Canadian Men 2017-18 season news & updates

[Sylvia]

(I used some of the links posted in the Canadian Ladies thread started by @danafan - thanks!)

Grand Prix assignments - as published on May 26, 2017:
Patrick Chan: Skate Canada (#2) & NHK Trophy (#4)
Kevin Reynolds: Cup of China (#3) & Skate America (#6)
Nam Nguyen: Rostelecom Cup (#1)
Keegan Messing: Skate Canada
TBD at Skate Canada International

2017-18 National Team Bios:
https://skatecanada.ca/patrick-chan/
https://skatecanada.ca/kevin-reynolds/
https://skatecanada.ca/nam-nguyen/
https://skatecanada.ca/nicolas-nadeau/
https://skatecanada.ca/keegan-messing/

Competitions listed on the international assignments page include 6 ISU Challengers: https://skatecanada.ca/national-team/international-assignments/

2017 Junior Grand Prix selection criteria: https://info.skatecanada.ca/hc/en-c...n-to-Jr-Grand-Prix-International-Competitions
Canadian men have 6 JGP slots this year. Likely candidates for the JGP spots are those on the NextGen list (excluding Stephen Gogolev who is too young still - he turns 13 in December): https://skatecanada.ca/nextgen/

Speaking of Gogolev, Samuel Chouinard called him a "Hip-hop Beast" in this video clip from last month: https://www.instagram.com/p/BVssyAilxu9/

Nam Nguyen & Roman Sadovsky practicing their side-by-side 4S: https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5XriVBNCL/
(Meagan Duhamel's comment )

Scheduled for summer competitions:

Skate Detroit (July 21-22):
Keegan Messing

Minto Summer Skate (July 27-30):
Senior includes: Nam Nguyen, Roman Sadovsky, Nicolas Nadeau, Liam Firus, Bennet Toman, Stephen Gogolev...

Quebec Summer Championships (Aug. 10-13):
Senior includes: Elladj Balde, Liam Firus, Edrian Paul Celestino...

 

[danafan]

Minto Summer Skate (July 27-30):
Senior includes: Nam Nguyen, Roman Sadovsky, Nicolas Nadeau, Liam Firus, Bennet Toman

This looks like a potential skate off for the Skate Canada host pick!

 

[Habs]

This looks like a potential skate off for the Skate Canada host pick!

My early pick for SC is Nadeau, but I'm curious to see what these guys bring to the table!

 

[JoannaLouise]

Quebec Summer Championships (Aug. 10-13):
Senior includes: Elladj Balde, Liam Firus, Edrian Paul Celestino...

So glad to see that Elladj is entered for an early-season event!
After his showing at Nationals last year, I was afraid he would decide to retire.

 

[victorskid]

I'm really sorry I won't be volunteering/attending Minto Summer Skate this year but I can't be in two places at once

I'll be anxious for reports and hoping for videos!

 

[Sylvia]

Minto is supposed to be live streamed this year for the first time.

 

[algonquin]

Any news on Patrick's programs?

 

[DE93]

I'm really sorry I won't be volunteering/attending Minto Summer Skate this year but I can't be in two places at once

I'll be anxious for reports and hoping for videos!

I will miss our yearly visit!

 

[RoseRed]

I'm excited to go see all those guys at Minto

 

[shutterbug]

Nguyen and Sadovsky sbs 3a's. In shorts. https://twitter.com/namnamnoodle/status/885978660704006144
Attaboy Roman!

 

[Japanfan]

My early pick for SC is Nadeau, but I'm curious to see what these guys bring to the table!

I'd really like to see Nadeau distinguish himself, he's my favorite of the up and coming men. Canada has such a long lineage of outstanding male skaters on the international stage that it feels strange not to have an heir apparent to Chan. Many people expected it of Nam, and Nam probably expected it of himself, given that he won everything on the way up to seniors. But that was largely dependent on his jump consistency, which he's lost now that he's grown. He really hasn't evolved artistically as a senior, and though that may be yet to come, I fear he has already passed his peak.

I suppose all things must pass, however, and with the exception of Chan, Canada might be facing a drought with regard to male skaters who are top five in the world. Then again, surprises can work the other way, as happened with two Canadian ladies getting medals at the last Worlds.

 

[Skate Talker]

So these thoughts take me to the way back machine. Around 1987 Canadian commentators - Brian Pockar and Debbie Wilkes iirc were concerned that once Brian Orser retired Canada would not have any strong male skater to fill the void. So that was the start of Kurt, Elvis, Jeffrey and Patrick - the longest string of top male skaters Canada has ever seen. One just never knows....

 

[kwanfan1818]

In the latest IceTalk podcast (36), Bruno Marcotte confirmed that this is the last season for Elladj Balde and Liam Firus, both of whom are training with him:
http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

Listening to Marcotte, it's clear why he and Gauthier have had such a strong coaching partnership.

 

[DDNatalia]

Has Elladj said as much publicly that this will be his final season as a competitor? He has certainly had a productive and varied show experience as an eligible competitor thus far, so I'm sure plenty of opportunities will be coming his way.

 

[danafan]

Has Elladj said as much publicly that this will be his final season as a competitor? He has certainly had a productive and varied show experience as an eligible competitor thus far, so I'm sure plenty of opportunities will be coming his way.

He confirmed it on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BXEDorSAWnx/

The "we" is him and Liam Firus (Firus is tagged in the image).

 

[Jeschke]

In the latest IceTalk podcast (36), Bruno Marcotte confirmed that this is the last season for Elladj Balde and Liam Firus, both of whom are training with him:
http://web.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

Ah such a shame about Firus; I like his skating so much; hope he can have great final chapter to his career.

 

[screech]

Ah such a shame about Firus; I like his skating so much; hope he can have great final chapter to his career.

I'd love for him to land one 3A in competition this year. Have a blow out of a year.

 

[Jun Y]

Are both Nadeau and Sadovsky competing in seniors this year?

 

[Sylvia]

Nadeau has aged out of ISU Juniors. Sadovsky turned 18 in May (don't know his plans). Both debuted their SPs at Minto last night:

Roman Sadovsky - short
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-p2hVSKEjU

Jumps were 4S+3T, 3Lz, 3A (fell out). Music is The Vampire Masquerade (Waltz) by Peter Gundry.

Stephen Gogolev (who will turn 13 in December) was 2nd to Sadovsky, skating to "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFpCQsKRLJU
He landed 4S+3T, 3A & 3Lz.

Bennet Toman was 3rd and attempted 4T (I believe for the first time in comp.), which was called < in combo with 3T, 3A and 3Lz -- very nice performance by him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAhVg8b7mMw

 

[Japanfan]

Loved Sadovsky's SP - a refreshing program with lots of promise!

 

[Mary S]

I suppose all things must pass, however, and with the exception of Chan, Canada might be facing a drought with regard to male skaters who are top five in the world. Then again, surprises can work the other way, as happened with two Canadian ladies getting medals at the last Worlds.

Stephen Gogolev is my pick to fill the void. I think there are a number of exciting young up and coming men that will step up and fill the void when Chan retires.

 

[barbarafan]

Stephen Gogolev is my pick to fill the void. I think there are a number of exciting young up and coming men that will step up and fill the void when Chan retires.

Totally agree...and he is growing and so far able to manage his jumps

 

[Catherine M]

Main problem with Stephen filling the void is that he has a late birthday so he can't go to senior worlds till March of 2021 so that's half of the next quad's sr worlds where he won't be a factor.

So hopefully Nadeau, Orzel, Phan, etc will be able to step up and be in the mix post 2018.

 

[Rock2]

I want to weigh in and say that I was very happy with what I saw from the men at Minto...and also throw in Messing before that from Detroit.

I'm not worried about jump consistency at this point and am looking at the programs and any signals of how their summer is progressing. Lots to love. I like the programs and the ambition.

Out of the many things to love the two things that jumped out at me most were Orzel attempting 4 quads in the long (perfect body for it) and the size of Roman's 4S in the SP -- almost too big to land. He looks fitter and leaner so far this year. Tons of great things to say about everyone else.

Big picture, I see Nationals Jr and Sr Men as having the chance to be real quality events. And we haven't even seen Patrick and Kevin yet!

 

[Dobre]

So, is it correct to assume that Sadovsky is competing as a senior for at least the regular season since he is not listed as an entry or a substitute for any of the first three JGPs?

 

[Sylvia]

Skate Canada's junior man listed for JGP #3 in Riga, Latvia, is 2017 Novice Men's champ Corey CIRCELLI (his JGP debut), coached by Lee Barkell: https://skatecanada.ca/nextgen/
Listed subs are:
Iliya KOVLER
Conrad ORZEL (assigned to JGP #2)
Joseph PHAN (assigned to JGP #1)
Samuel TURCOTTE

Canada has 3 more men's slots (6 total) -- 1 in each of the final 3 JGPs.

 

[Erin]

So, is it correct to assume that Sadovsky is competing as a senior for at least the regular season since he is not listed as an entry or a substitute for any of the first three JGPs?

That would be my guess, although I'm purely speculating. I would be surprised if Orzel and Phan did not each get a second assignment given how they placed on the JGP last year. With 3 spots left to assign, that would mean the last one would probably go to either Turcotte or Kovler given the sub list above. Sadovsky is probably focusing on the Challenger Series and maybe trying for the TBA at Skate Canada.

 

[danafan]

Does anyone know if Mitchell Gordon plans to skate this season? He's not listed in any of the summer competitions.

 

[mag]

Does anyone know if Mitchell Gordon plans to skate this season? He's not listed in any of the summer competitions.

There is a rumor that he has quit.

 

[Habs]

There is a rumor that he has quit.

That would be a shame. I really like Mitchell, and he has/had so much potential. He was spectacular in winning the junior Canadian title.