Book To Screen
‘Heated Rivalry’: Everything We Know About the Gay Hockey Romance TV Series
Hockey romances have been popular in the book community for years, and at long last, they’re starting to make their way to the screen. The news of Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus adaptation may have arrived first, but Crave’s Heated Rivalry will be available to stream sooner.
Based on Rachel Reid’s gay romance book of the same name, the TV show will follow the enemies-to-lovers arc of professional hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. “Their connection feels so real, as Rachel allowed for this complicated dynamic that grows over seven years,” producer Jacob Tierney told Deadline. (The outlet also revealed a first look at the main duo.)
So, when can you be sure you’re sat for Heated Rivalry? How can you watch it? Who’s playing Shane and Ilya? Swooon has all the essential information about Heated Rivalry.
When is Heated Rivalry coming out?
It won’t be long until some viewers can get their hands on the series. Deadline broke the news that it’ll launch in Canada in November 2025.
Where can you watch Heated Rivalry in the United States?
Crave isn’t available in the U.S., so what does that mean for American fans? Right now, the six-episode show doesn’t have a set release date outside of Canada yet.
However, don’t lose hope! Canadian shows have been known to eventually make their way to U.S. streamers. Deadline confirmed that the series is being shopped at MIPCOM Cannes in November.
There might even be a way to speed up the process: On her Instagram Story, Reid suggested that fans let Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max know that they want access to Heated Rivalry in the States.
What is Heated Rivalry about?
The show’s official description sounds familiar to the book: “Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands. What begins as a secret fling between two fresh faced rookies evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.”
@heatedrivalrycrave Chemistry so hot it could melt the ice. 🏒🔥 #HeatedRivalry coming to @cravecanada this November! #booktok #mmbooks ♬ 12 to 12 by sombr out july 24th – sombr
The show charts their relationship over the next eight years, as they grapple with their careers and their feelings for each other. Can their love exist in their fiercely competitive world?
Who has been cast in Heated Rivalry?
Hudson Williams is the no-nonsense Shane, who’s the Canadian captain of the Montreal Meteors. Connor Storrie is Ilya, the Russian star (and playboy) of the Boston Raiders.
Sophie Nélisse, François Arnaud, Robbie Graham-Kuntz, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Dylan Walsh, and Christina Chang will appear alongside them. “Could not have dreamed of a better cast,” Reid wrote in an Instagram Story. “I’m so excited!”
Who is making Heated Rivalry?
Accent Aigu Entertainment’s Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady are helming the series. They’re known for the Canadian shows Letterkenny and Shoresy. The latter is centered around a fictional senior AAA hockey team, so these two aren’t strangers to hockey-centric stories.
Is there a Heated Rivalry trailer?
Not yet, but there are some first look photos you can feast your eyes on in the meantime. Check back for updates!
Heated Rivalry, Season 1, November 2025, Crave
