Two fresh faces will join the upcoming Season 2 of the popular hockey series “Heated Rivalry” on Crave. Canadian actor Daniel Diemer, recognized for his role as Tyson in the TV series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” will portray the character of hockey player Ryan Price. Welsh actor Shaheen Jafargholi, known for his appearance in the HBO show “War,” will play the role of musician Fabian Salah, Ryan’s love interest. These characters are central figures in the third book of Rachel Reid’s acclaimed “Game Changers” hockey romance series, titled “Tough Guy.”
The plot revolves around pro hockey enforcer Ryan, who discovers a spark with Fabian, an aspiring musician, in Toronto’s gay village. Despite their history of an almost-kiss in high school, their undeniable chemistry resurfaces. However, a potential future together may require Ryan to make a life-altering decision regarding his hockey career.
Writer Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady expressed excitement about the distinctive energy that Daniel and Shaheen bring to the characters of Ryan and Fabian. Season 1 of the series adapted the first two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
In Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry,” the storyline will follow the journey of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, former hockey rivals turned lovers, from Reid’s novel “The Long Game.” Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will return to portray their lead roles in the TV adaptation.
Additionally, the upcoming season will incorporate the narratives 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 as Troy.
The highly-anticipated Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is set to premiere in the spring of 2027.