Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
“Heated Rivalry” has brought a lot of new fans to hockey, and the Sharks are happy about it.
The critically acclaimed Crave streaming hit on HBO Max in the United States is arguably the sport’s biggest pop culture moment in the States since 1992’s “The Mighty Ducks.”
“Heated Rivalry” is the story of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, hockey stars who play for rival pro teams, whose secret sexual relationship blooms into a deep love over the course of their careers.
“Interest in hockey has spiked because of the TV show,” Alex Wennberg said.
“Obviously, it’s been a topic around the league,” John Klingberg said.
“When I’m scrolling late night on TikTok,” Tyler Toffoli said, “There’s a lot of people [saying] it brought them to the game.”
“It seems like people have gotten into hockey just because of that show, I can see it online,” Adam Gaudette said. “People are trying to learn the rules and what’s going on in the game.”
“People love the show,” Zack Ostapchuk said.
“It’s great that more and more people are being introduced to hockey and getting into it,” Sam Dickinson said.
Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast