The world of hockey romance is abuzz once more as Crave’s series, “Heated Rivalry,” welcomes five new additions to its cast. Emily Hampshire, a renowned Canadian actress known for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” will portray Vanessa, a sex shop employee. Joining her are Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress taking on the role of sports agent Farah Jalali, and Priyanka, winner of the first season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” playing the character Tarek, an office assistant.

The cast also includes Robert Naylor, a Canadian actor and musician recognized for voicing D.W. Read in “Arthur,” as goaltender Wyatt Hayes, and Edvin Ryding, a Swedish actor who starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals,” as rookie hockey player Luca Haas.

The announcement of the new cast members was made on Instagram by Crave. Season two of “Heated Rivalry” will continue the love story between hockey rivals-turned-lovers, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on Rachel Reid’s sixth novel, “The Long Game,” part of the Game Changer series. These novels are interconnected, sharing characters and storylines.

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their roles as the lead characters in the TV adaptation of the series. Season one covered the first two books, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry,” with season two likely to include the third novel, “Tough Guy.” Vanessa and Tarek are friends of Fabian Salah, the love interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”

The upcoming season will also incorporate elements from the fifth novel, “Role Model,” introducing Troy Barrett, a traded hockey player joining Ilya’s team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager. Justice Smith has been cast as Harris, while Charlie Gillespie from “Julie and the Phantoms” will portray Troy. Fans can expect season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” to debut in spring 2027.