I honestly feel skaters have very limited choices on GP assignments. The hosts pick the skaters. IMO, Yuzuru is invited by SC not because he chose SC, but because SA would not invite him (they want to invite Denis to give Jason a better chance of qualifying to the final) and I don't think anyone wants him to compete at COC again. So he can only compete at SC. Javi got two easy assignments Coc and COR (he has almost no competitors at both events) because GPF is in Spain, they want him to qualify. Javi can't go to SA (Denis/Jason), SC (Yuzu/Patrick) or NHK (Yuzu). TEB is too close to COC. So he got COC and COR. Patrick can only go to SC and TEB because SA will not invite him (because of Jason), NHK will not invite him (because of Yuzu), COC and COR will not invite him because Javi will be there and they want Javi to qualify for the final. The only other option Yuzu can go to is TEB, but Patrick will be there too, so it makes no difference whether Yuzu faces Patrick at SC or TEB. I think if SC has to choose between Patrick facing Yuzu at SC or TEB, they will choose SC because Patrick will get some home ice advantage. And Denis will be at TEB, so Yuzu cannot be there, unless Denis goes to SA and SC, and Yuzu goes to TEB and NHK which is unlikely because SA and SC are back to back.