Bruins star Charlie McAvoy discusses impact of 'Heated Rivalry' on hockey inclusivity

"Heated Rivalry" has stayed in the spotlight since its November debut and U.S. streaming release.

After the Bruins' 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy addressed the series' influence on hockey and inclusivity in the sport.

"I think it's growing, I think the league has done great things," McAvoy said in reference to the NHL's progress on inclusion. He also stressed the Bruins' commitment to creating a welcoming environment. "Here within our room, we've tried to do things as well to echo that message and to make everyone feel safe and comfortable within the game. It's very important."

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"I haven't seen it but from what I've heard of that show, it's been growing the game a lot and in support of that community, so that stuff's all awesome. It's awesome for hockey. It's awesome for just for everybody. So, I'm happy that tonight, that we won on this night. And hopefully a lot of people feel the support of the Bruins."

McAvoy added, "I've heard so much support from people within those communities that it means a lot to them. So, it's the least that we can do to show our support and show that we're all on the same team."

The sports drama series is a television adaptation of Rachel Reid's novel series "Game Changers." It follows an off-ice romance between Shane Hollander, a fictional Canadian hockey star, and Ilya Rozanov, a fictional Russian pro.

The series even won over NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who said he binge-watched and praised its storytelling.

"I've watched all six episodes. I binged it in one night," Bettman said last week at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

'HEATED RIVALRY' ACTORS LAND OLYMPIC ROLE AS TORCHBEARERS FOR MILANO CORTINA OLYMPICS

"I thought the storyline was very compelling and a lot of fun, because I could (see) where they were picking at things that we had in the past, whether it was (Olympics) in Sochi or the All-Star Game in Tampa. It was very well done."

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, the lead actors in the sports romance TV series, have been selected as torchbearers for the 2026 Winter Olympics. After portraying Olympic-level rivals on screen, Storrie and Williams will have the opportunity to play a role in the real-life Games. 

While neither actor will actually compete on the ice at the Olympics, they will get another moment in the spotlight during the Olympic Torch Relay. When and where Storrie and Williams will be involved in the relay has not yet been revealed.

As of Thursday, the torch was in Trieste, Italy, with 13 cities remaining on its route to Milan. The 2026 Winter Games run from Feb. 6 through Feb. 22.

"Heated Rivalry" has been renewed for a second season.

The Bruins remain at home on Saturday for a matchup with the Montreal Canadiens.

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