‘Heated Rivalry’ Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes of the Hockey Romance Come Out?

A new steamy LGBTQ+ drama has arrived on HBO Max.

On Nov. 28, the streamer released the first episode of Heated Rivalry, a Canadian show about two pro hockey players whose secret romance threatens to upend both their careers and their decades-long feud.

Though the hockey romance was originally adapted from Rachel Reid’s popular novel series Game Changers for Canadian streaming service Crave, HBO Max picked up Heated Rivalry for U.S. and Australia streaming, Variety reported.

Hudson Williams stars as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie plays Ilya Rozanov, “two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands,” per the show’s synopsis.

“What begins as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial and self-discovery,” it continued. “Over the next eight years, the pair chase glory on the ice while struggling to navigate their feelings off it.”

The cast also includes François Arnaud, Dylan Walsh, Sophie Nélisse, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova.

Here’s everything to know about the release schedule for Heated Rivalry and when new episodes will drop.

How many episodes are in Heated Rivalry?

There are six episodes in Heated Rivalry, according to Variety. The limited series adapted Reid’s novel of the same name, which is the second installment of her larger Game Changers book series. While the books take place in the same hockey universe, most focus on a different couple.

“I couldn’t have dreamed of a better adaptation of it,” the author told CTV News in November 2025. “I think fan expectations are sky high, and I think they’re going to be exceeded. I don’t even know if fans are ready for how good this is.”

Reid has written eight books in the series: Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, Tough Guy, Common Goal, Role Model, The Long Game, Time to Shine and The Shots You Take. Though HBO hasn’t greenlit a second season, Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney told Teen Vogue in November 2025 that fans will “have a stronger sense” of what he intends for the series after watching the whole show.

“I think Rachel created a cool universe, and if people like it and respond to it, we are happy to keep making more,” he said. “Not forever, but there’s certainly more road to pave.”

What is Heated Rivalry’s episode release schedule?

On Friday, Nov. 28, the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry were released on HBO Max. The remaining four episodes will drop every week on Friday until the series finale on Dec. 26, 2025.

The official release schedule for the Canadian romance drama is as follows:

• Nov. 28: “Rookies” and “Olympians”
• Dec. 5: “******”
• Dec. 12: “Rose”
• Dec. 19: “I’ll Believe in Anything”
• Dec. 26: “The Cottage”

What time do new episodes come out of Heated Rivalry?

New episodes for Heated Rivalry will be released at 3 a.m. ET on HBO Max every Friday until Dec. 26 — though the series’ stars hope it isn’t the end of their characters’ stories.

Storrie admitted to Teen Vogue that he loved Heated Rivalry’s sequel, The Long Game, more than the original and would love to see Shane and Ilya’s connection continue to unfold on screen.

Meanwhile, Williams said he wanted to adapt two specific parts of the author’s novels: “a particular scene” with Shane’s best friend, Hayden (Callan Potter), and a face-off with the hockey commissioner.

“I want to get in that room,” he told the outlet. “I want to be in front of whoever’s cast as that commissioner. I want to seethe. I want to see red.”

Where can I watch Heated Rivalry?

You can watch the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry on HBO Max.