Derek Theler. Photo: Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV from Culver City, via Wikimedia Commons
With Season 2 of Heated Rivalry officially greenlit for a 2027 premiere, the world of the Game Changers series is about to get much more crowded.
Following the record-breaking success of its 2025 debut, showrunner Jacob Tierney has confirmed that the upcoming season will primarily adapt The Long Game – the sixth book in Rachel Reid’s series – while branching out to include a larger ensemble of fan-favorite characters.
While Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie return to anchor the “Hollanov” romance, casting calls have already begun for several key roles from the books:
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Troy Barrett: The “villain” of the expansion, Troy is a former locker-room bully seeking a redemption arc. Fans have widely championed Maxence Danet-Fauvel (Skam France) for the role due to his “pop star” looks and ability to play intense, brooding characters.
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Harris Drover: The disarmingly funny social media manager for the Ottawa Centaurs. Rumors have linked Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) to the role, capturing Harris’s “sunshine-incarnate” energy.
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Ryan Price: The anxiety-ridden “gentle giant” enforcer. Derek Theler (Baby Daddy) is a top fan pick, standing at 6’5″ and perfectly matching Ryan’s intimidating physical presence and sweet off-ice personality.
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Wyatt Hayes: The Centaurs’ star goalie and a breath of fresh air for the team. Influencer and actor Jack Innanen has publicly expressed interest in the role, garnering significant social media support.
The new season will shift from the secret hotel meetings of Season 1 to the high-stakes reality of public life and professional consequences. Production is set to begin in August 2026, with Tierney teasing that the scope will expand beyond Shane and Ilya to include standalone “diversion” episodes -potentially paving the way for a rumored Scott and Kip (François Arnaud and Robbie G.K.) spin-off.
