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The hit show “Heated Rivalry” has become a television phenomenon. Can this change the culture of hockey?

JamesMcGheeBy No Comments8 Mins Read
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When Harrison Browne landed a minor role in the Canadian television series “Heated Rivalry,” he was excited to be part of a project that would get people talking. A show about gay hockey players, “Heated Rivalry” tackles a complex topic in the fabric of men’s hockey culture that Browne believes deserves a “reckoning.”

But even Browne, who now works as an actor after becoming the first professional hockey player to come out as transgender, couldn’t imagine how popular the series would become.

“I don’t think anyone expected it,” Browne said. Athletics. “It’s a pop culture phenomenon right now.”

“Heated Rivalry,” airing on HBO Max and Canadian TV streaming platform Crave, follows two fictional male hockey players, Japanese-Canadian Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie), who develop a secret romance while fostering a public rivalry throughout their hockey careers. Browne makes an appearance in the fourth episode as Rozanov’s teammate. In real life, Browne underwent a medical transition after playing three seasons in the National Women’s Hockey League.

Little by little, the show established itself in mainstream hockey culture. This raises questions and criticism about the sport’s failures when it comes to inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community. But could the growing popularity of “Heated Rivalry” lead to a change in men’s hockey culture? It at least opened the door to conversations.

The show is based on the queer hockey book series “Game Changers,” written by Halifax-born writer Rachel Reid, which features various romantic storylines involving fictional gay hockey players. Montrealer Jacob Tierney, a writer and director known for his work on the popular Canadian show “Letterkenny” and its spinoff series “Shorsy,” adapted the first two books for the television series. There is little hockey action in the series, which focuses more on the relationship, banter and romance between its main characters.

“This show is for girls, gays and them,” said former professional hockey goalie and LGBTQ+ advocate Brock McGillis.

Connor Storrie (left) and Hudson Williams (right) play two hockey players in “Heated Rivalry” who develop a secret romance while fostering a public rivalry throughout their careers. (Harold Feng/Getty Images)

“Heated Rivalry” is now Crave’s most successful first original series of all timeand it has already been renewed for a second season. Fans have been calling for Emmy consideration, but the show is not eligible because it is entirely funded in Canada. (Crave is owned by Canadian telecommunications conglomerate Bell Canada.) Two of the series’ episodes are ranked among the highest-rated television episodes of all time on IMDb, surpassing episodes of shows such as “Game of Thrones,” “Better Call Saul” and “The Mandalorian,” among others. Mega pop star Miley Cyrus wants to make music for the next season of the series.

Although current NHL players have remained silent about the series, the Boston Bruins referenced the series in a social media post during a game against the Montreal Canadiens – the main characters play for fictional teams based in Boston and Montreal in the series. The Canadiens released a trailer for the show during intermission of their Pride Night game in early December.

The fans are wearing shirts referencing the show during NHL games. And in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter published late last monthan NHL representative called the show “the most unique engine for creating new fans.”

Actor François Arnaud, who plays Scott Hunter, a veteran hockey player at the end of his career who has a relationship with a barista, was interviewed by RDS during an intermission of the Canadiens’ Pride Night game.

“If you asked me what the demographic of this show would be, I wasn’t even sure,” said Arnaud, who spoke to Variety on the red carpet at this year’s Critics Choice Awards. “I was like, definitely, people like women who like books. Maybe LGBT people. But the fact that hockey players watch the show? The fact that the failing NHL is using us to attract people?

“I just hope it brings real change to the league and has a real influence on how they treat their own players and the possibility of that happening. Because it’s not, historically, the most open association.”

Despite the limited number of ice hockey scenes, the sport clearly forms the backdrop for the series. It features the locker room dynamics between the players, the pressures of being a professional hockey player, and elements of their high-profile lifestyle, all as several characters navigate same-sex relationships and the sport’s complicated history with their acceptance – mirroring real-life elements.

The NHL has banned Pride Night jerseys and rainbow ribbons in October 2023months after some players pulled out of their team’s Pride Night festivities. After Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott defied the ban by covering his stick with rainbow ribbon during a game, the NHL overturned his band ban. But special jerseys still cannot be worn to commemorate special nights, including Pride Night.

There have never been any openly gay players in the NHL. Bakersfield Condors defenseman Luke Prokop, who came out as gay in July 2021, was under contract with the NHL’s Nashville Predators through 2024-25.

The Edmonton native said his experiences with every professional hockey team he has played with have been “positive,” with the teams being “accommodating” and “welcoming” at every turn. But Prokop knows when to use his platform and his status to speak out against homophobia, while hoping that players and teams can see him for who he is, without ruffling “too many feathers.”

“I want to make sure that I do everything in my power to make sure that I hopefully have an opportunity to get into the NHL one day,” Prokop said. “With hockey and the LGBTQ community, it’s tricky. You can’t do too much to get attention, whereas some teams might say, ‘Oh, we see it as a distraction. So we don’t want them on our team.’ There have been cases where this has happened.

What doesn’t help players like Prokop is the conservative nature of hockey, which restricts individuality in the name of conformity. McGillis regularly speaks to high school students across Canada on how to make hockey environments more inclusive.

“They can’t even share things about themselves that they like or don’t like without fear of being completely torn apart and catcalled by their teammates,” McGillis said. “So if the straight white bro who is supposed to be 90-95% of the demo has to adhere to these extreme standards, what hope is there for a queer person? »

Ironically, the sport’s culture of uniformity could help NHL teams welcome openly gay teammates if that ever happens, McGillis said.

“I think the insularity of the culture leads to this notion of family, more than probably any other sport,” McGillis said. “And that family aspect is: You’re going to fight for your family. And once someone is included in that family, they’re not going to be excluded.”

It’s not like NHL players have never expressed support for LGBTQ+ issues or people playing the sport.

Bayne Pettinger, NHL player agent was released in 2020 and was immediately greeted with warm texts of support from two NHL superstars: Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. McDavid said it was “disappointing” to see the NHL ban Pride Night-themed jerseys and ribbons and had no problem donning a jersey or jersey. swing pride ribbon on his stick blade. Organizations such as You Can Play, co-founded by former NHL executive Brian Burke following the death of his son Brendan, who came out as gay, have also worked to end homophobia in sports.

However, the NHL is still not considered a particularly friendly space for the LGBTQ+ communityunlike the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which has many LGBTQ+ players and fans.

“Whether you are lesbian, bisexual, transgender or non-binary,” Browne said. “We see these (people) in these spaces. So I think it makes people feel safer to express themselves and know that they’re not going to be excluded.

“I think a show like ‘Heated Rivalry’ really challenges masculinity, and toxic masculinity is pretty pervasive in hockey,” Browne said. “I think it just creates new avenues for visibility for someone who you think maybe doesn’t stereotypically represent this community. And just knowing that someone in the locker room can identify in a certain way…I just think it sends a different message about what masculinity can be.”

The show’s popularity gave the NHL an opportunity to attract new fans, something the league itself acknowledged. It is now up to the NHL to keep them.

“Because if they don’t feel welcomed and safe,” McGillis said, “why would they stay?” »

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