Two fresh faces have been unveiled 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. Welsh actor Shaheen Jafargholi is set to portray musician Fabian Salah, who will be Ryan’s love interest in the series. Jafargholi is also slated to appear in the HBO show “War.”
The duo will embody the main characters, Ryan and Fabian, from Rachel Reid’s best-selling novel “Tough Guy,” the third installment in the “Game Changers” hockey romance series. The story revolves around pro hockey enforcer Ryan, who, upon being traded to the Toronto team, embarks on an exploration of the city’s gay village. During his ventures, he reunites with Fabian, an aspiring musician with whom he almost kissed in high school. Despite the passage of time, their undeniable chemistry resurfaces. However, a potential future together could mean Ryan bidding farewell to his hockey career.
Writer Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady expressed their excitement about the casting choices, highlighting the unique energies that Daniel and Shaheen bring to the characters. Season 1 of the show adapted the first two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
In the upcoming Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry,” the narrative will continue to follow the journey of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov from Reid’s novel “The Long Game.” Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their lead roles in the TV adaptation.
Furthermore, the second season will introduce the stories of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth book in the series, “Role Model.” New cast additions include Emily Hampshire from “Schitt’s Creek” and drag queen Priyanka.
The highly anticipated Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is set to premiere in spring 2027.