‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 3 might be coming sooner than we think and one clue gives it away
'Heated Rivalry' was one of the major hit shows of 2025, and fans have been lapping up all updates on an already-renewed season 2. The second installment is slated for a 2027 release, but the more joyful news comes in the form of a season 3 update.
The Crave show is based on Rachel Reid's bestseller of the same name and follows the love story between hockey rivals Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). The multibook novel is part of her 'Game Changers' series. In the second book of Reid's 'Game Changers' series, Ilya and Shane's stories pick up from the events of the first, with the sequel titled 'The Long Game'. The book follows their individual pro hockey careers as they continue to keep their relationship under wraps.
The new season 3 update comes from the creator, Reid herself. With a third book releasing this year, a third instalment seems to be the most likely route, with the book expected to release in late September. The official synopsis is already available for readers. "A line has been drawn—and the hockey world is divided," it reads. "For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they're out, married, and even playing on the same team. The support is incredible."
It further adds, "Most of the time."
"They've gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them. But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash—led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement—is getting louder. Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they'd always wanted. And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet."
Earlier, Storrie had an update on the second season. Speaking on TODAY's morning show this week, the actor said it would be a "heated summer" as the filming goes on floors. Speaking to Craig Melvin, "I think Jacob's still writing it," he said, referring to writer and director Jacob Tierney. "I think we're going to be filming, I don't know when, exactly." When Melvin asked if "soon" meant as early as this year's summer, "Yeah, I think about then."
All episodes of 'Heated Rivalry' Season 1 are available for streaming on HBO Max.
