Canadian short track speed skater William Dandjinou is sensing that this is a crucial moment for his sport — and in his career.

Dandjinou, a Sherbrooke, Que., native, alongside nine other Canadian skaters, are preparing to take to the ice this weekend in Montreal at iconic Maurice Richard Arena for the first stop in a new series aimed at drawing more attention to the sport.

"This is the most important weekend of the year for me. Well, maybe second most important because the world championships will be massive," Dandjinou told CBC Sports.

"But it sets the tone. It's at home. There will be huge crowds. As a team we want to showcase who we are. We want to affirm that we're still here and here to win."

Dandjinou, 23, had a breakout season last year. He's the defending world champion in the 1,000 metres and also won the national title in September.

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And while there might be great expectations for him this season, Dandjinou isn't feeling the pressure.

"It's always hard to repeat a good year. There are expectations. I don't like that word though. I prefer aspirations," he said. 

"Expectations, there's a weight to it. The mental part of the game is something I can control. Expectation is not a good word. Aspirations [is better]."

Mental aspect 

If you spend just a little bit of time with Dandjinou it becomes apparent he's very thoughtful about everything he does in life and sport. He thinks about the mental aspect of skating all the time. He loves to get into the intricate details of every part of his races. 

He visualizes them and spends a lot of time with his sports psychologist to master his craft. 

"I want to succeed. My goal is to dominate the sport. I feel like I'm coming into my golden time in the sport. Short track is not a guarantee. You can fall. There are so many unknowns and a lot of anxiety. The goal is just to stay in the present."

It's all the uncertainty that comes with zipping around the ice with other skaters, chaotic at times, Dandjinou says he loves about short track speed skating.

He said it is the beauty of the sport and that it's the closest thing to real life. 

"We are problem solving in real time and it has to come instinctively. You have to problem solve in training so that in competition it's muscle memory," he said. 

"There's stuff that I'm comfortable doing. I have race patterns. But if I'm limited to one strategy, I'm limited as a racer."

Without his skates on Dandjinou is six-foot-three. With his skates on, he's about six-foot-seven and towers over the rest of his competitors. In a sport that demands quick turns, dynamic speed and split-second decision making, Dandjinou knows he's not a typical short track speed skater. 

But he's embracing it and leaning into his individuality. 

"I want to be known as a charismatic skater. I want people to see my personality through my skating," he said. 

"I'm not a typical skater. I'm tall. My body shape. I have a skin colour that's not typical of a speed skater."

He's also known for waving his arms up and down like an eagle in flight after crossing the finish line first. Dandjinou wants to be known as a personality on the ice because he believes that will attract fans to short track speed skating.

"I'm excited for sure. I want it to be a big show. It has to be a show. I love my sport and I hope so many people can see that too," Dandjinou said. 

"I want them to see my sport the way I see it. I think it's the most exciting sport in the world. There's so much uncertainty. It's almost like Formula One met humans."

Canadian team features depth, talent

The newly minted ISU Short Track World Tour will feature six stops throughout the season, with the first coming on Canadian ice in Montreal.

Not only will individual skaters be vying for the Crystal Globe for most points throughout the year, so too will teams.

The Canadian Ice Maples, as the Canadian skaters will be nicknamed, features depth and talent — there are five Olympians, three Olympic medallists and two reigning world champions on the roster going into the weekend.

The Ice Maples will be taking on the USA Eagles, Chinese Loongs, Korean White Tigers, Dutch Lions and Italian Gladiators. 

Dandjinou, Steven Dubois, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and  Félix Rousell make up the veteran portion of the men's side of the Canadian team. Each one of the skaters won individual gold medals on the World Cup circuit last season — that also bodes well for the team competition.

Philippe Daudelin, 22, competed in his first two career World Cup stops last season and is also on the team. 

Florence Brunelle a rising star on women's side

On the women's side, Florence Brunelle, Kim Boutin, Danaé Blais  Rikki Doak and Qi Miao will all be taking to the ice for Canada in Montreal. 

Brunelle, 20, made her Olympic debut in Beijing and has been a rising star in the sport since then. And four-time Olympian Boutin brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the team. 

After the Montreal stop, the Ice Maples then travel to Salt Lake City in early November before heading to China and South Korea. 

From there the team will compete in Tilburg, Netherlands before the final stop in Milan, Italy on the same ice that will host the 2026 Olympics.