“Heated Rivalry,” a show released on HBO Max, has rapidly grown in popularity since the release of the first episode on Nov. 28 and its conclusion on Dec. 28, The show centers around two rival hockey stars, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, and their experiences coming to terms with their sexualities and relationship. The show also features a love story between Scott Hunter, another famous hockey player, and his boyfriend, Kip, in one of its episodes.
“Heated Rivalry” is a visually stunning and well-told story of what it means to struggle with one’s sexuality and the pressures one faces in trying to conform to a world that won’t accept them. While there are many explicit scenes in the show, the focus is always on the relationship between Ilya and Shane. Every choice made in the show feels intentional, and there are no empty filler scenes. Even the explicit scenes show how Shane and Ilya become more comfortable with each other and their own sexuality. The show does an excellent job of showing how the two of them slowly fall in love despite their internal conflicts. A lot of small details, such as the two comforting each other through discreet physical touches, also come back in later episodes to highlight how Shane and Ilya have grown alongside each other, which adds so much more depth to their story and the show overall.
The show also has amazing actors who bring the characters to life. For example, Rachel Reid, the author of the “Heated Rivalry” book series that the show is based on, has confirmed that Shane is autistic. Hudson Williams, the actor who plays Shane, deliberately chooses to highlight how Shane has trouble maintaining eye contact and understanding subtle sarcasm through his facial expressions and line delivery. These minor choices by both Williams and other actors make the story more realistic, especially when it comes to character development.
In addition, the show has a unique soundtrack that perfectly matches the pace and emotions in each episode, which only deepens the story for the viewers experiencing it.
“Heated Rivalry” brings a non-tragic, gay love story to mainstream media during a time when LGBTQ+ rights feel threatened and into a sport that has historically been heteronormative and hypermasculine. While some critics have pointed out that “Heated Rivalry” seems to romanticize the struggle of accepting one’s sexuality or focus too much on sex scenes, it still remains faithful to the struggle to understand one’s self and trying to fit one’s identity into an unwelcoming space.
“Heated Rivalry” isn’t just a popular TV show; this show is already having a tangible impact on hockey and athletes in the real world.
As of January 2026, there are still no publicly out players in the NHL. The closest player is Luke Prokop, who never made it to the NHL but instead played with an affiliate AHL team under an NHL contract and came out as gay in 2021, according to “‘Heated Rivalry’ Inspires Pro Hockey Player to Come Out as Gay,” an article released by The Independent. According to the article, Prokop told The New York Times that “some NHL teams viewed LGBT+ players as a ‘distraction’ from the sport,” showing just how hostile the world of hockey is for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The NHL even went so far as to ban Pride Night jerseys and rainbow-colored tape in 2023, although that policy has since been repealed. “Heated Rivalry” has already begun to inspire real change in hockey. In a Facebook post, Jesse Kortuem, a former hockey player, came out as gay and credited the show as the reason he came out. Kortuem’s post reveals that he never felt comfortable coming out to his teammates and felt forced to hide who he was.
In “‘Heated Rivalry’ Inspires Real-life Hockey Player to Come Out as Gay,” an article published by Out, Korteum claimed, “Many closeted and gay men in the hockey world are being hit hard by Heated Rivalry’s success,” and adds that he never thought that “something (“Heated Rivalry”) so positive and loving could comefrom such a masculine sport.”
Aside from encouraging athletes to feel more comfortable with themselves, “Heated Rivalry” has also pushed hockey teams to em- brace the show’s LGBTQ+ story and led them to market themselves as LGBTQ+ allies. Some hockey teams have designed special edition jerseys with the pride flag on them or painted the pride flag on the ice, and some have even played scenes from “Heated Rivalry” in the stadium.
“Heated Rivalry” is more than just a gay hockey romance. Its impact doesn’t just extend to hockey; this show has made all sports more LGBTQ+ friendly, creating safer environments for more athletes, old and young, to come out.
