The iconic Team Canada zip-up fleece jacket worn by Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry will soon be available for purchase by fans of the breakout gay hockey drama from HBO Max and Crave.
Hollander, the Montreal Metros star player played by Hudson Williams, sparked memes and knock-off copies online after he wore the Team Canada Sochi Olympics cardigan in the second episode of the hit queer Canadian romancer. So Heated Rivalry producer Accent Aigu Entertainment has struck a merchandise deal with the Province of Canada apparel company to produce the now-iconic fleece jacket for pre-order and purchase, initially in Canada.
Heated Rivalry costume designer Hanna Puley designed the fleece jacket as a basic and cozy coat for Hollander’s understated character on the TV series. “I wanted to make something that felt wearable, something that felt comfortable, and something that would contrast with what Ilya was wearing,” Puley earlier told The Hollywood Reporter.
Her original wardrobe design quickly went viral after Ottawa’s Sylvie Bouffard made her own version of the garment and posted it online. That led to social media calls and even an online petition signed by nearly 4,000 people urging Team Canada, the country’s elite hockey players headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics next month, to make Hollander’s fleece zip-up jacket part of its upcoming Winter Olympics merchandise.
“Fans are the heart of Heated Rivalry, and this is entirely because of them. We’ve listened closely to what they’ve been asking for, and the fleece jacket has been at the top of that list,” Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady, executive producers and co-presidents of Accent Aigu Entertainment, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Details on pricing, availability and a release date for the merchandise fleece jacket will be announced soon.
