisions that will be made based on what another country will do for the SP and RD, except where there are two equal-for-their-strongest-program competitors -- ex: US Women, French Men, maybe ITA Men if they want to split and have Grassl do the FS -- but I don't see how that would impact USFS strategy on who skates the SP/RD. I think the only up-in-the-air selection worldwide for the RD is whether FB/C are in. Maybe they'll agree to do the FD, knowing the likelihood of qualifying is that much smaller if they don't skate the RD
because, unless Conti/Macii are too injured, FRA would likely need FB/C's RD score to qualify for the final.
The strategy is more whether Malinin and Chock/Bates would need to skate both, due to the odds at the time the decision needs to be made, and that might be known only after the RD/SP's shake out, plus the FD's for determining subs for the rest.
So I don't think USFS would be giving anything away if they announced the expected skaters for the SP/RD, with a possibility of up to two subs in the FD/FS. However, it would provide a mass of speculation and distraction, though, for all of the skaters except for Pairs, where they could only split if Men and Dance aren't.
