Heated Rivalry Season 2 has officially confirmed a major change to one of Rachel Reid’s most talked-about characters. The hockey romance series, currently filming in Canada, has renamed the book character Dallas Kent to Cody Kent for the television adaptation. David Tomlinson of Fellow Travelers fame will play the role. The news broke on September 16, 2026, when Canadian streamer Crave and U.S. distributor HBO Max announced six new cast members. Fans quickly noticed the name change and have been sharing strong opinions online, with many saying “Dallas works better.”
David Tomlinson Cast as Cody Kent
Crave confirmed David Tomlinson‘s casting via a social media post after the actor was photographed on set in Canada. Tomlinson, known for his work in Fellow Travelers and Silent Night, takes on the role of a Toronto hockey player who was originally named Dallas Kent in Reid’s Game Changers novels.
The character is a central figure in the Tough Guy and Role Model books. In the source material, Dallas Kent is a star player for the fictional Toronto Guardians who creates a toxic locker-room environment through derogatory remarks and constant pressure on teammates to engage in violent play. He was also best friends with Troy Barrett (Charlie Gillespie) until sexual assault allegations against him led to a public falling out and Troy’s trade to the Ottawa Centaurs.
Fans React to the Cody Kent Name Change
The rename has sparked conversations across fan communities. A Reddit user expressed a common sentiment, saying: “Yeah, I don’t like it tbh. I know that in Jacob we trust and all, but Dallas works better!”.
Other fans pointed to the name’s fit for the character’s personality. “It’s not doing it for me, Dallas sounds like so much more of a pretentious a**hole frat boy hockey player than… Cody,” wrote one user. Another agreed: “Same, Cody has less of a villain ring to it than Dallas”.
A theory circulating among fans suggests the change may be related to name clearance issues. A Reddit user noted: “It’s probably a clearance issue with a real person, those sort of things don’t matter in books as much as in movies – legal depts in movies get hyper about name clearances”.
Six New Cast Members Join Season 2
Alongside David Tomlinson as Cody Kent, Crave and HBO Max confirmed five other actors joining the second season:
- Brendan Morgan (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Zane Boodram, a professional hockey player on Ottawa’s team
- Gerry Dee (Mr. D) as Coach Cooper, the head coach of the Toronto team
- Michelle Mylett (Letterkenny) as Lisa, a doctor and the wife of Ottawa player Wyatt Hayes
- Lauren Chan (The Devil Wears Prada 2) as Gen, an employee of the Ottawa team working alongside Harris Drover (Justice Smith)
- Nick Stahl (Let the Right One In) as Curtis Barrett, the father of Ilya’s teammate Troy Barrett
These additions follow earlier Season 2 cast announcements that included Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees, and Priyanka. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie joined the season as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, the central couple for the new chapter. Daniel Diemer will play Ryan Price, while Shaheen Jafargholi portrays Fabian Salah.
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What Season 2 Will Cover
The second season primarily adapts Rachel Reid‘s sixth Game Changers novel, The Long Game, while also bringing in storylines from Tough Guy and Role Model. The Long Game picks up with Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov after they have been secretly seeing each other for 10 years.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie return as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the all-star hockey players navigating their relationship behind closed doors. Ilya moves to Canada to play for the Ottawa Centaurs to be closer to Shane, as both grapple with the anxieties of their situation.
Returning cast members include François Arnaud and Robbie G.K. as Scott Hunter and Kip Grady, Sophie Nélisse as Rose, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova as Svetlana, and Christina Chang and Dylan Walsh as Shane’s parents.
Production and Release Details
Filming for Heated Rivalry Season 2 is underway in Canada. HBO and HBO Max content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys confirmed the second season will premiere in spring 2027 (late March to June). The first season premiered on Crave and HBO Max in November 2025.
HBO Max has also announced that the series will be available in Brazil and other international markets.
Also Read: Heated Rivalry Season 2: Franco Lo Presti Teases Cliff Marleau Return As Filming Continues
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