Well, well, well — it looks like winter’s about to come early, because the trailer for Heated Rivalry just dropped, and let’s just say fans are already reaching for ice packs and fans.
The new Crave series, premiering this November, is based on Rachel Reid’s beloved gay hockey novel and follows two professional players, Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie), as they struggle to balance ambition, rivalry, and the kind of magnetic tension that can only end in one thing — a very sweaty secret romance.
In other words, it’s Check, Please! meets Red, White & Royal Blue but with more slapshots, sass, and shirtless locker-room moments than your queer heart can handle.
The trailer teases everything fans were hoping for — longing glances across the rink, whispered confessions in the dark, and one scene so charged it could fog up the Zamboni glass.
Crave has been feeding the frenzy for weeks, dropping teasing stills of a shirtless Connor Storrie in the locker room, leaving fans collectively clutching their pearls and tweeting “is it hot in here, or is it just hockey?”
And oh, the cast — from François Arnaud to Sophie Nélisse to Christina Chang — ensures this steamy sports drama isn’t just about abs and ambition, but also about emotional stakes, identity, and the aching thrill of forbidden love.
The story picks up when two rising NHL stars’ fierce rivalry evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery, testing their limits both on and off the ice.
Meanwhile, if you’re craving more queer heat in unexpected places, remember when Miles Heizer turned heads in Boots, Netflix’s gay military drama that made “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” feel anything but quiet — catch up on that story here before you dive into another kind of battle zone.
Fans of the books will be happy to know Heated Rivalry stays true to the novel’s sizzling tone and heartfelt message — that love, even when buried under ice, can’t stay frozen forever.
The series is the second installment in Reid’s *Game Changer* series, following different couples in the same hockey universe, with The Long Game also centered on Shane and Ilya’s evolving relationship.
Between Heated Rivalry and the upcoming Red, White & Royal Blue sequel, it’s officially a golden age for queer romance on screen — and honestly, we’re living for it.
As the trailer racks up views faster than a puck in overtime, one thing’s clear: this isn’t just a show, it’s a full-blown gay sports fantasy, and we’re all invited to the penalty box.
And speaking of steamy screen moments, if you loved seeing passion bloom under pressure, wait till you revisit the slow-burn tension of Alexander Lincoln’s gay film — you’ll want to relive that sensational magic too. 😉