Heated Rivalry Casts Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie as Harris and Troy for Season 2
The widely popular queer hockey drama series, Heated Rivalry, has just added to its cast for Season 2, with Crave announcing the casting of the fan-favorite characters Harris Drover and Troy Barrett in Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie. Fans have been discussing their dream cast for the past eight months for these two specific characters, who are loved across the Game Changers book series by…
Season 2 of the immensely popular queer hockey drama series, Heated Rivalry, has added two highly anticipated characters to its roster: Harris Drover and Troy Barrett. Crave, the streaming platform that hosts the series, announced the casting of Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie as Harris and Troy respectively. These characters have garnered immense fan support for the past eight months, as they are the protagonists of Rachel Reid's Game Changers book series, particularly book 5, Role Model.
Smith will portray Harris, the social media manager for the Ottawa Centaurs hockey team, and a beacon of positivity for everyone around him. Gillespie, on the other hand, will play Troy, a fellow hockey player in the league. Troy has faced numerous challenges throughout the series, leading to him joining a new team with limited friendly faces.
The show's producers, Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady, expressed their excitement about the casting, stating that Justice and Charlie perfectly embody the vulnerability and resilience inherent to Harris and Troy.
Tierney planned to incorporate elements from other books into the series, as they all interconnect. In Season 1, Episode 3, this approach was demonstrated, with an entire episode dedicated to book 1, Game Changer, which featured Scott Hunter and Kip Grady. The inclusion of Harris and Troy, however, remains to be seen whether they will be the focus of a specific episode or woven throughout the season.
The production of Heated Rivaly Season 2 commenced this week, with Dylan Walsh, who plays Shane's father, confirming that the upcoming season will consist of 12 episodes, though this has not been officially confirmed yet.
Heated Rivalry Season 1 set records upon its release on November 28, 2025, becoming Crave's top original show of all time and boosting viewership by 400%. HBO Max acquired streaming rights for U.S. audiences, and as of February 2026, the series had amassed 10.6 million views, with a staggering 100% increase in viewership following the finale.
Currently, the series is accessible in 130 countries worldwide and has received an impressive 16 Canadian Screen Award wins, setting a record for the most wins by a series in a single year. Stay tuned to IGN for further updates and coverage of Heated Rivalry as it approaches its spring 2027 release.
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