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 is also set to appear in the HBO show “War,” will portray musician Fabian Salah, Ryan’s love interest.
The duo of Ryan and Fabian takes center stage in the third installment of Rachel Reid’s best-selling hockey romance series, “Game Changers,” titled “Tough Guy.” The plot revolves around pro hockey enforcer Ryan being traded to the Toronto team and encountering Fabian, an aspiring musician from their high school days. Despite the passage of time, their undeniable chemistry resurfaces, but pursuing a future together may mean Ryan having to bid farewell to his hockey career.
Writer Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady expressed their excitement about the addition of Daniel and Shaheen to the cast, highlighting the unique energy they bring to the world created by Rachel Reid. Season 1 of the series adapted the first two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
The upcoming Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” will continue the storyline of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, characters from Reid’s novel “The Long Game,” with Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie reprising their roles. Additionally, the new season will incorporate the narratives of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth book in the series, “Role Model.”
The casting announcements for Season 2 have sparked some backlash from fans regarding body diversity. Crave has revealed that Justice Smith will play Harris and Charlie Gillespie, known for his role in “Julie and the Phantoms,” will portray Troy. Noteworthy additions to the cast also include Emily Hampshire from “Schitt’s Creek” and drag queen Priyanka.
The second season of “Heated Rivalry” is set to debut in the spring of 2027.
