Ottawa Senators jerseys with the names of Hollander and Rozanov, the main characters from the hit Canadian sports romance television show Heated Rivalry, hang in the Senators’ official store beside the jerseys of Senators players, including captain Brady Tkachuk, before an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Ottawa, Ontario, Jan. 31, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP, File) Justin Tang/AP FILE – Hudson Williams arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP FILE – Connor Storrie poses during the nominations announcement for the 32nd Annual Actor Awards, Jan. 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Invision Hudson Williams, of the TV series “Heated Rivalry,” center, presents Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney with a fleece from the show on the red carpet at the Prime Time screen and media industry conference gala in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP) PATRICK DOYLE/AP MILAN (AP) — Olympic hockey knows all about big hits. That now includes ” Heated Rivalry ‘ a hockey romance TV series in which two gay players from opposing teams carry out a secret, long-term relationship. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The steamy connection between the characters — Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov — has attracted fans to both the show and the sport itself, with the NHL seeing a boost in ticket sales by one estimate. The show’s impact was evident long before the Milan Cortina Olympics when co-stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie carried the Olympic flame. And it hasn’t stopped there. Athletes and fans from Canada and the U.S. are feeling the show’s impact. Athletes recognize the phenomenon Zach Werenski, a defenseman on the U.S. team who plays for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, said the show has come up in conversation in the locker room. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ‘Everyone is saying how great it is, I just haven’t seen it yet,’ Werenski told The Associated Press after a 5-1 victory over Latvia. ‘It’s definitely good for the sport of hockey. Whenever you can add more eyes to the game and have people talk about the game and talk about inclusivity, I think it’s just great for the sport.’ Jake Sanderson, another U.S. defenseman who plays for the Ottawa Senators, said he has heard about the show, but doesn’t know much about it. When asked how far off the NHL is from having an openly gay player, Sanderson cited Luke Prokop. In 2021, Prokop was a Nashville Predators prospect who became the first player signed to an NHL contract to come out, though he has not yet played in the league. ‘You never know if that show (will) instill some confidence in some people,’ said Sanderson, adding that any openly gay player would be fully accepted in the locker room. ‘I don’t think we would treat them any differently. They’re our teammate, we love them no matter what, and obviously embrace them, absolutely.’ Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rachel Reid’s novel ‘Heated Rivalry’ was published in 2019. The TV adaptation, originally developed for Canadian streaming service Crave, was the top-rated series on HBO Max in its first season. It has been renewed for a second season Its biggest fans at the Olympics may be the Canadian delegation. As part of the Olympic experience, athletes were gifted a potted plant. Many of the Canadians named theirs Shane or Ilya, according to the delegation’s lead press liaison, Tara MacBournie. Canadian Alpine skier Kiki Alexander took the