As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina approach, Canada's figure skating team confronts a significant setback. Deanna Stellato-Dudek, part of the nation’s leading pairs team with Maxime Deschamps, has been forced to withdraw from the team event due to an injury sustained during pre-competition training. The injury occurred before the pair's departure from Quebec and was officially disclosed by Skate Canada on Monday.
The timing of the injury is critical, arriving mere days ahead of the pairs short program, which is set to inaugurate the three-day team contest on Friday at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. Canada, which secured a fourth-place finish at the Beijing 2022 Games, has been regarded as a strong candidate for podium placement in the Milan competition.
Details regarding the type and seriousness of Stellato-Dudek’s injury remain undisclosed by Skate Canada. The organization indicated only that assessments of her condition and readiness for the individual pairs segment—scheduled to begin on February 15—will continue on a daily basis.
In light of this development, the responsibility for Canada's pairs performances in the team event will fall entirely on the shoulders of fellow Canadian duo Trennt Michaud and Lia Pereira. They are expected to skate in both pairs programs, underscoring the pressure on the team to adapt quickly to the altered lineup.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek, aged 42, has been a prominent figure in Canadian pair skating since she started competing alongside Maxime Deschamps before the 2019 season. The duo, three-time Canadian champions, clinched the world title in 2024 and achieved a fifth-place finish at the World Championships in Boston the previous year. Stellato-Dudek originally hails from the Chicago suburbs in the United States but has represented Canada throughout her partnership with Deschamps.
Meanwhile, the American team enters the competition as defending Olympic gold medalists in the figure skating team event and stands as the favorite to retain their title this year. The schedule for the team event at the Milano Ice Skating Arena includes rhythm dance and women’s short program on Friday, followed by the men’s short program and free dance on Saturday. The event culminates on Sunday with the pairs, women’s, and men’s free skating programs.