Everything We Know About Heated Rivalry Season 2

Welcome to Team Hollanov! You've caught the Heated Rivalry bug, and now you're desperate for more face-offs between Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). Luckily, Season 2 of Crave and HBO Max's breakout hit Canadian series is on its way. The bad news: It may be a while. But good things come to those who wait — and now you'll have all the time in the world to watch every episode again (and again and again), including that top-rated penultimate hour and the bliss-filled finale, to your heart's content. 

Heated Rivalry shot out of a cannon when it premiered Nov. 28, becoming an instant streaming sensation to the surprise of many. Created by Jacob Tierney (Letterkenny, Shoresy), the saucy queer romantic drama takes its name and inspiration from the second novel in Rachel Reid's bestselling Game Changers series. It follows two rival hockey superstars, Canada's Shane Hollander and Russia's Ilya Rozanov, as they begin a steamy forbidden romance amid their rising popularity and stardom. Over the course of a decade, the two meet in secret and engage in an illicit, passionate love affair. 

Heated Rivalry has largely stayed faithful to the source material, one of the major reasons why everyone, including moms and hockey dudes, are thirsting over every moment. "If you've read a lot of romance novels, what stands out about Shane and Ilya is that their story is not the norm," Tierney told podcaster Evan Ross Katz. "One of the things that [the romance] genre doesn't get is taken seriously and I think this relationship, not only do I think it can sustain six hours, I think it wants it… It's asking for it." With anticipation for Season 2 of Heated Rivalry reaching peak levels now that the first season is over, here is everything to know about when it may come, where to watch, potential storylines, possible new characters, and much more. 

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Heated Rivalry latest news

Crave, the streaming service owned by Canada's Bell Media, officially picked up Heated Rivalry for a second season on Dec. 12, 2025. HBO Max confirmed the series will return for Season 2 in the U.S., as well as other territories such as Australia, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

Heated Rivalry could continue beyond two seasons. Williams and Storrie have signed on for three, according to GQ Hype. Tierney hinted to Collider that he has an ideal number of seasons in mind, "but I don't want to say it out loud."

When does Heated Rivalry Season 2 premiere?

The first season of Heated Rivalry premiered on Nov. 28 and concluded with the finale episode, "The Cottage," on Dec. 26, 2025. Many deemed the holiday drop "Cottagemas" on social media.  

There hasn't been any news on when Season 2 will arrive, but Williams suggested in an interview with Variety that filming could begin in "July or August." That would mean a late 2026 or early 2027 premiere at the earliest. Tierney seemed to confirm the timeline, suggesting that the wait for new episodes will likely be more than a year. 

"It can't be same time next year because this time last year I'd written five of these [scripts], and this time this year I've written zero of them," Tierney told Variety. "So it's going to be a little bit later, but it's still going to be soon." (Remember, Crave moved up the release of Season 1 from February 2026 to November 2025 and Tierney was still fine-tuning episodes as the season rolled out.) 

As for how many episodes Season 2 could entail, Tierney hinted to Gold Derby that he may stick with six. Until a firmer timeline emerges, we'll keep speculating on Season 2's arrival date. For now, you can rewatch all the hockey magic by streaming the entire first season on HBO Max stateside.

Is there a trailer for Heated Rivalry Season 2?

No Season 2 trailers or teasers have been released since filming hasn't begun. Don't worry, we'll add them here the second they're ready.

Is Heated Rivalry based on a book?

Heated Rivalry is inspired by a popular six-book hockey romance series, Game Changers, by Canadian author Rachel Reid. The second novel, which was published in 2019 and from which the Crave/HBO Max romantic drama takes its name, is all about Shane and Ilya's secret enemies-to-lovers relationship. Their story continues in the sixth book, 2022's The Long Game, and follows Shane and Ilya as they're forced to choose between their relationship or their illustrious hockey careers. 

When asked if Shane and Ilya's story could continue in another book following the success of the show, Reid told Elle the answer is "a maybe." "I don't want to ruin the series by forcing it," she explained. "It would have to feel necessary. And if that happens, then yes, I'll do it."

As is typical in the romance genre, the other books in the Game Changers series are about different couples who exist in the same hockey world as Shane and Ilya. The first book, Game Changer, focuses on Scott Hunter and Kip Grady (who were the focus of Season 1's third epsiode); book three, Tough Guy, centers on Ryan Price and Fabian Salah; book four, Common Goal, revolves around Eric Bennett and Kyle Swift; and book five, Role Model, is about Troy Barrett and Harris Drover. Many of the characters weave in and out throughout the other novels. Some have already been mentioned or appear in the Heated Rivalry television series.

What happens at the end of Season 1?

The picture starts to become clearer for Shane and Ilya in the final two episodes of Season 1. In the penultimate hour, "I'll Believe in Anything," Shane and Ilya see a glimmer of hope for their future after witnessing Scott Hunter make a grand romantic gesture by kissing Kip at the Finals and coming out to the world. The inspiring moment gives Ilya the strength to call Shane and take a giant leap of faith when he makes the decision to go to the cottage for the summer instead of returning to Russia.

The finale opens with Scott's touching MVP speech where he thanks Kip for being in his life. The episode cuts to Shane picking Ilya up at the airport and the pair nervously anticipating their cottage getaway. More a rustic lakeside mansion, the cottage represents years of clandestine hookups, emotional turmoil, and identity crises coming to a head — though Shane and Ilya aren't out of the woods yet. They're, for all intents and purposes, still closeted to the world but no longer private about their feelings for each other (and to a trusted few in their inner circle).

For two weeks, Shane and Ilya — thanks to the privacy provided by the cottage's leafy surroundings — experience what life would be like cohabitating in domestic bliss, enjoying each other's company (and having lots of sex) without fear of prying eyes. Shane made sure of it, telling his parents he's on a "silent retreat." After Shane and Ilya learn that they haven't been with anyone since their last hookup months earlier, they promise to be honest with each other about what they think and how they really feel. It gives them permission to talk about deeper things, like their hockey futures (Ilya wants to sign with a Canadian team when he's a free agent next season), marriage plans (Shane tells Ilya not to marry Svetlana when the topic of Canadian citizenship comes up), and their families (Ilya opens up about his mother's suicide when he was 12). 

It also gives them the opportunity to look ahead. Always the habitual overthinker, Shane comes up with the perfect scenario: Ilya could play for Ottawa, a team in desperate need for a star center that could actually afford him — and he would only be two hours away. They would soft-launch their friendship and start a foundation in honor of Irina, Ilya's late mother — a real charity benefiting mental health and suicide prevention — that would allow them to be seen together in public so "it wouldn't be so f—ing crazy" to people, Shane explains. Then, when they both retire, they could be together for real. When Ilya asks if that's what he truly wants, Shane vulnerably admits, "So much… So much it scares me."

Shane's admission leads Ilya to be overcome with emotion. And for the first time (or second, if you count his Russian phone confession), Ilya tells Shane he loves him. It takes Shane a second to process before responding with his own "I love you too." But reality strikes at the most unexpected times. Their cottage bubble bursts when Shane's father arrives unannounced to retrieve a misplaced phone charger and witnesses Shane and Ilya kissing by the lake. 

They hurry over to Shane's parents' house to do damage control — and an anxiety-rattled Shane comes out to his mom and dad, though it's not how he thought it'd go in his head. (It's an endearingly bungled mess, especially after Ilya uses the word "lovers" to describe his relationship with Shane.) The surprise for Shane's parents isn't that he's gay (they had a feeling for some time), but rather how long he's been involved with Ilya — dating back to the summer before rookie year. It's a lot to process: Are they going to keep their romance a secret? (Probably.) Do any of their teammates know? (No.) Do they plan on coming out? (Not at this time.) Are they in love? (Very much so.) 

Amid all of this, Shane and his mother have one of the series' most significant heart-to-hearts. Shane apologizes for failing to be the perfect son, and she stops him from going any further, expressing regret that she didn't provide a safety net for him to come to her in the first place. "Will you forgive me?" his mom asks, before Shane cries into her shoulder: "I forgive you." 

They allow themselves a brief moment of calm before diving into planning for the future. It all becomes a bit too much for Shane, who has an anxiety attack after his parents mention Scott Hunter's name. Fortunately for Shane, he has Ilya, who calms him down the only way he can. Shane's family is there and his boyfriend too, Ilya says, and because of that, everything will work out. Shane's ears perk up when Ilya refers to himself as his boyfriend and their kiss is the first time Shane's parents see their love in action. They're really doing this. 

The season ends on a joyful note with Shane and Ilya back in the Land Rover, a significant weight lifted off their shoulders as they drive off into the sunset — literally. (Williams shared that he and Storrie ad-libbed their dialogue in the car as the end credits rolled: "We said a lot of things like, 'I can't believe we've done this'" and "a lot of 'I love you's.") The show's ending is also different from the book, where the pair announce their charity at a press conference. "What I remember so clearly was just this feeling of oh, they get to be in love. That's all that I wanted was the simplicity of that, of just letting them have a [moment]," Tierney told The Hollywood Reporter of the change. "They say it at the beginning, [but] they never get a moment. Just letting them drive together with [Ilya's] hand on [Shane's] neck and just being sweet. That's enough for me."

While there are plenty of questions about what their future looks like and how they will move forward together, what is certain is the happiness they've found in each other — and for now, that's enough. 

What will happen with Shane and Ilya in Heated RIvalry Season 2?

No official storyline details have been provided for Season 2 (it's a little too early for that), but there is a roadmap for what's coming. Tierney confirmed to Collider that The Long Game, the sixth book in the series, "will be the foundational document" for the new season and that "it's broad strokes at this point" in the planning process. "I've had a sense for a while of what I wanted to do," he said, "details to be sorted out." (Just don't expect Shane to have a man bun like he does in the book: "I'll throw up in my mouth," Williams told Harper's Bazaar.)

It's also not a secret how Shane and Ilya's story unfolds. "It doesn't matter if [people] know what's coming because if you do any amount of Googling, you're going to find out how the f—ing show ends. It's the journey," Tierney told Gold Derby. But he insinuated that Season 2 "will end up feeling different because it's a more focused book [and] it takes place over a shorter amount of time."

Now that Shane's parents know (and approve!) of their relationship, the groundwork has been laid for the next chapter in Shane and Ilya's lives — both on and off the ice. We can presume that Ilya will sign with Ottawa, though how that happens remains a mystery. We can also safely assume that the foundation Shane and Ilya discuss in the finale will become a real thing. It's pretty clear they're in this for the long haul, which means the idea of marriage — and how they go about taking the necessary steps to get Ilya closer to obtaining a Canadian passport — is on the horizon.

Heavier themes are covered in The Long Game, and Tierney indicated that he intends to stay faithful to the darker places that Shane and Ilya go. "[Reid] takes them seriously in the second book. She's like, 'This is a real relationship and real relationships come with struggle.' It's so compelling," he said. "I think part of that is there's definitely an element of sadness to what's coming, of loneliness and of isolation. Of Ilya learning a lot about himself, and Shane learning a lot about himself too." One particular development Tierney is looking forward to exploring is seeing Ilya in therapy.

That also means that sex "functions differently" in Season 2 for Shane and Ilya. "That doesn't mean there's no sex. There's quite a bit of sex in The Long Game," Tierney told Variety. "Sex will always be a big part of it, like it is with any romantic relationship. But it's really about continuing that progress of what happens after that first blush of love, what happens after you decide you're in love and how do you sustain it?"

If you're curious what The Long Game is about, here's the official book synopsis:

"To the world they are rivals, but to each other they are everything. Ten years. That's how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they've been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family … from the league. 

If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything? 

Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist. The closeness, the intimacy, even the risk that would come with being open about their relationship … Ilya wants it all. It's time for them to decide what's most important — hockey or love. It's time to make a call."

Who's in the Heated Rivalry Season 2 cast? Will new characters be introduced?

Our favorite hockey studs, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, will be the main focus of Season 2. "Heated Rivalry, as a show, will always be focused around Shane and Ilya," Tierney said, calling them the "heartbeat." Characters like Scott Hunter and Kip Grady "will continue to intersect with them on occasion," he revealed.

Because Season 2 will take its cue from The Long Game, other characters from the Game Changers book series may very well be introduced. In Season 1's fourth episode, Shane and Ilya discuss Ryan Price, a main character in the third book Tough Guy, whom they say gets traded every season. However, Ilya reveals that Ryan isn't as tough as he seems, leaving room for more exploration. And in the third episode, we briefly meet Kyle Swift (played by Matthew Finlan), the bartender at Kingfisher, whose story is featured in the fourth book Common Goal.  

While we wait for official news on potential new additions and who else will be returning, here is the cast of Heated Rivalry from Season 1:

• Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander, captain of the Montreal Metros
• Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, captain of the Boston Raiders
• François Arnaud as Scott Hunter, captain of the New York Admirals
• Robbie G.K. as Christopher "Kip" Grady, a smoothie shop barista
• Callan Potter as Hayden Pike, Shane's teammate
• Christina Chang as Yuna Hollander, Shane's mother
• Dylan Baker as David Hollander, Shane's father
• Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova as Svetlana, Ilya's best friend and occasional hookup 
• Sophie Nélisse as Rose Landry, an actress who Shane dates
• Nadine Bhabha as Elena, Kip's best friend
• Matt Gordon as George Grady, Kip's father 
• Franco Lo Presti as Cliff Marleau, Ilya's teammate
• Kolton Stewart as Carter Vaughn, Scott's teammate
• Slavic Rogozine as Alexei Rozanov, Ilya's brother 
• Yaroslav Poverlo as Grigori Rozanov, Ilya's father

Shows like Heated Rivalry to watch next 

While you wait for more Heated Rivalry to arrive on your screens, there are plenty of queer romances and sports dramas to check out. Here's a list of shows like Heated Rivalryfor you to watch. 

Where to watch Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry is available to stream on HBO Max.