Two fresh faces have been revealed for the upcoming Season 2 of the popular hockey series “Heated Rivalry” on Crave. Daniel Diemer, a Canadian actor recognized for his role as Tyson in the TV series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” will take on the character of hockey player Ryan Price. Meanwhile, Welsh actor Shaheen Jafargholi, who will also appear in the HBO show “War,” will portray musician Fabian Salah, the love interest of Ryan in the third installment of Rachel Reid’s best-selling “Game Changers” hockey romance series, titled “Tough Guy.”
In “Tough Guy,” the narrative revolves around pro hockey enforcer Ryan, who gets traded to the Toronto team and is eager to explore the city’s gay village. During his exploration, he reunites with Fabian, an aspiring musician with whom he almost kissed in high school. Despite the years that have passed, their undeniable chemistry resurfaces. However, a potential future together might require Ryan to bid farewell to his hockey career.
The show’s writer, Jacob Tierney, and producer, Brendan Brady, expressed their excitement about the addition of Daniel and Shaheen to portray the multifaceted characters of Ryan and Fabian. Season 1 of the series adapted the first two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.” Season 2 will continue to follow the story of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, respectively, from Reid’s novel “The Long Game.”
Furthermore, the upcoming season will integrate the stories of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth book of the series, “Role Model.” New cast members include Justice Smith as Harris and Charlie Gillespie, known for his role in “Julie and the Phantoms,” as Troy. Notably, Emily Hampshire from “Schitt’s Creek” and drag queen Priyanka are also part of the new cast.
The highly-anticipated Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is slated to premiere in spring 2027, promising to continue the captivating saga of hockey rivals-turned-lovers and introduce compelling new characters to the mix.