{"id":412381,"date":"2026-01-17T09:09:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T09:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/412381\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T09:09:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T09:09:38","slug":"heated-rivalry-star-francois-arnaud-calls-on-nhl-to-improve-lgbtq-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/412381\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Heated Rivalry\u2019 star Fran\u00e7ois Arnaud calls on NHL to improve LGBTQ+ inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d actor Fran\u00e7ois Arnaud called on the NHL to improve its relationship with the LGBTQ+ community in a recent interview with Andy Cohen of SiriusXM Radio on Thursday morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe NHL, historically, has not been the most open organization to that kind of difference in their roster,\u201d Arnaud said, before citing the NHL\u2019s ban on Pride Tape in October 2023<\/a>. The league eventually reversed the tape ban<\/a>, but still has a ban on Pride jerseys and other specialty jerseys in warmups and games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir sales are going up, apparently,\u201d Arnaud added. \u201cThe Boston Bruins tagged us on different clips online and it\u2019s getting incredible traction. I\u2019m just hoping that it\u2019s backed up by actual openness to diversity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to use our name, then back it up with real-life s\u2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heated rivalry \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udcaa pic.twitter.com\/8898dRoI47<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d is a Canadian show available on Crave and HBO Max, centered around a fictional romance between two closeted professional hockey stars, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, on rival Montreal- and Boston-based teams. Arnaud plays veteran hockey player Scott Hunter, who develops his own relationship with a local male barista. The show has already been renewed for a second season and is Crave\u2019s most successful<\/a> original series of all time.<\/p>\n

Arnaud also clarified previous comments he made while speaking to Variety at the Critics\u2019 Choice Awards earlier this month<\/a>, in which he referred to the NHL as \u201cfailing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they\u2019re actually really good at capitalizing (on the success of the show),\u201d Arnaud said. \u201cIt was a joke. I winked, actually. It was quoted in different, various media. But I winked at the camera when I said the \u2018failing NHL.\u2019 The NHL\u2019s not failing. It\u2019s a multi-billion-dollar organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeated Rivalry is a phenomenon that is bringing new fans to our great sport and what those new fans will find is a warm welcome,\u201d the NHL said in a statement Friday.<\/p>\n

Later on Thursday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told the media in Washington, D.C. that he binged the entire six-episode series in \u201cone night,\u201d and also pointed to various initiatives, including Pride Nights at NHL games and their work with LGBTQ+ organization, You Can Play<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a wonderful story,\u201d Bettman said. \u201cThe content, particularly for young people, might be a little spicy. And so you have to balance that out in terms of how you embrace (the show).\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of things about the game that we think are driving more and more people to the game,\u201d he said, \u201cand I do believe \u2018Heated Rivalry\u2019 is one of those things.\u201d<\/p>\n

A week ago, Arnaud\u2019s co-star, Hudson Williams, appeared on Cohen\u2019s show and revealed the TV show inspired closeted pro athletes, including hockey players, to confide in author Rachel Reid. Reid is the author of the \u201cGame Changers\u201d book series, on which \u2018Heated Rivalry\u2019 is based.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes they\u2019re just reaching out privately through Instagram,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThose ones are the ones that really just kind of hit you and go, \u2018Oh, this is a fun show. It\u2019s celebratory. But also, sometimes, it\u2019s just hitting people right in the nerve.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

There have never been any openly gay players in the NHL. Luke Prokop, a defenseman currently playing for the American Hockey League\u2019s Bakersfield Condors, came out as gay in July 2021 while under contract with the NHL\u2019s Nashville Predators.<\/p>\n