Canadian Men 2018-19 season news & updates

[IloveFS]

I was loving the heck out of this post until the words Phan and Orzel.

Don't get me wrong -- we have lots of good young talent including those guys, but the ONLY person who can handle Montreal worlds in our current landscape is Keegan. He was crap in Saitama but was still only 10 pts from top 10. That's like one element.

I'm open to changing my mind if someone shows up to fall internationals on fire.

Sadovsky.....

 

[Colonel Green]

Sadovsky.....

Roman has lots of potential but he’s got notable problems both with underrotation and his big elements (both the quads and the 3A) are not consistent. He only had one decent event this season, and didn’t even make the top six at Nationals. He’s yet to demonstrate the overall package that would warrant sending him to Worlds.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

By the way - Don't know if Kurt Browning was just having a bad stretch or if he really has no clue about the IJS rules but he made some strange comments during the Men's Short. Maybe he just doesn't bother to keep up with the changes but for me that should be an essential part of his commentator gig. If a former skater can't understand the rules, how will Joe Public ever learn anything to help them understand the sport?

For example, after Kolyada turned his opening 4T into a bad 3T, Kurt thought he could still do another 3T as the second part of his combination, whereas Kolyada rightly only did a 2T so as to score an eligible combo. Then during the Ladies Free he couldn't remember the terms "back-loading" and "distribution of highlights".

I get the feeling that Kurt would have been really horrible at skating under IJS. Unlike Jeff Buttle who knew the rules inside and out and even mid competition was able to adjust and maximize his points as he went along. (Is Kurt the new Nobunari Oda?)

Not to rag on Browning because he is an outstanding show skater.

But I'm reminded of the time Kurt actually forgot his short program at the Ultimate Four.

 

[WanderlustTO]

The loss of the second spot at the worlds is disappointing to be sure. I will say I'm probably more bullish than most at our ability to finish top 10 next year (ha ha might be a bad post in hindsight).

 

[4rkidz]

I think we have lots of talent and potential with 5 of our men however Keegan and Nam peaked for nationals as that was the goal. They just had a bad competition and will pay the price as won’t have the same opportunities for Workds next year.

 

[screech]

While extremely disappointing to have this result in mens (arguably Canada's best discipline, historically), what gets me most is this is the first worlds since 2004 where Canada didn't win a single medal!! (that year our highest placement was 8th, in all disciplines)

 

[dramagrrl]

Don't get me wrong -- we have lots of good young talent including those guys, but the ONLY person who can handle Montreal worlds in our current landscape is Keegan. He was crap in Saitama but was still only 10 pts from top 10. That's like one element.

Nam also had far from his best competition and was less than half a point behind Keegan overall, so I think saying that Keegan is the ONLY person who can handle the one slot at Worlds next year is a bit of an exaggeration IMO. At this point, yes, he would definitely be the BEST option, but if Nam continues improving the way he has this season, he would be a fine option as well.

 

[WildRose]

Not to rag on Browning because he is an outstanding show skater.
But I'm reminded of the time Kurt actually forgot his short program at the Ultimate Four.

Ahhh, the Ultimate Four. LOL, I think Kurt forgetting his program is the only reason anyone even remembers it!.
I remember Roz Summers was doing commentary and she was furious with him. I’m sure in hindsight he wishes he’d just made something up, but he had prepared a program especially for for it and said his mind just went blank. Back then, he was sometimes doing a different competition every week, often with new programs and new rules - I think he was just exhausted and trying to do too much.

 

[Marco]

Losing the second spot is going to hurt. Messing and Nguyen are both great, solid skaters. Is Gogolev age eligible for seniors next season yet?

 

[WildRose]

I think Keegan has been feeling the pressure of being Canada’s number one man all year and it’s probably why he lost the Cdn title. Nobody really had any expectations for him last season, but then Patrick retired and the next thing he knew, TV was sending film crews to Alaska to tape him running around on icebergs. He grew up idolizing Canadian male champions like Kurt and Elvis, and wasn’t used to dealing with the kind of attention the top men get in Canada. It had to be very difficult for him and I hope he isn’t too hard on himself.

 

[kalamalka]

Losing the second spot is going to hurt. Messing and Nguyen are both great, solid skaters. Is Gogolev age eligible for seniors next season yet?

Nope. This was Gogolev's first year of junior eligibility - he turned 14 in December - so one more.

 

[mackiecat]

Losing the second spot is going to hurt. Messing and Nguyen are both great, solid skaters. Is Gogolev age eligible for seniors next season yet?

No he is still way too young

 

[dramagrrl]

Thank heavens Gogolev is too young for next season's senior Worlds. Imagine if he won the Canadian title and got sent to a home Worlds as our only man, and had to skate in his first senior Worlds with the pressure of being the only Canadian man competing on home ice and having to qualify two for the year after? No thanks.

 

[Rock2]

Nam also had far from his best competition and was less than half a point behind Keegan overall, so I think saying that Keegan is the ONLY person who can handle the one slot at Worlds next year is a bit of an exaggeration IMO. At this point, yes, he would definitely be the BEST option, but if Nam continues improving the way he has this season, he would be a fine option as well.

I feel like Nam has plateaued, if not regressed. Once upon a time he had a 4T. He also continues to skate slowly and cannot generate the GoE on his elements the way Keegan can. He's pretty much an 80 SP / 150 LP (or a tiny bit more) skater, which these days doesn't get you close enough to top 10. Keegan has been the only skater to score high enough to get there, repeatedly, over the past few seasons.

I'll keep an open mind for next season, but I don't for now see any prospect of him improving. When I see a 90 short or 170 long, let's talk.

 

[barbarafan]

Losing the second spot is going to hurt. Messing and Nguyen are both great, solid skaters. Is Gogolev age eligible for seniors next season yet?

I do not think so. He turned 14 in December so will still be 14 July 1st

 

[coppertop1]

Thank heavens Gogolev is too young for next season's senior Worlds. Imagine if he won the Canadian title and got sent to a home Worlds as our only man, and had to skate in his first senior Worlds with the pressure of being the only Canadian man competing on home ice and having to qualify two for the year after? No thanks.

Yeah, let's give Gogolev time and not rush him. Same for our other young skaters. Keegan is a top ten skater. Just because he had a bad outing doesn't mean we should write him off.

I feel like Nam has plateaued, if not regressed. Once upon a time he had a 4T. He also continues to skate slowly and cannot generate the GoE on his elements the way Keegan can. He's pretty much an 80 SP / 150 LP (or a tiny bit more) skater, which these days doesn't get you close enough to top 10. Keegan has been the only skater to score high enough to get there, repeatedly, over the past few seasons.

I'll keep an open mind for next season, but I don't for now see any prospect of him improving. When I see a 90 short or 170 long, let's talk.

I agree. He burst on to the scene finishing fifth at Worlds but since then, he has struggled. The last two worlds, he didn't even qualify for the free skate.

It's really disappointing to be down to one spot. It's ironic because we thought it was our women where we'd go down to one.

 

[Colonel Green]

I feel like Nam has plateaued, if not regressed.

Nam regressed after the 2014-15 season. I wouldn’t call his current situation a plateau, because he’s been on a visible upward trajectory of late, especially this season.

It’s conceivable he’ll seek to reintroduce the 4T going forward.

I’d agree that in the components/GOE area he’s likely got some limitations that are unlikely to change at this point.

 

[Winnipeg]

All I can say is...…………..disappointing event, disappointing Worlds

 

[kwanfan1818]

Messing didn't need to be a top 10 skater this year: he needed to be a top 12 skater. I'm sad he couldn't do that, because if this year was pressure-filled, next year will be worse with pressure to redeem himself.

 

[Seerek]

Really unfortunate that Nam Nguyen had that mid program lapse, cause he was getting some +4s on the quad salchows (the best elements of the entire program).

 

[Lara]

I was prepared to accept the ladies going down to one, but this was disappointing (and Aymoz's position was a reminder why I didn't want it to happen). Oh well. Nothing to do but move forward and hope for better next season.

I'm seriously glad Golgolev's not eligible next season though. If he ends up being under pressure in two years at least it won't be on top of a home crowd.

 

[coppertop1]

I do think we should be careful about declaring Gogolev our Next One. Let's not fall into the same trap as the press with the US Ladies (or that Canada has fallen into with our men).

 

[puglover]

Joseph Phan may be an interesting one to watch. This past year he has struggled some but he is hopefully putting some of that behind him.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Roman has lots of potential but he’s got notable problems both with underrotation and his big elements (both the quads and the 3A) are not consistent. He only had one decent event this season, and didn’t even make the top six at Nationals. He’s yet to demonstrate the overall package that would warrant sending him to Worlds.

Yup, the underrotation is quiet noticeable, and I don't know if his technique issues are easily fixable. The inconsistency IMO is technique-related, as opposed to a mental thing.

 

[Jammers]

I do think we should be careful about declaring Gogolev our Next One. Let's not fall into the same trap as the press with the US Ladies (or that Canada has fallen into with our men).

You never know though. Nathan was hyped from the time he was 10 and he's turned out pretty well but i think whatever they made that kid out of is rare.

 

[barbarafan]

You never know though. Nathan was hyped from the time he was 10 and he's turned out pretty well but i think whatever they made that kid out of is rare.

I think Stephen should be left alone a bit to finish growing. What he has accomplished this year with sometimes training jumps...sometimes not is unimaginable and those bones need to be protected at all costs. He needs to work on his performance quality to bring some character into his programs. I wonder if a choreographer like Shae Lyne Bourne could find that vehicle and bring it out in him.

 

[RoseRed]

I think Stephen should be left alone a bit to finish growing. What he has accomplished this year with sometimes training jumps...sometimes not is unimaginable and those bones need to be protected at all costs. He needs to work on his performance quality to bring some character into his programs. I wonder if a choreographer like Shae Lyne Bourne could find that vehicle and bring it out in him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvC6bE1hR0K/

 

[barbarafan]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvC6bE1hR0K/

Wow. That is exciting...All his elements are so precise and he is quite fast even though he is so small but he is just so internalized that he gets hit on Performance and interpretation.

 

[RoseRed]

Wow. That is exciting...All his elements are so precise and he is quite fast even though he is so small but he is just so internalized that he gets hit on Performance and interpretation.

It could just be for a gala/show program, since he did go to Sam and Marie-France for one last season, but he he does need a new SP so hopefully...

Anyways even if it's for a gala, it's great experience for him to work with Shae.

 

[Rafter]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvC6bE1hR0K/

Is Shae Lynn Bourne coaching out of Charleston now?

For some reason I thought she was at the Granite Club but maybe not. The Granite has had a lot of changes in the last couple years. They let go Josee Chouinard as the Director and brought on Elizabeth Manley.