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Thirst Heated rivalry may have taken over the airwaves, the internet and pop culture in general. But it looks like the strange hockey drama is about to conquer other worlds: fashion. Oh, and the Olympics.
These last items came to mindThen eagle-eyed fans noticed—and cheered—the special outfit chosen by character Shane Hollander (played by Canadian actor Hudson Williams). And since then they have been demanding the opportunity to buy it.
In the series, Hollander is a Canadian hockey star with a strong chance of playing for his country in the Olympics. At the beginning of the second episode, he wears a zip-up fleece Team Canada uniform, although the Crave series chose the original design instead of using the official Team Canada uniform.
Their version of the sportswear quickly went viral on social media, with fans posting their desire to purchase it. The hype around this item of clothing has become so great that it has even reached Heated rivalry costume designer Hannah Pooley, who spoke about her experience making the fleece and the general reaction to it.
“The idea of accessibility and comfort was very important to me here. And also a show of Canadian identity, which to me feels like a quiet confidence. Tough, confident and a little reserved. But ultimately cozy,” she wrote.
“I love how everyone loves this piece. I've done this before, it's amazing to see how it resonates with so many people!”
The furor also reached the official account of the Canadian team. Following an Instagram post teasing the Canadian men's hockey team's 2026 roster, it was inundated with comments inspired by Heated rivalry fleecethey responded with a mocking request to fans “Be happy for both.”
Shortly after, they published a follow-up post teasing the possibility of a real Heated rivalry fleece
“Update HR fans.” they wrote. “Our boss said it was possible.”
Canadian streaming sensation Heated Rivalry, which follows two gay professional hockey players, has been a big hit with viewers, who rank it among the highest-rated episodes of all time on IMDB.
In response, another fan created Change.org petition encouraging Team Canada to continue working on a design that “[lower] a barrier for new fans, including women, LGBTQIA+ fans and people who are new to hockey or the Olympics, to be welcoming and authentic.”
Other fans decided to strike. we make fleece ourselvesI'm sharing tips for creating on how to do this. Although it is unlikely that these creations will reach a wide audience; according to Team CanadaOnly sponsors, licensees and official partners of the Olympic Games “are permitted to imply an affiliation or connection with the Olympic Movement or any Olympic Games.”
Meanwhile, the National Flag of Canada and its final stylized 11-pointed maple leaf protected by Trademark Law: This means that businesses cannot use any of them for commercial purposes without explicit permission from the Canadian government.
Team Canada did not respond to CBC's request for comment and has not publicly confirmed whether they will create the fleece.
