Club Benefits
I found a home in NHL arenas at 12, long before I came to the cottage. I was born nine days after the LA Kings lost their first Stanley Cup series. As a result, I like to say that I’m a consolation prize, coming in second to Lord Stanley. Suffice it to say, hockey is in my blood, and I’ve been sacrificing my sleep schedule to the hockey gods for my West Coast team my entire life.
While I’ve found immense joy in hockey spaces, queer representation has largely been missing on and off the ice. Hell, I’d even take LGBTQ+ tolerance. When the queer hockey series “Heated Rivalry” dropped on HBO Max, it instantly became my new favorite show. It’s a game-changer in many ways, but there’s just one thing missing: hockey.
Okay, it’s not completely absent, but we’re lucky if we get 20 seconds of ice time in each episode. Given the modest budget and time restraints, creator Jacob Tierney did what he could. However, bingeing Netflix’s “Finding Her Edge” reminded me just how integral sports scenes are to a sports show.
Of course, the figure skating scenes in “Finding Her Edge” were the only thing preventing me from bailing mid-season. I wanted to love the show. I really did. I was hoping for a cute figure skating relationship I could get behind. Instead, we get a discount "The Summer I Skated Pretty" love triangle. By the end of the first season, I loathed almost every character and was rooting for everyone to date themselves instead of each other. “Heated Rivalry” wins the game in every category except time spent on the ice.
This heated rivalry needs more hockey
When “Heated Rivalry” debuted on HBO Max (and massively blew up), I was surprised. But I guess I shouldn’t have been. Clearly, people have been desperate for some kind of LGBTQ+ presence in hockey spaces. The NHL’s hollow "Hockey is for Everyone" campaign just wasn’t cutting it.
That’s where Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” book series came into play, both on the page and later, on the screen as "Heated Rivarly". Connor Storrie’s Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams’ Shane Hollander breathe life into the heart, passion, and captivating storyline in “Heated Rivalry.” But I can’t ignore how refreshing it was to see full ice dance performances in “Finding Her Edge.” They range from practice, qualifiers, and Worlds. Meanwhile, the beginning of “Heated Rivalry” features so little hockey that it’s difficult to suss out what level of the sport they’re competing in.
Don’t get me wrong: I love homages like the All-Star Game, the in-universe version of the MVP Conn Smythe trophy, realistic pressers, and most importantly, the pseudo-Stanley Cup celebration and subsequent coming-out scene. We’ve got the commentators, the TV broadcast, and the built-up anticipation for a moment we’ve been desperately waiting for in real life. As someone who annually celebrates my birthday by watching the Stanley Cup finals at the Canuck, it felt like I was witnessing the real thing. And that was beyond powerful.
For a show called “Heated Rivalry,” I wanted to see that friction play out on the ice rather than the bench and press conferences. Yes, even “Finding Her Edge” needs more competition moments. I was fuming when the World's episode constantly panned to Adriana (Madelyn Keys) and Brayden (Cale Ambrozic) bickering rather than the performance in the background. Yet despite the trite and predictable plot, the on-ice moments were enough to keep me tuned in to an otherwise lackluster storyline.
More hockey = More viewership from the people who need to watch
Hockey and figure skating are very different sports. Gay icons like Adam Rippon broke barriers for queer figure skating success in a way that hockey hasn’t come close to achieving. “Finding Her Edge” has several out characters, whose sexuality doesn’t affect their careers in the slightest. That’s what makes the hockey in “Heated Rivalry” so important — because it barely exists off-screen.
It’s no secret that hockey culture is exclusionary and largely toxic — between cost inaccessibility, the prevalence of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, and an intolerance for marginalized communities. Many players are driven out of the sport from the pee-wee level and beyond.
Until the stigma dissipates, many queer players are forced to choose between love and their career. It’s painful to think about the number of real closeted players just like Scott Hunter (François Arnaud). In many cases, we’ll probably never know their names. The support just isn’t there.
“Heated Rivalry” is changing that narrative. Hudson Williams mentioned that closeted pro athletes have reached out on social media. Additionally, hockey player Jesse Kortuem recently came out. He credited the show for inspiring him. When people say that representation matters, it’s more than buzzwords. These storylines have the potential to impact so many real lives.
In 2023, controversial NHL commissioner Gary Bettman banned Pride tape during NHL games (a decision he later reversed following backlash). Still, Bettman recently told reporters that he watched "Heated Rivalry" in one night before praising the show. Sorry, but bingeing a queer series doesn’t undo that real damage.
“Heated Rivalry” is obviously appealing to allies and the queer community, but those aren’t the people who need to watch it the most. The more on-screen hockey in the series, the likelier it is that additional players will tune in and get inspired to change the narrative within the sport.
Hockey culture is shifting, but It’s not enough
I’ve been to Pride nights at the NHL (National Hockey League), MLB (Major League Baseball), and PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) levels. It’s not hard to guess which league felt the most genuine and inclusive. Given the number of out players in the PWHL, there’s a level of authenticity I’ve never felt during other Pride Nights. Olympics-bound rivals Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen even have their own heated rivalry. They’re engaged off the ice and self-proclaimed enemies when the buzzer starts.
Without action to back up inclusive sentiments, these nights feel more like a marketing tool than support. The same league that banned Pride tape three years ago is using “Heated Rivalry” hype to promote the NHL. Successfully, I might add. The Bruins (the inspiration for Illya’s Raidersteam) have referenced the show on social media. The Boston arena even offered Episode 4-inspired ginger ale and tuna melt combos.
Alternatively, the Ottawa Senators took that energy and funneled it into supporting actual queer hockey initiatives by selling jerseys inspired by “Heated Rivalry.” Instead of pocketing the profits, the sales raised money for the local Ottawa Pride hockey team. That, alongside the NHL’s partnership with the LGBTQ+ charity You Can Play, is a start. Still, there’s plenty of work to be done.
However, that’s the kind of real change a show like “Heated Rivalry” can have on the sport. I’d love to see more of this and less self-serving “Heated Rivalry” promo within the league. The more on-screen hockey in the series, the likelier that becomes.
I’m frankly over people celebrating the lack of hockey in the show. Hockey representation is the entire point. With the overwhelming success of “Heated Rivalry,” I’m hoping a bigger budget will translate to more hockey. That way, the sport can continue growing, and queer acceptance with it.
Watched "Heated Rivalry" on HBO Max, and "Finding Her Edge" on Netflix now
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