Two fresh faces have been revealed as additions to the upcoming Season 2 of Crave’s popular hockey series, “Heated Rivalry.” Canadian actor Daniel Diemer, recognized for his role as Tyson in the TV series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” is set to portray hockey player Ryan Price. Welsh actor Shaheen Jafargholi will take on the role of musician Fabian Salah, who is also slated to appear in the HBO show “War.”
Ryan and Fabian are the central characters in the third installment of Rachel Reid’s acclaimed hockey romance series, “Game Changers,” titled “Tough Guy.” The plot follows pro hockey enforcer Ryan as he moves to the Toronto team and encounters Fabian, an aspiring musician from his past. Despite the lingering chemistry between them, a future together might require Ryan to bid farewell to his hockey career.
According to a press statement from writer Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady, “Fabian and Ryan each bring a distinctive energy to the world Rachel Reid has created. They are bold, complicated, and deeply compelling characters, and finding actors who could really embody all those different aspects was crucial to us. Daniel and Shaheen bring such confidence and emotional authenticity to the roles. We look forward to showcasing their portrayal of Fabian and Ryan and how they bring these characters to life.”
The first season of the show adapted the initial two books in Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.” Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” will continue to follow the narrative of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov from Reid’s novel “The Long Game,” with Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie reprising their leading roles in the TV adaptation.
Additionally, the upcoming season will incorporate the stories of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth novel, “Role Model.” Justice Smith has been cast as Harris, and Charlie Gillespie, known for his role in “Julie and the Phantoms,” will portray Troy.
New additions to the cast also include Emily Hampshire from “Schitt’s Creek” and drag queen Priyanka. The second season of “Heated Rivalry” is scheduled to premiere in the spring of 2027.