So much of The Long Game is in response to what happens in Troy's book, that Shane has to suffer the consequences of.
The Cens are the amazing queer friendly team they are because Rachel wanted to give both Troy and Ilya that. Their nearly plane crash galvanises them to succeed. They also get the best of Ilya because he's masking his depression from them.
Shane gets a team who've been great this whole time and who suddenly she's decided are nearly as bad as her Toronto. A team Shane has helped to build, who have a long history as being amazing (the videos of the real life Habs as the best fans in the world: that stadium is deafening), and even when he's playing video games with Ilya they acknowledge that it's better than the Yankees. His legacy, his dynasty, his home where he can see his jersey hanging from the rafters because this place has got his back, like a family would. An ordinarily very white space, the best of the best, has accepted him as theirs.
Shane gets that taken from him. "No, you people (gay and asian), don't actually belong here in this HEA." The hockey that Shane loves, with Montreal, is taken from him.
He gets a nearly plane crash that interrupts finally good communication between him and Ilya and is manipulated by the plot into proposing and coming out sooner instead of them just talking together about their needs in the relationship and for the future and making adjustments together.
And he gets the bad side of Ilya that he masks from the Cens. Because Ilya feels safe with Shane and this is the reality of depression.
But their couple relationship with Ilya's depression is not discussed. Ilya never gets pushed to communicate again. Shane just figures everything out and does what he needs. No negotiating or compromise needed on Ilya's behalf. The plane thing as a consequence of Role Model interrupted actual relationship growth.
Yes, Ilya is safe, both in Ottawa and with Shane for his depression to finally come out. It is fine that that difference is shown between his persona with the team and with Shane, but the fallout of a couple living with depression has no space to be explored. The reality is: it's not just Ilya living with it. Not in a committed relationship. Shane needs to tell him how his behaviour is affecting Shane and their relationship (because Galina doesn't know, or perhaps Yuna notices something). Ilya's depression has to actually be talked about between them for longer than just that moment at the end of him possibly being suicidal. It's barely addressed between them as a couple in the book apart from Shane telling him he needs therapy and finding out he was hiding going to treatment from him all along. These are established relationship things that should be addressed as a couple.
In short, Shane is a secondary citizen to Troy's story in his own romance story.
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