The Canadian skater has been undergoing treatment for achilles tendinitis in his left heel but he will not be ready to compete Nov. 23-26 at Trophee Lalique, the fifth of six events in the Grand Prix series.

"The doctor suggested he take it easy for a little while longer, but he'll be OK. We're really very confident that he's going to go to NHK in Japan," coach Uschi Keszler said Tuesday in a telephone interview from Philadelphia, where Stojko now trains.

Even if the 28-year-old Stojko does compete in the NHK Trophy in Asahikawa, Japan, beginning Nov. 30, he cannot qualify for February's Grand Prix final by competing in only one event.

With Stojko out, reigning world champion Alexei Yagudin of Russia will be favored to win his second Grand Prix event in Paris. A victory there, combined with his Skate Canada win, would earn Yagudin one of six berths open for the Grand Prix final in Tokyo.

Stojko, who was unavailable for comment, had just returned to Philadelphia after spending a week at his home in Rich mond Hill, Ont., where he received acupuncture treatments for his injury.

But in a teleconference call last month, the twice Olympic silver medallist, whose quest for 1998 Olympic gold was thwarted by a serious groin injury, made a rather ominous statement about the ever-present threat of injury going forward to the 2002 Games.

"In '97 I had an awesome year, went right through, won everything and then it hit me the next year. Sometimes, I wouldn't mind if it hits me now, and then gets smooth later," Stojko said.