Canadian Men 2017-18 season news & updates

Alilou

Ubercavorter
Messages
7,300
Patrick has said he's focused on the team medal - here:
https://bevsmithwrites.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/patrick-chan-pulling-himself-to-the-finish/

His comeback hasn’t been all he imagined. His focus is to set a record by winning his tenth senior national championship and to contribute to the team event in Pyeongchang. Canada has a good shot at a gold medal. That gold medal would mean just as much as an individual medal to Chan. “It may not be the same for another skater or another teammate, gut for me at this point in my career, anything at this point is a bonus.”
 

liv

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,041
I certainly hope Patrick decides to do the long program too. He is their best chance to do well and try to get that Team gold. I don't see any of the other guys being able to do it.
 

screech

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,409
I think that Kevin's the frontrunner for the second spot, but only if he absolutely nails it. Keegan Messing has had stronger international results this year, though, and is a stronger 'performer'. He was 5 after the SP at Skate Canada, and 5th overall at NHK this year. He also came 3 at the Autumn Classic, behind only Javi and Yuzu (who skated disastrously, but still!)

Nic Nadeau had the highest scoring LP of the Canadian men at Skate Canada this year, and was only 2 points out of bronze at Canadians last year. He also has the Junior World silver from 2 years ago (which isn't in the criteria, but would probably be considered). He's also the 'showman' and has some momentum. He also only had one GP to base off of this year, compared to Kevin, Keegan, and Nam's two.

You can never discount Liam, especially since he's landed quads and a 3A in competition this year. If he pulls it together and comes 2, Skate Canada would have a hard time explaining overlooking him, after he 'stepped aside' for Worlds 2 years ago.

And you never know which Nam is going to show up. Can't count out the 2015 Canadian champ/5th at Worlds, though he's definitely been on a downslide ever since then. He is the reigning national bronze medallist, though...
 

Jammers

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,558
After what happened at U.S. Nats, I wanted to know if anyone other than Reynolds and Sadovsky have any of SC's "body of work" criteria (if it's going to come down to that)?

(I'm referring specifically to the second spot).
Canada won't have the same problems the US had at Nationals because really none of their skaters not named Patrick Chan have done much internationally this season so whoever finishes 2nd is most likely on the team. With the US men it was different since as a whole they were a lot more successful and there were so many skaters to choose from.
 

Lara

Bonjour/Hi to everyone at Worlds!
Messages
19,396
I may love Patrick but he has not earned the right to be rested in the team event. And I'll be genuinely pissed if he is.
 

sk8girl

Well-Known Member
Messages
561
I think there is a very good chance Patrick will skate the long program. Unlike last time he really doesn't have a great shot at an individual medal, but can help in the quest for team gold. Without a reliable second man to take his place they really can't risk it.

I agree. Bizarrely, men are Canada's weakest discipline right now. We need Patrick doing the team long and I don't see any reason why he wouldn't. He has said that the team event is important to him, and resting him for the individual event is less important than it would be if he was still a strong medal hope there. Even if he misses a couple of jumps in the team long he will still likely score better (probably MUCH better) than whoever gets the second spot.

I am really cheering for Nic to make the team and I think he has a shot, but I wouldn't want him doing the team long - too inconsistent and too much pressure... And Kevin has not been skating well at all, unfortunately - I just don't see him making the team.
 

screech

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,409
I'm pretty confident Patrick will do both the short and the long. The team event is why Patrick is still skating and hasn't retired in my opinion.
That, and the record 10th title.

This year has been a bit of an anomaly in some ways for Patrick. Overall, he's still head and shoulders better than the other Canadian men, if things go okay but:
Nic beat Patrick in the LP at Skate Canada (155.20 vs 151.27)
Both Keegan AND LIAM have higher season's best scores than Patrick (248.30 at Autumn Classic and 248.29 at US Classic). Those two men are on the top 20 list for season's best overall scores (ranked 18 and 19). Patrick is not.

FWW, Patrick, Nam, and Keegan are all on the season's best list for the SP (ranked 6, 13, 17), and Liam and Kevin are on the season's best list for the LP (ranked 18 and 19). LIAM HAS THE HIGHEST RANKED LP SCORE OF ALL CANADIAN MEN THIS SEASON! And with a non-clean skate. Never thought that would be something I'd say.

That said, Skate Canada was probably one of the worst skates of Patrick's career. If he skates somewhat decently at Canadians, his record will be achieved. His 'body of work' is more than enough to validate his selection for the team, even if he brings a phone book to centre ice and reads it for 4.5 minutes.
 

mag

Well-Known Member
Messages
12,198
I hope Patrick and Gabby do both. Kaetlyn has a real chance at an individual medal and should focus on that. Wrong thread, but I also feel very strongly that if Weaver and Poje are our number 2 team they should be allowed to skate a portion of the team event. Actually, think this should be the priority.
 

screech

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,409
I think Liam should just not be allowed to wear any sort of strap ever again.

I love that program, but seriously, two years in a row where something with a strap happens in the exact same short program, during the exact same spin. AND THE GUY FINALLY LANDS THE AXEL!!

Dude is due to win the lottery or something someday.
 

screech

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,409
Not a fan of Elladj, but I really enjoyed that SP from him. Probably his best work.

I want to smack Keegan upside the head a little - based on scores, if he'd done the quad, he'd be neck and neck with Patrick.

Despite the mistakes, I actually think Patrick's scores were lowballed compared to the others. IMO he should be more than 4 points ahead of skaters with lower quality spins, footwork and overall skating, and who made major mistakes as well.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,989
Beverley Smith on THE MIRACLE OF ELLADJ BALDE (4th after the Men's SP at Canadians)
Excerpts:
“About a month ago, I didn’t even know if I was going to be here,” he said, with no small amount of emotion. He’d had the best summer of his life, with the quads clicking, the programs humming and he was in the best shape of his life.
Then, in early September, in the strangest of accidents, he hit his head while simply doing a Mohawk turn, and slammed into the boards. And within a moment, he had suffered his fifth concussion in three or four years.
...
It took a lot longer to heal than he expected. Two and a half months went by with no improvement. Mainly, the condition stagnated, no matter what he did. “I went through a lot of emotional and psychological pain because this season was so important to me,” he said.
One person changed all of that: Jennifer Ann Scott, who is one of the authors of Quebec’s protocol that guides athletic therapists how to manage concussions.
“She is an angel,” Balde said. “The moment she came into my life, she taught me how to manage the symptoms…She teaches you how to go through your day without triggering too many symptoms.”
...
“We had to teach my body how to turn this way and that way,”Balde said. And he was trying to learn these things two weeks before Challenge.
After that [Challenge comp. in Dec.], his symptoms improved markedly and he “just grinded hard” to prepare for this week. “I had so many obstacles to deal with this year,” he said.
When he stepped out on the ice on Friday, his only thought was to be “in the moment.” He had no expectations. Normally, he would be hoping to perhaps make the Olympic or world team, or at least dazzle everybody with his charisma. But he had no pressure this time. But that is when Balde is at his best.
:encore:
 

el henry

#WeAllWeGot #WeAllWeNeed
Messages
1,567
After all he has been through, I am so so so :cheer2: that Elladj had that wonderful SP at Canadian Nats.

Another of my favorite quotes:
Balde says the crowd reaction was “the most beautiful gift they could ever have given me. My performance here was for my audience...."

:respec: for Elladj.
 

screech

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,409
If Nam hadn't been a bit lowballed in the SP, he'd be going to the Games. I feel bad for him, missing second by just one point, but I'm glad Keegan is second. He's been pretty consistent all year, and is a better 'showman'.

I'm predicting it will be Keegan and Nam for Worlds - highly doubt Patrick will go to those, and I think Nam will go out with something to prove there.
 

Seerek

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,780
I'm assuming it's Joseph and Conrad for Junior Worlds.

Four Continents will be interesting as to who will accept (this being likely final seasons for Elladj and Kevin, next in line Roman and Liam).
 

screech

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,409
I wonder if Elladj will accept. It'd be great for him to go, but he may want to end on the high of those skates.
 

WanderlustTO

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,079
I felt bad for Nam. I wanted him to make the team and he came so close!

He is still young and has at least one more cycle in him, more likely 2. So there will be other opportunities.

Still, tonight must be crushing for him.
 

Carolla5501

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,132
If Patrick wants a metal at these Olympics, he better skate the team event. He lost one entire jumping pass and didn’t do great on some other passes last night. He got incredibly high performance scores. I don’t think he will get that gift at an international event
 

ChiquitaBanana

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,034
If Patrick wants a metal at these Olympics, he better skate the team event. He lost one entire jumping pass and didn’t do great on some other passes last night. He got incredibly high performance scores. I don’t think he will get that gift at an international event


We all know that, Chan himself, that he is not in contention for a medal in the individual event. Did you just realize it? ;)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information