In October 2023, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced that players would no longer be allowed to use Pride tape on their sticks during play.

It had been a contentious couple of seasons for the NHL and Pride. They had just banned special jerseys used to commemorate Pride (among other things) for warmups after several players refused to wear the jerseys.

The NHL shortly reversed its decision on Pride tape after backlash from community and players alike. But it left a scar on the relationship between hockey and its LGBTQ+ fans (and no doubt its closeted players).

Now comes “Heated Rivalry,” based off of the book series “Game Changers” by Rachel Reid. Released in late 2025, the Canadian six-episode drama follows two closeted queer hockey players. Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) is a golden boy who does not fully understand his sexuality yet. Ilya Rosanov (Connor Storrie) is a renowned ladies’ man from Russia, where queerness can come with severe societal and legal repercussions.

The show addresses how queer hockey players may be forced to navigate a world of expectations set upon them: locker rooms, parties, ad campaigns and public events, all where they are assumed to be straight.

“Heated Rivalry” is set in the recent past, the timeline spanning 2008 to 2017. But even today, there are no players out as queer in the NHL.

By the end of the season, one hockey player has come out in the show – Scott Hunter (François Arnaud). Scott comes out by kissing his boyfriend in the middle of the rink on live television after winning the “Stanley” Cup. In a speech afterwards, Scott says that as a teen he realized that he “may be that thing that hockey players like to throw around as an insult.” And this is the reality: queerness is not the norm in professional hockey. But watching the show, I started to question: could it ever be?

“Heated Rivalry” is a powerful show because it shows the joy and love that can come from queerness even in the face of powerful backlash and pressure. Call it a porn show all you want, but it’s certainly more than that – it gives voice to an invisible set of people, players and fans who have always existed but must choose to remain unheard.

The show rocketed to widespread fame across the U.S. and Canada – even in the NHL. Some teams have played music or scenes from the show during and before games, including the Vancouver Canucks who hosted cast member Robbie G. K. at a game. Some amateur and semi-professional players have even gone public with their identities as a result of the show. It sort of seems like we’re going in the right direction. Because of the popularity of this show, NHL ticket sales have rocketed. My worry is: do these new fans know the true hostility of the world they are about to enter?

The sad reality is that it’s not as progressive of a drift as it seems. Just in the past month, the Seattle Kraken received heavy backlash for its newly released pride merch collection, and three teams – the Carolina Hurricanes, L.A. Kings, and Utah Mammoth – announced they are moving away from Pride Nights this season.

The Boston Bruins, upon which Ilya’s team, the Boston Raiders, is based, has never held Pride Nights. Bruins player Charlie McAvoy, however, did specify in a recent interview when asked about “Heated Rivalry” that “we’ve tried to…make everyone feel safe and comfortable within the game.” McAvoy went on to say that “what I’ve heard of that show, it’s been growing the game a lot and in support of that community, so that stuff’s all awesome…for hockey.”

Hockey is not alone in this lack of inclusion. Several National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) teams don’t have Pride Nights, although a few players have been able to come out (mostly after retirement). In Major League Baseball (MLB), players have even gone viral for ripping pride logos off their jerseys on Pride Nights.

With increased recent attacks on “wokeism” and queerness by the far right, avenues for presenting pride on a public stage are narrowing. As NHL and other professional teams take away opportunities, fewer sports fans and players will get to be themselves within the community.

“Heated Rivalry” made a splash, but I worry it won’t be enough to turn the tide. Without true action from higher-ups in sport, and visible allyship from players, one show cannot change the attitude of a nation.