Though Heated Rivalry ended its first season weeks ago, the show and its cast are still garnering a lot of buzz. Since its premiere in November 2025, fans are living for the steamy scenes, as well as the romance.
But actor Connor Storrie, who plays hockey player Ilya Rozanov on the show, is in it for the love of the game. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Storrie revealed his favorite parts of filming Heated Rivalry. And no, it’s not the love story of it all.
“I feel like the moments that I really like are not the moments that get a lot of praise, but also it's really difficult because I just watched the show and I remember what we were doing that day rather than the actual show itself,” said Storrie. “So I think any of the hockey stuff was just a really special time, because, I mean, I had like 40 new people. I had professional athletes that were, you know, teaching me their sport, so any of the hockey stuff I think is pretty, pretty sick.”
Heated Rivalry follows Ilya on a years-long journey as he and rival hockey player Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) grapple with their desires while navigating a heteropatriarchal sports landscape. The show is based on author Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series.
The show became an instant hit for Canadian network Crave and HBO Max upon its premiere and was renewed for a second season. Though fans will likely have to wait until 2027 to see the second season, fans can expect to hear more from Storrie and Williams. The two recently narrated a three-episode romantasy series called Ember & Ice. They are also set to present at the Golden Globes on Sunday, January 11. Fans can tune into the Golden Globes via CBS or Paramount+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
