Wish You Were Here

All eyes are naturally pointed toward the ice today at Scotiabank Place.
That is, after all, where you'll find the action at HomeSense Skate Canada International throughout the entire weekend, for that matter.
But we've heard a couple of reminders this morning about some rather prominent folks who should have been here — at least in a competitive capacity — but aren't for a variety of reasons.
Tried out one of those Skate Bug devices this morning during the original dance (and if you haven't given one a whirl yourself, please do. It's quite the nice addition to your viewing experience) and whose voice did I hear doing commentary? None other than Jeffrey Buttle, the reigning world champion who was supposed to be a major headliner this weekend but put the brakes on that by announcing his retirement from competitive skating about two months ago.
Ottawa folks will have to wait until the annual Stars On Ice tour hits Scotiabank Place in April to see him once again.
Heard a few minutes ago that the current Canadian pairs champs, Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, are in the house today. They were supposed to be a part of the pairs field at Skate Canada but the clock ran out on them as Langlois worked her hardest to recover from a broken ankle she suffered in the summer.
You know it was disappointing in a major way for Langlois, whose family happens to live across the river in Gatineau. It would have been quite the homecoming for the little dynamo but if you're not ready, you're not ready. No sense risking an entire season for that.
There's also a gaping hole in the ice dance event, with world silver medallists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir absent, also because of injury (she had surgery on both her knees earlier this month to repair one of those overuse-type ailments).
While Virtue is well on the road to recovery, she sounded positively heartbroken about missing this competition when I spoke to her on a phone a few days ago.
"Tell everyone there I'll be cheering from home," she said.
Consider it done.
*****
Speaking of absences ...
The blog is being forced to soldier on without the presence of Lesley Hawker, one of its biggest supporters — and most willing contributors — since it was first birthed almost two years ago at the 2007 Canadian championships in Halifax.
Mrs. Doherty retired from competitive skating over the summer and is now coaching and generally enjoying her married life in south Florida, where husband Jamie (that's Mr. Doherty to you) is continuing his studies at the University of Miami.
While we'd like to suggest, in true Mrs. D fashion, that she's lounging by the pool with a bowl of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies by her side, she tells me that's not true (well, the pool part, that is).
Apparently, coaching — and sharing that wonderful love for skating she'll no doubt always have — is keeping the young lady very busy these days.
Needless to say, though, she's very much missed in this space.
Though she's always welcome to toss a comment our way, of course.
Yes, Mrs. D, that's a rather loud hint ...