Two fresh faces are set to join the upcoming Season 2 of Crave’s hit hockey series, “Heated Rivalry.” 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, known for his work in the HBO series “War,” will portray Ryan’s love interest, musician Fabian Salah.
The duo will step into the roles of Ryan and Fabian, the central figures in the third installment of Rachel Reid’s popular hockey romance series, “Game Changers,” titled “Tough Guy.” The narrative follows pro hockey enforcer Ryan as he moves to the Toronto team and encounters Fabian, an aspiring musician from his past. Despite their history, their chemistry reignites, but a potential future together could mean Ryan giving up his hockey career.
According to writer Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady, both actors bring a unique vitality to Rachel Reid’s world. They praised Diemer and Jafargholi for embodying the bold, complex, and captivating essence of their characters. Season 1 of the show adapted the first two books in Reid’s series, while Season 2 will continue the saga of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov from the novel “The Long Game,” with Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie reprising their lead roles.
In addition to the existing narrative, Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” will also incorporate the stories of Troy Barrett, a traded hockey player, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth book in the series, “Role Model.” New cast members include Justice Smith as Harris and Charlie Gillespie as Troy, alongside Emily Hampshire from “Schitt’s Creek” and drag queen Priyanka.
The highly-anticipated Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is scheduled to premiere in the spring of 2027.
