Heated Rivalry expanded its second-season ensemble with Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees and Priyanka, according to Deadline. The Crave original was confirmed to return in spring 2027. The newcomers were joining Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie. Deadline reported that Naylor would play Wyatt Hayes, answering online speculation about the casting of a popular supporting character from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers books. Hayes is the starting goaltender for the Ottawa Centaurs. Hampshire was cast as Vanessa, Ryding as Luca Haas, Jalees as Farah Jalali and Priyanka as Tarek. Smith and Gillespie had previously been announced as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, the central couple in Role Model, the fifth book in Reid’s series. The report explained that the first television season adapted Heated Rivalry, the second novel, while incorporating material from the first book, Game Changer. Williams and Storrie portray rival hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, whose developing romance anchors the series.