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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is a big fan of 'Heated Rivalry'

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Jan 16 2026, 5:47 pm
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is a big fan of 'Heated Rivalry'
Jerome Miron/Imagn Images

Canadian TV series Heated Rivalry is the talk amongst all hockey fans right now, and that includes NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

The new series, which has six episodes in the opening season, focuses on two fictional professional hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, whose on-ice rivalry hides a secret romance.

“We’re well aware of Heated Rivalry,” Bettman said to a group of reporters on Thursday. “In terms of embracing it, I think it’s a wonderful story.”

The show, which is available on Crave, has been a major hit. Bettman himself admitted that he has tuned in and is a fan, watching the entire first season in one evening.

“I’ve watched all six episodes. I binged it in one night,” Bettman said. “I thought the storyline was very compelling, and a lot of fun because I could see where they picking at things that we have done in the past. Whether it was being in Sochi or the All-Star game in Tampa, it was very well done.”

Bettman advised, however, that the show may not be suitable for younger audiences given some of its graphic content.

“The content, particularly for young people, may be a little spicy,” Bettman said. “You have to balance that out in terms of how you embrace it.”

Heated Rivalry is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series. Reid has said that the real-life rivalry between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin is what resulted in her inspiration for the series.

Reid has also said that Jaromir Jagr, Teemu Selanne, and Ilya Kovalchuk served as other inspirations for Rozanov’s character, while Wayne Gretzky and Paul Kariya served as some inspiration for Hollander.

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