The popular gay hockey romance novel “Heated Rivalry” by Rachel Reid is being adapted for television and will soon be available for international audiences. The series, which follows the secret relationship between two rival professional hockey players, will premiere on November 28, 2025, on HBO Max in the United States and Australia, and on Crave in Canada. The show is created by Jacob Tierney, known for his work on Letterkenny, and promises to bring a beloved book-to-screen story to life.
The Story Behind the Series
Heated Rivalry chronicles the complex relationship between Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey. Shane is a wholesome Canadian player, and Ilya is a Russian bad boy, and their fierce on-ice rivalry contrasts with a powerful magnetic pull they feel off the ice. What starts as a secret fling between two confused teenagers during their rookie year evolves into an eight-year journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.
The official synopsis states the pair are “bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands.” As they chase glory in their sport, they must navigate their growing feelings and decide if there is room in their competitive world for something as powerful and fragile as real love. The story is noted for its joyous tone and for providing a happy ending for its gay characters, a narrative that is not always common in media.
Release Schedule and How to Watch
The series will debut with a two-episode premiere on Friday, November 28, 2025. New episodes will then be released weekly every Friday. The season finale of the six-episode run is scheduled for Friday, December 26, 2025.
The show is a Crave Original from Canada, but thanks to an international distribution deal, viewers in multiple countries can watch it. In the U.S. and Australia, it will stream on HBO Max. In Canada, it will be available on Crave. The series has also been acquired by Sky in New Zealand and Movistar Plus+ in Spain. For American and Australian subscribers, the episodes will drop on HBO Max at the same time they air on Crave in Canada.
Meet the Cast and Characters
The series is led by two rising stars. Hudson Williams plays the role of Shane Hollander, the disciplined Canadian captain of the Montreal Metros. This marks a first major starring role for Williams. Connor Storrie takes on the part of Ilya Rozanov, the charismatic Russian star of the Boston Raiders. Storrie is previously known for his role in Joker: Folie à Deux.
They are joined by a strong supporting cast:
- François Arnaud as Scott Hunter, another top professional hockey player.
- Sophie Nélisse as Rose Landry, an actress who enters a relationship with Shane.
- Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova as Svetlana, Ilya’s friend and occasional hookup from Russia.
- Robbie G.K. as Kip Grady, the love interest of Scott Hunter.
- Dylan Walsh and Christina Chang as David and Yuna Hollander, Shane’s parents.
Author Rachel Reid shared her excitement about the cast on social media, writing, “Could not have dreamed of a better cast. I’m so excited!”
A Passionate Creative Team
The adaptation is helmed by Jacob Tierney, an award-winning Canadian writer-director-producer, and Brendan Brady. Both are alumni of the hit Canadian show Letterkenny and its hockey-focused spinoff Shoresy, giving them experience with hockey-centric stories. Their production company, Accent Aigu Entertainment, is producing the series in association with Bell Media’s Crave.
Tierney emphasized his serious approach to the material, stating, “When I first spoke to Rachel Reid, I told her I wanted to approach this book with the care and seriousness it deserves, because it truly does. Shane and Ilya deserve that. And so does the queer community, a love story complete with the kind of happy ending gay people almost never get in media.”
Rachel Reid is involved in the production as a consulting producer to help maintain the authenticity of her story. Actor François Arnaud, who plays Scott Hunter, gave insight into the series’ tone, noting that while the show is “charged,” it is not shallow. He described it as “escapism in the best possible way,” and highlighted that it is a gay story that comes with a sense of joy rather than trauma.
Episode Titles and a Unique Focus
The six episode titles have been released, and they suggest the show will closely follow the book’s timeline. The episodes are:
- “Rookies”
- “Olympians”
- (Title withheld)
- “Rose”
- “I’ll Believe in Anything”
- “The Cottage”
The title for the third episode is being kept secret. It has been revealed that this episode stands apart from the rest of the series as it focuses solely on the character Scott Hunter, played by François Arnaud. In Reid’s book series, Scott Hunter is a top pro player who has his own dedicated novel, and his character plays a significant role in Shane and Ilya’s overall love story.
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