Have Predators players watched 'Heated Rivalry'? Roman Josi on hockey TV craze
If you're a hockey fan, you've heard of "Heated Rivalry" by now.
The steamy, hockey-themed romance series currently is as synonymous with the sport as slap shots, power plays and the Zamboni.
The show, which is streaming on HBO and is based on a book by Rachel Reid, centers on two gay hockey stars who fall in love on the ice. Created in 2025 by Canadian director Jacob Tierney, the series has exploded in popularity in recent weeks. Its principal stars, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, were in Milan as torchbearers at the just-concluded Olympics. Storrie hosted "Saturday Night Live" on Feb. 28, and Williams made an appearance.
It has blossomed into a unique phenomenon in the NHL. In January, commissioner Gary Bettman said he binge-watched the entire series and welcomed its popularity to help grow the game.
But have any Nashville Predators players seen the show? Here's what we learned.
Have Predators players watched 'Heated Rivalry'? What Roman Josi said
"Heated Rivalry" takes place in a simulacrum of the NHL — teams called the Montreal Metros and Boston Raiders play in a league called Major League Hockey — so it stands to reason NHL players have heard of the show. But have they watched it?
"No, I haven't watched it," Predators captain Roman Josi told The Tennessean on March 1. "But I have definitely heard of it. It's a very popular show right now."
Josi added that his limited TV schedule is focused on older shows at the moment. He's making his way through another HBO hit series, "The Wire," but the impact of "Heated Rivalry" is clear to players in the locker room.
"We've definitely all heard of the show, I'm just not sure who else may have watched it," Josi said.
The story centers on two characters who are rivals on the ice. Ilya Rozanov, played by Storrie, is the captain for Boston, while Shane Hollander, played by Williams, captains for Montreal. After a series of rendezvous, the two engage in a secret, intimate relationship. The series builds conflict both on and off the ice, but the heart of the show is about the struggle to maintain a gay relationship while playing in the spotlight of an ultra-competitive, traditionally masculine sport.
The show's emergence comes as the NHL looks to increase the sport's support of the LGBTQ+ community. Teams across the league, including the Predators, host Pride nights, during which players use rainbow-colored tape on their hockey sticks. The league also has an ongoing affiliation with You Can Play, a campaign that promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.
Josi, who has talked openly about the Predators' Pride initiatives, welcomes the show as a beacon of acceptance in the sport.
"It's really important for the league to be inclusive," he said. "As an athlete and as a league, we are in the spotlight. You have that responsibility to make sure everyone is included."
Another effect the show is having is on NHL ticket sales. A report from SeatGeek in February showed a 20% increase in ticket sales, coinciding with the release of "Heated Rivalry" in November.
"If a lot of people watch that show, maybe they fall in love with hockey and start watching and coming to games," Josi said. "The game, the way it's grown, has been amazing."
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Predators' Roman Josi said about TV craze 'Heated Rivalry'
What's Your Reaction?
like
0
dislike
0
love
0
funny
0
angry
0
sad
0
wow
0
