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The Sexy, Soaring, and Utterly Unstoppable Heated Rivalry

The hockey romance is the perfect lens through which to view… pretty much everything

Before the stars of Heated Rivalry were presenting at the Golden Globes, or posing at Paris Fashion Week, or carrying the Olympic Torch in Milan, the hockey smut sensation existed only as the brainchild of Haligonian Rachel Reid. The result was a six-book series, Game Changers, which Jacob Tierney (whose past credits include hockey classics Shoresy and Letterkenny) has turned into the juggernaut television series. The show, about two rival players turned lovers, “could only be made in Canada,” according to our prime minister, but has found a huge, insatiable audience beyond the country’s borders. Here’s how Heated Rivalry has captured a global imagination and fired up a thousand think pieces—including a few you may not have considered before. All while making Canada a whole lot sexier.

Heated Rivalry Holds Up a Mirror to My Deepest Self

Heated Rivalry Is Millennial Optimism Porn

Hockey Has Basically Always Been Gay

The Queer History Behind the Soundtrack

The US Is Trying to Annex the Ultra-Canadian Success

Just How Big Is Heated Rivalry? Really Big

by Amarah Hasham-Steele

Just How Big Is Heated Rivalry? Really Big

February 13, 2026February 12, 2026

Heated Rivalry Proves Hockey Has Basically Always Been Gay

February 13, 2026February 12, 2026

The Queer History Behind the Heated Rivalry Soundtrack

February 13, 2026February 12, 2026

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You’re not imagining it. Donald Trump posted a doctored image of the map of Canada with the US flag plastered across the whole country. Canada is not a meme; the “51st state” is not a joke.

Let’s get the facts (and the flags) straight. Canada’s strength isn’t in our size or being the loudest. Prime Minister Mark Carney put it best: Canada has what the world needs. And the world needs honesty.

The Walrus brings the truth. We capture Canada’s conversation with fact checking and diligence in reporting. The Walrus brings Canada’s values to the front page. Will you support The Walrus now, when Canada needs it most?

You’re not imagining it. Donald Trump posted a doctored image of the map of Canada with the US flag plastered across the whole country. Canada is not a meme; the “51st state” is not a joke.

Let’s get the facts (and the flags) straight. Canada’s strength isn’t in our size or being the loudest. Prime Minister Mark Carney put it best: Canada has what the world needs. And the world needs honesty.

The Walrus brings the truth. We capture Canada’s conversation with fact checking and diligence in reporting. The Walrus brings Canada’s values to the front page. Will you support The Walrus now, when Canada needs it most?

While others cut, The Walrus is investing. And that’s because of your donations. More podcasts, a bigger books section, expanded local reporting, and a broader international lens.

We’re not retreating, and you shouldn’t either. Donate today, or better yet, make a monthly commitment. It’s the best way to keep Canadian journalism growing.

While others cut, The Walrus is investing. And that’s because of your donations. More podcasts, a bigger books section, expanded local reporting, and a broader international lens.

We’re not retreating, and you shouldn’t either. Donate today, or better yet, make a monthly commitment. It’s the best way to keep Canadian journalism growing.

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