Following its swift renewal for season 2, the NHL has praised the LGBTQ+ hockey romance series 'Heated Rivalry' for introducing newcomers to the sport. A league representative called it the most unique fan driver in hockey's 108-year history amid its global surge.
Adapted from Rachel Reid's 2019 novel about rival players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) falling in love over eight years, 'Heated Rivalry' premiered November 28 on Crave and expanded to HBO Max. It has shattered viewership records and secured international deals.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, an NHL rep celebrated its impact: "There are so many ways to get hooked on hockey and, in the NHL’s 108-year history, this might be the most unique driver for creating new fans." They added, "See you all at the rink."
The six-episode season 1 finale, "The Cottage," streams December 26 at 12 a.m. PT (or December 25 at 9 p.m. PT) on HBO Max, with episodes 1-5 available now.
Reid, author of 2022 sequel 'The Long Game,' teased more stories: "I have story ideas for them that I’ve been working on... You’ll see something for sure." Creators Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady previously hailed the early renewal as an honor amid its phenomenon status.