Chan The Next Man?

The sight — and the thought it almost immediately brought to mind — was unmistakable and oh so very clear.
You simply couldn't miss the moment after the final press conference of the night at HomeSense Skate Canada International wrapped up Friday. A four-time world champion sharing a light moment with the young man more than just a few figure skating observers believe will be the next to join a remarkable line of Canadian greatness.
Kurt Browning, who's at Scotiabank Place this weekend as a commentator for CBC Sports, long ago earned his place in this row of distinction — men's world figure skating champions from Canada — that also counts among its membership the likes of Donald Jackson, Donald McPherson, Brian Orser, Elvis Stojko and Jeffrey Buttle.
Yes, Patrick Chan just might be the proverbial next one. And in the city where he was born, Chan just might take another step toward joining that exclusive club. He's second after tonight's short program with 77.47 points, just a whisker behind Yannick Ponsero of France (78.05). His second career Grand Prix series victory is most definitely within reach.
But he's also wise enough to know the battle isn't won just yet.
"All the top five can get on the podium, so I still have to look behind me and ahead, too," he said. "(Saturday) is the biggest program and sometimes people overreact to the short program, but the long is really the big one."
While this is a burgeoning young talent that seems to keep growing by leaps and bounds, it's also quite apparent this is much like building a house: It will rise from the ground one brick at a time. And the next big brick — the quadruple jump — will only come when it is time.
Don Laws, the veteran coach who is now Chan's guiding force, shakes his head in amazement as he talks about the quad toe his protege landed with ease the other day in practice. But just as quickly, he points out it's only the third successful one he's completed. Meaning we won't see it in Chan's long program on Saturday.
"Just for fun, he threw in the quad toe in practice (Thursday)," said Laws. "Textbook perfect. Unbelievable. One week (earlier this season) he did two of them and then this. The rest of them, he just gets a sore butt and tired of getting up off the ice. But he'll get it.
"If things go really well, we might do it at the next Grand Prix (in France). It depends on (the standings) in the short program."
Then again, Buttle won his world title last March in Sweden without one. Just skated the lights out of everything else he did and couldn't be denied. Don't think Laws and Chan — who upset Buttle in spectacular fashion last January to win his first Canadian championship — didn't notice.
"When you think of Jeffrey Buttle (beating) the other skaters who have quads ... that tells you right there," said Laws. "You have a great skate and you're there. And we know that. Patrick has an amazing look about him that others don't have.
"It's going to be a good year for him, I'm sure."