I haven't had a tumblr in near a decade and this gay hockey show has forced me back here. I have too many thoughts on it and want to share my love of this show. So here I am, Overanalyzing Heated Rivalry.
I'll go scene by scene until I finish the whole show going every little detail. I'll also be posting fan theories and such.
I've watched/read a lot about the show so I might not remember exactly where I first heard an idea so sorry for that now. But I will try to credit.
Anyways, here we go!
Scene Breakdown:
Episode 1 Scene 1 (First Meeting)
Episode 1 Scene 2 (International Prospect)
Episode 1 Scene 3 (Draft)
Episode 1 Scene 4 (Gym)
Episode 1 Scene 5 (New Years Phone Call)
Episode 1 Scene 6 (International Prospect pt.2)
Episode 1 Scene 7 (CCM AD)
Episode 1 Scene 8 (Shower)
Episode 1 Scene 9 (Sealion)
Episode 1 Scene 10 (1410)
Episode 1 Scene 11 (Right Up the Butt)
Episode 1 Scene 12 (Rookie Season Face-Off and French Interview)
It occurs to me that maybe some of the immediate knee jerk aversion that some folks have to the idea that Ilya, in particular, is kinky and a dom and a top is because Heated Rivalry still indulges in some of the romance novel tropes that don't necessarily work outside of the genre.
It's funny to me because the show kind of has it both ways when it comes to Ilya. Ilya is the "consent king". He's very big on checking in with Shane and making sure he's an active participant when they have their big, dramatic first time penetration sex.
At the same time though, Ilya ALSO pulls some pretty questionable shit that, if he were a real person in the real world, he could get in serious trouble.
I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of those "Shane's texts to Ilya are taken out of context and people think Shane is a misogynist" fic. I've seen this trope work to my satisfaction only once. When much later, the full conversation is shown and we see right before and right after Shane's snarky "asshole as a term of endearment" retort, Ilya's busy engaging in HIS "sexual harassment as a form of courtship" ritual.
Because if you look at the text exchanges that we see, particularly in that 2 year chase, it kinda looks like Ilya's engaging in outright sexual harassment, up to and including an unsolicited dick pic. WE know that Shane's into it. ILYA knows that Shane's into it. But on its face, the texts don't necessarily show that.
The shower jerk off is another thing that in the real world would not be okay. Even IF Shane looked. Even IF Shane got hard.
For a man who we call a "consent king", we see a lot of Ilya explicitly ignoring a "no". Because he knows, and we know, that Shane's "no" often means "yes."
That's a romance novel trope. In a romance novel, particularly erotica with a D/s element, the more aggressive, domineering protagonist always seems to have a sixth sense for when the shy, submissive protagonist is actually into him. He (it's almost always a he, to my sorrow) always somehow knows that this pretty young girl or guy wants is to have someone else take charge, give orders or manhandle them, and all in a way where they don't have to specifically articulate their own secret/shameful desires. Because of this understanding, it's consensual. Even if, in the real world, it might constitute harassment or assault.
That doesn't mean we can't criticize the trope, of course. But it's a fairly common staple of the genre. I think most of the people who have read the books are at least somewhat accustomed to it, and the execution here is really a lot more mild than many examples.
But Heated Rivalry the SHOW has exploded in popularity and a lot of the viewers of the show aren't necessarily experienced with the genre. And the medium is a factor too. In a book, we get to know exactly what one or both characters is thinking during a scene. We know what's going on beneath either character's surface actions and that's not always clear in the show.
That's why we have a handful of folks who argue that the phone call with Hayden is sexual assault. It's not. Shane's protesting, but he's immediately getting into a position of easier access. He's giving every signal except verbal that he's consenting to Ilya's antics. Later, he makes it very clear that he enjoyed it very much.
But this kind of thing does make some people uncomfortable, and I think maybe that might be why some fans are so quick to try to minimize Ilya's dom-top tendencies. He's not the real kinky one. He's really a sub-top or a service-top or a switch at heart. Shane is the one who calls the shots everywhere else. And so on and so forth.
It's a shame though, because it's not necessary. Ilya's not a real person and this isn't a real situation. Ilya is a fictional character in a genre where everyone is profoundly sexually compatible and has an innate understanding of what they really want. Shane is a fictional character in the same genre and universe. They both understand what's going on. It's very consensual. And it's okay.
Aging Scott up in the show has had some interesting unintended consequences.
In the show, Scott being a veteran player that Shane grew up admiring (to the point of calling him Mr. Hunter lol) adds an extra layer of emotional weight. Seeing a role model come out is powerful. And by making Scott push 40, his coming out feels bittersweet because you can’t help thinking about everything he gave up and all the years he spent hiding. This is his prize after a very long career, a cup and Kip
But I also think something gets lost when people act like that version is automatically better.
In the books, Scott is only 28. He’s not at the end of his career. He’s still in his prime. His story isn’t about finally getting to live authentically after a long career. It’s about choosing authenticity while he still has everything to lose. There’s something powerful about that too! A peer coming out can be just as impactful as a role model. So I don’t really see one version as superior to the other. They’re emphasizing different things.
The problem is that once Scott gets aged up, I think people start taking Ilya’s humor way more literally than the books ever intended.
In the books, Scott is only three years older than Ilya, which means all the “old man” jokes are exactly that: jokes. He’s chirping a guy who’s basically his peer. Once Scott is almost 40, the joke starts reading like a factual observation instead.
Ilya says Hayden is the 15th best player in Montreal. A lot of fans have accepted that as fact. Meanwhile Hayden is playing on Shane’s line, keeping up with the best player in the league, and leading the team in assists. The books are clearly showing us that Hayden is one of Montreal’s better players. Ilya is just being a hater. 😭
The same thing happens with Shane. I read fanfiction all the time where people genuinely seem to believe Shane has a weak backhand because Ilya made one joke about it. If Shane is anything like his spiritual father Sidney Crosby, he probably has one of the best backhands in the league. But even setting the Crosby comparison aside, you do not become the best player in the NHL with a glaring weakness like that.
Ilya is talking shit.He exaggerates. He chirps. He ragebaits people for fun. Half the humor of his POV comes from the fact that he says ridiculous things about people he actually likes. That’s a huge part of his character that I feel like people are missing.
Once again this is just my read on the show and any input is more than welcome. Major edits and add-ons as of June 24 2026.
3.10 - 3.30 SMILE YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA
When this scene starts up, we still have the droning bass music that can be linked to the competitiveness between Shane and Ilya.
Even after all these months, the fact that Shane lost the game despite doing a great job according to the commentators still haunts him. It lets us see just how far his perfectionist tendencies go and how hard he takes any perceived fault in that.
Quick note on how the MLH (NHL) draft worked during this time period. The lower a team finished in the prior season overall ranking the better their chance of having a high draft pick. The odd of the last placed team getting the first draft pick is 48.3% and the last place team can fall no longer than the second draft pick. This means both the Metros and the Bears were basically the worst teams in the league the prior season.
There are 224 players in the draft each year.
Players don't know what team they will be drafted to until this event. Their reactions are caught in real time for everyone to see. With how anticipated Shane and Ilya are their reactions would be watched closely and captured on camera.
Shane would have to hold in any negative feelings he might have about not coming in first because that would ruin his whole persona and make him seem ungrateful.
Them being called by their draft positions instead of their last names is slightly dehumanizing. This is a subtle theme throughout the show; they are just hockey-playing machines who are there for people's entertainment.
It’s so obvious Shane is upset and probably feels like being told to smile is almost rubbing in that he isn’t first.
Shane is also holding his jersey a bit scrunched up, where Ilya has his pulled tight, a small indicator of how they are feeling.
Right before the next section hits, Ilya is looking at Shane with a bit of smugness, but I don’t see any maliciousness in it.
There are also four jokes hidden here that I think are worth mentioning, in case you haven't seen them yet.
The team logos were specifically made to look like penises or assholes. And the team they play on logos looks like their preferred sexual roles. This is confirmed.
Ilya's number 81 is mentioned to look like Bl (as in the term for gay media: Boy's Love). RR has confirmed this.
Shane's number 24 (2+4=6) Ilya's number 81 (8+1=9) so together they are 69. Because they are standing, Shane then Ilya, it's 69. If they switched places it would read as 96 and not be a joke.
Ilya takes the top spot in the draft, while Shane is under him. Another hint at their preferred bedroom roles.
3.10 SETTING THE SCENE
One thing to note throughout this whole scene is the constant chatter, music, and assorted background noises. It’s a great way to fill the scene with people without having to have many background actors.
This is a big event; this is an important event. And it will be the first impression many in the professional (management) side of the sport get of Ilya and Shane beyond dry stats or game tape.
Their every move here will be watched and judged. Neither of them can afford to misstep, especially at this point where they have yet to prove their worth to their teams.
3.30 - 4.14 OH GOD PLEASE SHUT UP
Too insane not to post this whole video section, but this post is too big to put it here.
The framing of this shot is really cool (@17lions pointed this out). We only see the manager/coach(?) of the Metro’s from behind. And he looks completely generic. This could be read as this casual racism is the kind of thing any white man in power in the MLH could and would say to Shane.
One of the first things a high-ranking member of the Metros says is, “We don’t care he came in number two.” Which is such a fucked up thing to say. Especially when you consider that the Metros had the second draft pick, they were never going to be able to pick first. It makes Shane their literal first pick; he didn't come in number two for them. If he came in first, that means he would have been drafted by Boston.
I wonder how much of Shane's upset is subconciously also because he was beaten by a white man? And how much of that is that he can't claim to be the first Asian number 1 draft pick?
I can imagine Yuna saying the latter before now as a point of pride. And the former being a niggling worry because of how racist the sport tends to be and how much more overt that would have been around teenagers and random suburban parents who don't have to worry about PR.
Something to consider about Shane and Yuna's relationship is that probably from the moment Shane showed real interest in hockey (probably before he was 9-10) she has been acting as his manager. She has literally been momager longer than she's been just mom. (Here’s my post talking about Yuna Hollander, the last section is about her role as Shane’s manager.)
The strain on Yuna’s face throughout this whole conversation lets us know she 100% knows the insanity of what this man is saying. I understand why she doesn’t say anything to his face but I think her not sticking up for Shane in this moment (and probably other moments like this) or taking Shane aside later to address it is probably one of the major factors in why Shane feels an obsessive need to be the best.
This casual dismissal of both who he is and how good he is would make anyone feel the constant need to be perfect. Many POC’s achievements are downplayed if they aren’t the literal best.
We know from later scenes that Shane has a hard time picking up on social cues, so his mom not clarifying that she doesn’t agree with such things probably escapes him. On some level he knows she doesn’t feel that way. But because of this miscommunication, there will always be the niggling doubt within himself of what she would do if he wasn’t the perfect son.
On Yuna’s part, there is little to nothing she can do at this moment without hurting Shane’s future. The man speaking to her will directly influence Shane’s career, and anything she might say to upset him could harm Shane.
She is also probably used to little digs and microaggressions like this from the MLH (and those in the hockey sphere), but she faced them as an adult, where Shane had to grow up under them.
They are basically saying, “We are glad to have you. We know the only way we would have got you was if you weren’t number one, but also why weren’t you the best?”
The Asian - Asian Canadian comment. Yes, Shane is of Asian descent, but we never see him being part of the culture in any way. So he isn’t even really a good representative; it's just that he physically presents as such.
He is told again and again that he is a diversity hire, which invalidates all his hard work. It must also be hard to represent a whole continent of very different people when he probably feels almost solely Canadian. He probably has some form of imposter syndrome.
There could have been a few subtle ways to show he was involved in Japanese culture: calling Yuna “Okaasan/Haha” instead of “Mother/Mom” or taking off his shoes during episode 4 when he enters Ilya’s home without asking. Those two things would have been tiny changes that wouldn’t affect how the story plays out but would fill in more of the backstory. With how thoughtful the writing is, I can only assume this is intentional and done as a way to show us that Shane doesn’t participate in the cultural aspect of being half-Japanese.
David also obviously can see how fucked up the situation is and looks flabbergasted with what just came out of that man’s mouth. But he looks to his wife and son for cues on what to do, and since neither of them brings it up, he probably feels it’s not his place to do it. I’m sure at the end of the day when it’s just Yuna and him they talk shit about this douche, but Shane (who is in another room) wouldn’t be there to hear it.
“I mean, we’ve historically broken barriers, and we’re doing it again, so nothing to worry about there.” Is such a wild line when looked at more closely. The man literally said, “Yes, we know this is going to be a problem, but don’t worry, we’re not like that.” Right after he was just like that. (Also it’s actually the real life New York team who had the first native american player in Taffy Abel (1926) who broke the color barrier and the first Asian player in Larry Kwong (1948). Chicago had the first indigenous Canadian in Fred Sasakamoose (1953). And Boston had the first black player in Willie O’Ree (1958). So I don’t know what “barriers” the Metros have broken.)
If this man can see and predict that this is going to be a whole situation, it must be pretty bad within the league. These aren’t going to be subtle transgressions like the one he just made. We are told without ever needing to explicitly state it that the league is racist and that since it is Shane “Breaking Barriers” he will be the one to weather the storm of all that’s coming. I highly doubt the Metros will be on top of keeping people in line (even if they could).
It is also these microaggressions that probably cut the deepest. They aren’t loud and obvious so that anyone who hears them would be able to see it and call out how fucked up the situation is. They aren’t the kind of things everyone knows to call out and can actually get a person in real trouble for saying, for PR reasons if for nothing else. They're things that can be said by anyone, and the person might even think they are being supportive (like this man does) and there is nothing the Hollanders can do to call it out without sounding “overly sensitive". In fact, I’m sure a man like this, if called out on those lines, would feel attacked and think they are ungrateful because, in his mind, he is being an ally.
The way the whole family acts here screams that they have dealt with this before and know how to hold their tongues and swallow any negative emotions.
And Shane grew up constantly having to do this. It’s no wonder that when it comes to Ilya, he feels like he has to hide any possible hurt feelings.
Shane is obviously dissociating here. He does not want to be present, but he is being forced to. He is then forced to interact or risk seeming ungrateful.
The way Yuna touches Shane to bring him into the conversation without drawing attention to how zoned out he is is so subtle and practiced that she must use it pretty regularly.
Also calling the Metros “the most legendary franchise in hockey,” whether that’s true or not, only adds to his perceived need to be perfect. (The NHL was started in Montreal (1917) so this line could be a reference to that.)
Shane has to pretend that nothing just happened and that he’s happy to be given the opportunity to play for a team that talks like he is just a diversity hire.
The fact that the Metros are his family team and even getting what would likely be his preferred team to play with still isn’t enough for Shane to be happy with his place in the draft. If he isn’t the best, he is losing in his own mind. He has wrapped up his identity in being the best possible player/representative he can be, and anything that strays from that causes unhappiness/distress.
Yuna saying she is the “world biggest Metros fan” is probably true on a player/fanbase level, but now knowing what the management is like has probably dimmed her view on them. But it reinforces Shane’s need to be perfect. This is his family’s team, his mom’s team, people who he loves dearly, and he won’t disappoint them.
I see Yuna as being one of those extreme fans in private who take every loss of her team like a personal blow, and Shane would have seen that growing up.
At this point, the audio all goes slightly out of focus, as if mimicking Shane’s state of mind, and continues to get more faded as he shares a look with Ilya.
The last thing I want to mention in this section is the camera work. It makes it feel like Ilya is looking down on Shane. Shane might even think of it like that, and it would only fuel the rivalry on his side.
On Ilya’s part, I actually think he is staring at Shane so he doesn’t have to focus on the conversation happening in front of him and can see someone else who is probably going through something similar. He’s basically like, “Me too, bestie, me too.”
We also get a soft confirmation that Yuna isn’t Canadian by birth, so probably grew up much more soaked in Japanese culture than Shane is and that might blind her to problems surrounding Shane's possible imposter syndrome. (Once again here’s my post talking about Yuna Hollander and how her experience growing up shapes her character.)
4.14 - 4.39 LAZY MY ASS (GET THIS MAN AN ARSENIC-LACED DRINK PLEASE)
Like Shane’s framing, the GM/Coach here is also from behind, but what is more interesting is his father’s position. He is off to the side, and we only see him when he is speaking directly to Ilya. He is a distant figure in Ilya’s life who only shows up when he is disappointed/angry.
Ilya literally could not have done better in this situation but when the shoot opens he does not look happy. That proud smile we saw during the pictures is gone. Either being feigned for the camera's to begin with or dimmed by his father's reaction. (I think the latter is most likely. Something along the lines of you should have joined the KHL or that he was surprised someone wanted Ilya was likely said.)
Even though the Boston GM is bragging right now about their pick, Ilya is turned away from the conversation.
Something to note here is the various medals on his father’s outfit. It likely denotes that he is a war veteran in addition to being police, as we later find out.
To better understand the relationship between Ilya and Grigori, I recommend reading @tteukbyeol post. It’s extremely informative and sheds a lot of light on Ilya’s internal struggles that a Western audience could easily misunderstand or miss entirely.
They explain that while, yes, Grigori is abusive, there is nuance that means he isn’t necessarily being intentionally malicious, and a lot of it stems from aspects of Russian culture of this time period.
Boston’s management is practically glowing at getting Ilya: out of everyone (224 players), he is the one they wanted.
At first, Ilya has the slightest hopeful but extremely uncomfortable smile as he listens and he looks at his dad when the manager talks about how talented he is. As if to say, “See, I can be good. Do you think I’m enough now?”
Something to note about the compliment is that it’s paid to Grigori. It is done in a way that is trying to acknowledge the hard work Ilya’s father has done to get Ilya to where he is now.
Normally this would be true. Yuna and David were likely a huge part of Shane’s success (they did what they could to give Shane the room to grow and succeed.) But for Ilya, he succeeded in spite of his father.
When he is complimented, Ilya turns away and makes minimal eye contact. Signs of just how uncomfortable he is. It’s a subtle hint that he isn’t used to his achievements being acknowledged/praised and that he knows what his father’s reaction might be and is dreading it.
Ilya is being acknowledged for just how good he is and how much he has worked. Something his father says, “No, you’re wrong, he sucks,” to.
Saying Ilya lacks discipline is wild to me. He would not be in the position he is in if he didn’t have discipline. One does not just trip into being possibly the best in the world at something. Not just for that year, but for a generation.
His father just spat on all his hard work and is encouraging others to do the same. And he’s not doing it to random strangers but to someone who will be Ilya’s boss, who will have a huge impact on Ilya’s future. And by the sound of it, this is the first time the two are meeting. One can only imagine the kinds of things his father is willing to say with someone he actually knows.
Grigori has no compunction about humiliating Ilya, and likely did/does this to all of the Rozanov family. He is constantly putting them in their place, reminding them that he is the dominant one in this relationship. Ilya is constantly forced into submission around his family.
Ilya looks so hurt when he is called lazy (something that’s confirmed to have a lingering effect by a line in Episode 4). But he also doesn’t look surprised. No matter how much of himself he puts into getting better, it has never and will never be enough in his father’s eyes.
He has been given an impossible standard to live up to, and trying to is probably part of why he is so good. Ilya will forever be chasing his father’s approval, and no matter what, he will never receive it.
The manager (or whoever he is) looks back and forth between Ilya and his father a few times as if trying to comprehend what bullshit was just said. And while he argues on Ilya’s behalf, it’s as light as a disagreement could be. He is in no position to fight over this topic, and I doubt any of them would want to have it out during this event.
And regardless of what the GM might think there would still be a niggling doubt because who would know Ilya's work ethic better than his own father.
Ilya starts nodding his head slightly when the manager says, “I find that hard to believe.” The movement is small, almost timid. But Ilya is still trying to stand up for himself here.
When Ilya first says, “I promise to work very hard for you,” he isn’t looking at the manager but rather at his father, and his voice wobbles slightly on the last word. At that moment he was speaking to his father, not the manager.
I know it’s just how some people talk, but the manager says, “I have no doubt you will, son.” It is such a blow. This is probably one of the first male figures of authority to say such a thing to him.
Ilya is immediately punished for daring to speak up for himself and the way his father says it is so matter of fact and Ilya agrees so fast that it feels like this is something Ilya has heard and adhered to his whole life (We see this again in Episode 2). He is good for hockey and nothing else (and his father doesn’t even think he’s good at that), it doesn’t matter what Ilya thinks or feels.
One thing to note here is while the subtitles say, “You listen. Don’t speak. You understand?” According to @ilyasaysitbetter the line is actually, Ty slušaj vsë, čto tebe govorjat. Ty ponjal? (Ты слушай всё, что тебе говорят. Ты понял?) “Listen to everything you are told. Did you understand?” While it might not seem like a big difference I think it conveys slightly different meanings. The subtitles read more as, “Your opinions/input are unimportant. The adults are speaking. Understood?” While the actual line is more along the lines of, “Me and this man are the adults here and know more than you on this topic, listen to your elders. Do you know your place?”
Throughout the show we see Ilya have to make himself small around his father and brother, to flatten who he is as a person. Which is so drastically opposed to the confident, danger-loving, and reckless behavior we get at other times. (This analysis of this aspect of his character by Nina King is really informative and worth the watch.)
As opposed to the background chatter/music fading for Shane at the end of his conversation it’s Ilya’s voice that fades out here.
Something interesting here is that both Shane and Ilya dissociate at some point during this scene. In Shane’s case he has his parents there to support and fill in for him. While family is what causes Ilya’s dissociation. It helps contrast their homelives while still having them go through similar struggles.
Something interesting here is that both Shane and Ilya dissociate at some point during this scene. In Shane’s case he has his parents there to support and fill in for him. While family is what causes Ilya’s dissociation. It helps contrast their homelives while still having them go through similar struggles.
During this Yuna encourages Shane to interact and speak while Ilya’s father tells him to be quiet.
There is also the framing of the two shots to take into account pointed out by @emzies (apparently have hit my limit for photos/links). In Shane's scene from the beginning of the shot we see both of his parent's in frame, his mother on his right and his father on his left. They are on his side but metaphorically and literally.
Contrast this with Ilya, when his scene starts we don't see his father at all, he is alone. When we have him slowly revealed while he is also off to Ilya's left he is further away than David was and he is only shown when he criticizes Ilya and takes the attention away from his son.
Ilya is also positioned with a railing to his right, the spot where is mom would be in this parallel with the Hollanders is not just empty, it is missing.
Heated Rivalry Episode 1 Scene 2: International Prospect Cup (1.36 - 3.00) Analysis
Once again this is just my read on the show and any input is more than welcome. Major edits and add-ons as of June 24 2026.
1.36 - 2.30 Announcements
The opening announcement set our scene cleverly. We don't need the characters to talk about what is happening. It's a very “show not tell” while still being 100% tell.
We are told that Shane and Ilya are the most talked-about prospects. They are the most talked about up-and-comers, and since they aren't yet signed, every MHL team's management will know who they are and are sizing them up. Most serious players their age will know of them, and I imagine a good handful of professional players will know who they are as well. There is an enormous amount of pressure on them from all this attention.
Through this setup, we are also told that professionally they are equals, which takes a huge power imbalance off the table in any possible relationship.
It also reinforces the fact that they should see each other as both equals and competition.
(I have seen/heard some people say their rivalry isn't built up enough, but I think it’s shown through these small tidbits. They never see each other as rivals in the same way the press and others see them, so of course we never really have them bringing it up. It's only outsiders who make what could have been a friendship/companionship/understanding into something more adversarial.)
We are introduced first to Shane Hollander, and the very first thing that is said is, "He may not be the most sociable," something that is so polar opposite to what happened in scene 1. This shows that he went out of his way (and comfort zone) to try to form a connection with Ilya.
Ilya has also probably heard that Shane isn't sociable, adding to his curiosity and confusion about being approached.
We are also told that Shane is, "incredibly smart, incredibly dedicated to the game". This follows through most of the series as we see Shane time and time again focusing all his effort and attention on his career.
Ilya Rozanov is introduced next, and the line "He really gets under other players' skins" lets us know he goes out of his way to enrage/bother others. Since chirping is part of hockey already he must being going above and beyond what is already the baseline.
Chirping (trash talk) is a huge part of hockey culture and is expected from most if not all players.
This is then contrasted with the line, "Good in his own room", which reading between the lines, seems to say he is a likable guy, so his on-ice persona is just that, a persona. He isn't fundamentally a bad person, and with how hockey works, trades and such, it is more likely than not that he can easily switch from seeing someone as an opponent or ally depending on his team. (Don't get me wrong, he's a little shit, but he isn't malicious.)
This also sets Ilya up as a good team player. Where Shane, no matter how good he is, is more of an outsider when it comes to off-ice teamwork/bonding.
We also get a foreshadowing of which team Ilya will go to "Boston's kind of player too," meaning that 'good with allies but a dick on ice' is something Boston is known for and actively scouts out. (I think this is a large part of why he is picked first in the draft.)
From this, we can assume Boston is a close-knit team with similar on-ice behaviors to Ilya's persona. They are looking for something Shane isn't.
2.00 - 2.30 I Spy with my little eye
Throughout this section, we see Shane focusing on the strategies being presented to him by his coach, but when he does look up, Ilya is in the seats watching him.
It isn't clear who practiced first, so I can't say if Ilya watched Shane first and when Shane saw he decided to then watch Ilya, or if it's the other way around. Maybe they always planned to watch each other, but with how there are no other teammates/people around, this makes their showing up at each other’s practices seem like something not usually done. Also of note is that since they are both in their civvies while watching, they had to change and come back, show up early or go to the rink on days they weren't scheduled to come.
They are now purposefully going out of their way to see each other.
I love the detail of Ilya chewing on his hoodie string. Reason one is it automatically adds dimension to his character; it makes him feel fleshed out by having this little quirk. Reason two is that hockey is a sport with mouth guards, so it makes sense that he is used to having something in his mouth to bite down on. It feels rooted in his character.
Ilya is also wearing dark colors (something he does throughout the show) and is slouched down, something that makes him fade into the background, and yet Shane still sees him. And it's not like Ilya is rink-side; he is almost completely at the back.
Next, we see Ilya on the ice. The first thing that jumps out is that where Shane had no contact, physical or verbal, with any of his teammates, Ilya is both physically and verbally connecting.
This sets up what kind of people they are: Ilya has no problem interacting with people, where Shane seems disconnected. This is especially noteworthy for Shane since hockey is a contact-driven team sport.
Ilya seems not to be paying attention to his coach, who has a more aggressive style of coaching than Shane's, and is called out for it. Another contrast between Ilya and Shane focused/unfocused.
Shane is also in the stands, though he is standing up while wearing a white outfit (he is wearing a black hoodie). He isn't trying to fade into the background like Ilya was.
Another thing to notice is the contrast in their outfit colors (Since I am OVERanalyzing this show, I see meaning in this). White is usually associated with good, where black is associated with bad, which could be another callback to the rule follower (good boy)/rule breaker (bad boy) dynamic they have. It is also often used to represent innocence and sin.
Through much of the show Ilya tends to wear darker colors while Shane wears mostly light colors.
There is also the presence of Yuna Hollander in this scene to consider. Where Ilya was all alone, Shane has support.
Last, the look on Ilya's face right before the fade-out screams to me of someone who is used to being yelled at. He is masking any emotion he is feeling.
2.30 - 3.00 Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
We get a one-week later card (the first of many time skips) and we can assume, since they are already watching each other, this continues through the week. They are also probably in the same hotel and sharing meal space, making their observations of each other easier.
As Shane skates by the screen, we are told that Shane did a great job, but that his team wasn't as good as he was. This sets him apart from his peers once again, skill-wise. Shane also looks dejected as he skates by.
Shane is so used to being considered the best that this loss (in such an important tournament) was probably an enormous blow to his sense of self and probably colors all future interactions with Ilya.
We don't know for sure, but you can read this as Ilya's team winning because they have better teamwork, which would slot in with their contrasting strengths/weaknesses.
A quick note is that the sweat on the actor's faces helps sell the idea that they just played an intense game and makes the characters feel more real.
You can see during the handshake line Shane is mouthing something to each passing player, probably something along the lines of “good game” or “good job”. While Ilya only speaks to Shane, and it's not just a brag or a simple good game/job it's "see you at the draft” He is already looking forward to seeing Shane again. Yes, how he says it is a bit mocking, despite that he still talked to Shane, and it was to indicate he wants to see him again.
Something not all that important but that caught my eye is that Ilya probably should have said "see you at draft" since the Russian language has no articles (A, The) and it is a big part of his speech pattern in episode one. In later episodes this happens less and less, and it shows his progression with the English language in a really cool but subtle way. (Came up with an explanation in this post and it's now my headcanon.)
Another, more likely possibility on this "the" is that it could have been picked up since so many people around him (coaches/officials/announcers/other teams) would have been talking about "THE draft" and he picked it up that way.
Almost as if he has been hearing it as one word “thedraft” and is mimicking it.
The look on Shane's face after Ilya shakes his hand is confused, but also disappointed. It silently reinforces his competitiveness and foreshadows just how hard he takes losses.
1.36 - 2.50 A change in Tempo
Throughout this entire scene, there is a droning beat that doesn't change much. It evokes tension and competitiveness; it's very high energy.
There are a few slight variations. When we first focus on Shane while he is listening to his coach, the music seems to fade momentarily as if to show that he is focusing.
Another change is when we pan to Ilya in the stands, we get this buzzing synth thing going on. It is droning and makes it seem like Shane's focus in that moment is completely on Ilya. The buzzing then fades out, and the music is mostly gone by that last shot of Ilya calling back to when it went mostly silent when we first focused on Shane.
During Ilya's ice time, the music fades in and out, making it seem like he is going in and out of focus.
When Ilya looks at Shane, the music is more on a faded-out wave, and right before he looks away from Shane at around 2.30 we get this background swell that evokes curiosity and then goes slightly dark as he is listening to his coach yell at him.
I think in terms of when the music chooses to fade being different for both of them can be read as when Shane is completely focused the world goes silent, but when he is thinking of Ilya his world is suddenly chaotic, and the opposite being true for Ilya.
Shane is the calm to Ilya’s chaos.
At 2.50 we get another shift in the music, where it was once a droning beat that evoked tension and competitiveness, it slides into something a little more curious and playful as they get closer together in the handshake line. I would almost call it slightly seductive (in a juvenile way) when paired with the continuing background beat.
Please note this is just my opinion and is focused on the TV show as a standalone piece of media. Major edits and add-ons as of June 24 2026.
0.0 - 0.8 The Opening Soundscape
The opening soundscape alone puts us somewhere with inclement weather. Before we ever see where this is set, the show sets us up for it to be cold and windy. Along with that is the telltale sound of a lighter clicking over. We are set up for being cold and looking for warmth, which is a good mirror for one of the major struggles in Shane and Ilya's relationship. This adds to "the spark" conclusion. It's only when they are touching/together that they have that warmth.
0.0 - 0.30 The lack of spark
The Lack of Spark. I've seen it mentioned many times, but I'll also point it out. Before Shane came, Ilya could not light his lighter. It isn't until after they first touch that Ilya can use his lighter. I've seen this read as that spark of love when they first meet but I think it is more a spark of attraction/interest. (I know in the book he basically falls in love at first sight but I'm going to stick to the show.)
0.20 - 0.30 Love at first sight?
In my opinion, when they first see each other, Ilya is probably thinking he is being approached as some kind of threat/intimidation/mind game. They already know who each other is, so to have his number 1 competitor walking up to him must be confusing. It's not like this is a common meeting place, somewhere they would both be expected to be. No. Somehow Shane found Ilya, something that was purposeful, and approached him somewhere isolated.
@tteukbyeol mentioned in the comments of this post that culturally, for Ilya, being approached like this would also be very strange. In Russia, it would be seen as weird to smile/wave at a stranger (something which is done often in Canada/USA). So, to Ilya, Shane just walking up like this is out of left field for him. A lot of his initial facial expressions and stand-offishness could be due to this cultural confusion.
On Shane's part, I imagine he either saw Ilya from afar or saw him leave to have a break, wanted to speak to another top player and he followed him outside. I lean harder on the latter option.
We are told early on that Shane has a hard time with people (this happens in scene 2) so for now keep in mind that it is Shane who first approaches Ilya.
0.30 - 0.40 No Smoking!
The first thing Shane tells Ilya is that he can't smoke here, as a character beat this sets up the rule follower/rule breaker dynamic with no need to make it explicit. Shane follows rules, while Ilya breaks them.
This also becomes a running theme: Ilya smoking and Shane telling him he can't/shouldn't. I mention it now because it becomes an important point of character growth later on.
Personally, I don't feel the best about how Shane said, "I'm not sure you're supposed to smoke here," while miming smoking. It makes it seem like he knew Ilya didn't speak English so he mimed the action to get his point across. There is something about it that feels like when someone talks slowly to random foreigners while assuming they will not understand. I know he didn't mean it this way, but it probably also didn't help with Ilya's very first impression of him.
0.40 - 0.50 Wow, look at how skilled you are.
Right after playing rule-follower, the next thing Shane does is compliment Ilya. Hockey is something they both love, so Shane finding and complimenting a player he has never met before, who is from a whole other country, says a lot about how much Shane admires Ilya's abilities.
On Ilya's part, I think he's still confused about what the hell is going on at this point.
Ilya's lackluster response seems to confuse Shane. The usual social script here would be to either thank the person complimenting you and/or return the compliment. We know they are both the best, so Ilya knows full well who and how good Shane Hollander is. Him not saying anything is speaking. It almost says, "Yes, I know I'm good, but who even are you?"
One thing to note is that Ilya is Russian and lives in Russia. English is not his first language, and at this point, the curt response that doesn't follow the social script is most likely supposed to be read as him not speaking/understanding English well enough to interact.
And I imagine this is what Shane would assume, with just how thick Ilya's accent is at this point. This is probably another reason why Shane does stick around at this point.
Shane would feel silly for approaching Ilya while expecting him to be able to communicate fully. Because of this he would probably feel even worse if he were to walk away right now.
0.50 - 1.0 Well this is...awkward
Normally, after such a brush off someone in Shane's position would leave, so him trying to stick it out and work through it is also telling.
Shane is determined; he already put himself out there to make a connection with someone he sees as an equal. Something that throughout the show we are told he only has in Ilya. So at this point that is doubly so. They are both the best in a way that makes Shane feel like they are the only ones so dedicated to this future.
To Shane, Ilya is facing the same things he is, the same struggles/doubts.
Shane is also canonically autistic, though this is never directly stated. So him being the one to first approach is him reaching out to connect with someone who will understand and hopefully be a friend. (As a fellow autistic person, I know how hard this is, so it surprised me at first when I found out he was an autistic character. Though I realized it within the first 5 minutes. This is such a big thing when you keep that in mind. Here’s my post about autism as it relates to this show.)
Another thing to note is that even though we have established Shane as a rule-follower, he doesn't bring it up again. He just leans back, trying to act "cool/normal"; this also follows through a lot of their relationship. Ilya breaks "rules", Shane objects but ultimately goes along with what Ilya is doing.
1.0 - 1.37 The LOOK
Right as Shane starts to speak again, Ilya smirks. At this point, I believe he has realized that Shane is just being awkward. This is not some kind of weird Canadian threat. That leaves space to wonder what this really is.
Ilya probably doesn't see this as Shane looking for friendship/companionship. So all he knows is that this boy, who by all rights should be his rival, has gone out of his way to find him and then stuck around awkwardly instead of just brushing off his lack of attention.
We know Shane is extremely closeted and at this point probably has zero actual interest in Ilya sexually (like it would be way back in his mind if at all and he would easily write it off as admiration for Ilya's skills). Ilya, on the other hand, knows he is sexy, so he probably assumes that this is a subtle come-on.
Thus the look. Ilya's first look at Shane is measuring the situation and the competition. His second is wholly focused on Shane's looks, and boy does he like what he sees.
I imagine his inner dialogue is along the lines of, "This awkward Canadian boy sure is pretty; he obviously approached me because he knows I am the best and very hot."
Also, if you didn't notice, the lick lip at 1.15 happens while it seems like Ilya is looking at Shane's ass.
I think it is at this point for the first time that Ilya decides he wants to see how this all might play out. He didn't have to speak up, but he decided to be playful here.
By speaking, Ilya reveals to Shane that he 100% knew enough English to understand Shane's earlier introduction. The look on Shane's face and the slight shaking of head as Shane turns around reads to me as Shane being slightly bewildered but also morphing into playful competitiveness.
This sets up another one of their dynamics: yes, they are going to try their best to beat each other, but it's all in good fun. There is no real ill will between them.
(A post from @hillerska-official pointed out this theory, and I agree with it.) Ilya's line, "You will not be so nice when we beat you." Is so interesting when looked at from a bit of a different angle. Throughout the show, we see other characters talking about how much they hate Ilya. Not just playing against him because he is good, but because of who he is.
Being a menace is part of who he is (we see it even in some of his softest moments), and while he probably does play it up on the ice, we never see him being a genuine dick. No slurs ect. None of his words to other players seem to be mean-spirited. They are never the kind of thing that would cause genuine hatred, despite that, we constantly have people hating him and calling him an asshole.
We even have the announcers in scene 2 bring this up. "He really gets under other play's skins. Good in his room, not exactly liked in his opponents’ room."
What's so interesting about this line ("You will not-") is that Ilya is probably used to people being 'nice' t first to his face and/or when he is on their team, but after he plays those same people they turn into assholes.
Ilya is used to being seen as an asshole, so when Shane comes up to him, all doe-eyed and smiley, of course he is going to think this niceness won't last long; it never does.
And from the "You think I am asshole?" line from their first sex scene, we know Ilya knows that him joking around (being himself) makes people dislike/think ill of him. He expects this treatment, so of course he plays into it. If they're going to hate me anyway, better make it worth it.
And yes, Shane is replying, "That's not happening." is about Russia winning, but you can also read it as, 'Even if we lose, I won't turn into a jerk.'
Thinking about it now, I think this is also part of what draws Ilya to Shane. Ilya can be as big a menace as he wants, and Shane never takes it personally or crosses a line because he is angry.
I have no doubt that Ilya has gotten some form of "Your mom-" chirps more than once.
1.37 Ending Sound track
The music playing here, along with the looks on their faces, is extremely playful but also builds a sense of tension. It sets us up for everything that is to come. They are competitors, but they don't have to hate each other.
Okay justice for Ilya Rozanov, a man who notably managed his entire families finances and his dementia-having fathers caretaking since he was literally a teenager, while also essentially raising himself to be an elite, generational athlete by himself.
like what is this ‘Ilya needs the threat of a sex ban to pick up his socks’ slander or this ‘Ilya has terrible financial literacy’ misinformation or this ‘Ilya only eats junk food and needs to be forced to eat his veggies’ tomfoolery
hockey players don't have an 78% rate of bankruptcy, that's nfl players. even for nba players it's around 60%. hockey is different in that even to start is a staggering sum of money, it's one of most expensive sports to play between equipment costs and rink time. hockey players tend to come from upper middle class and above families by far, in fact there's at least 2 sons of billionaires in the nhl, something not found in any of the other major league sports. it's a vastly different dynamic from other sports where there's genuinely a poverty to player pipeline (which is also shrinking to be fair) but in hockey that doesn't exist at all. the vast majority of hockey players come from well-off families.
Idk why you’re on anon because I can’t thank you when you are. But seems like you’re right so I’ll have to go back and edit stuff! The article I pulled that stat from looked legit, so my bad. I guess they just used the NFL stat as overall sports stat. There seems to be little to no research on the NHL rate so there probably isn’t a trend of this beyond the average bankruptcy rate.
The info about it being an extremely expensive sport to play is something I hadn’t thought of but should have realized since I know figure skating is also like this for the same reason. It’s also really interesting when you think of how it might cause someone to think they are letting their parents down if they don’t succeed.
But in the three post I think I mention this in I still standby the outcome if not the details.
I think I mention it in the CCM ad in relationship to Shane not wearing his reeboks. Even if not for direct money reasons it is still a realllyyy bad look.
In the post of Ilya talking to his brother while watching Shane’s interview in French. He is still sending a huge chunk of his money back home and I doubt his father is helping him financially in return.
And in my Yuna post. She is still building his brand so he has a secure future because the medical bills, lack of other job experience and schooling is still there.
But yeah, you’re right. Apparently it takes a level of privilege to even get into the sport I hadn’t heard about. Thank you for telling me! It makes me wonder if that also contributes why the sport is so white.
I've seen a lot of people talk about Ilya and Shane having a dom/sub dynamic but in the show at least, I believe this isn't true. I think what is happening is that people are confusing a more experienced top and a willing inexperienced bottom with d/s.
The one time we get even close to it is during the Vegas scene. And it is so clear that during that scene, while they are both getting off, neither of them is in an emotionally stable place. It comes off more as trying to put emotional distance and also being "extreme" about the sex because of hurt feelings and how long it's been.
Watching your partner get off isn't by nature d/s.
And the closest we get to d/s after that is seen during the Tuna Handjob in episode 4.
Shane: You gunna cum for me, Rozanov?
Ilya: Fucking make me.
If anything, this reads as "bratty" sub behavior from Ilya.
But like I said, I don't think they have a d/s dynamic at all. By episode 4, any hint of nervousness or inexperience on Shane's part is gone. And by then you'll notice there are no more "commands" in the bedroom from Ilya to Shane.
The only time we ever really even get a command is during the Vegas scene and the "Get on your knees" from the first All Stars game. And the latter could easily be seen as Ilya trying to direct the situation away from Shane's nerves over Scott Hunter and back to sex.
Hell, I'll go a step further and say that, in the show at least, their sex life is extremely vanilla. There is no hint of any kinks in any of their sex scenes, with the exception of the exhibitionism in the shower scene in episode 1 which I think can be attributed to sheer horniness and not true exhibitionist tendencies. I wouldn't even consider the watching in the Vegas scene truly kinky (my man didn't even sniff the underwear).
And you know what? I like that their sex life is so boring. A lot of media with queer couples have them having non-vanilla sex, and because of that it makes gay sex itself seem kinky. I think this might be partially caused by the misogynistic view that the penetrating partner is also considered the submissive partner.
Shane and Ilya's sex life could easily be any non-sexually repressed, vanilla Midwest couple. Anyone could look at it and go, yeah that's me and my partner, nothing "unusual" or "taboo" there.
Just like we need more media of straight sex being seen as "kinky," we need more gay sex seen as "boring."
This isn't to say that they might not explore d/s and other kinks in season 2 or post show but as of season 1 there is no d/s or kinks. They have yet to have the time to get comfortable with each other to want to "spice things up". I'm also not saying Shane and Ilya don't have turn-ons/kinks, but that we have seen no set patterns to point to any. But definitely not d/s.
So yeah, their sex life is vanilla and that's okay.
Since I started this project I've done a lot of thinking on each scene. The more I've done and talked to y'all the more I've added to past posts. Because of this I will be reblogging earlier breakdowns now that they've been edited.
For example. A picture set I saw of Shane not wearing his Reeboks changed a lot of how I saw the CCM interaction with Yuna. I added over 500 words just because of that one thing. And because of @ilyasaysitbetter breakdowns of the spoken Russian I ended up adding so much to the posts where Ilya is speaking his first language.
So expect reblogs. They are now edited for spelling/grammar and have a bunch of stuff added to them.
i’m sittin’ here, starin’ at the gutter
wonderin’ why i feel sorry for myself
if we keep hurtin’ one another starts to color
how we’re doin’ it to ourselves
Heated Rivalry Analysis and Discussion: Yuna Hollander
Let me start off by saying this is all just my opinion and I would love to hear other people’s. I think Yuna Hollander (from what little we get of her) is a fascinating character. And I would have loved to see more of her, but I understand why we don’t. At the same time, I think she haunts the narrative just as much as Irina does, and this post seeks to explore that.
Immigrant
During the first episode in the Draft Scene, we get soft confirmation of Yuna being an immigrant. “- I am the world’s biggest Metros fan. It’s part of how I came to feel Canadian. My dad would sit us down in the living room Saturday nights.” (I am not an immigrant myself, but I grew up around many, and my grandmother was one. If I get anything wrong, please let me know.)
I think a lot of her worldview and actions become more clear when kept in mind. On the surface level, we could view her as just a hockey-obsessed mother. But when you consider (if she wasn’t lying) a lot of who she is and how she views herself is rooted in hockey. One example would be when going to school (especially elementary), her foods and home life would differ from most other kids, but there was always hockey to bond over.
One of the first things that made Canada feel like home was bonding with her family by watching hockey games. And depending on both her and her parents’ (and any siblings’) level of English when they first moved to Canada, a lot of her early English vocabulary (and her parents’) would have been hockey-based. It would have been an easy conversation filler when talking to strangers if they spoke little English.
There is also the French aspect of this. Depending on where she grew up, the language barrier could have been even greater. (I did research into the language statistics of Montreal in this post in the 30.06 - 30.36 He Just Wanted to See His French Boy Speak section.) And since she grew up watching the Metros it wouldn’t be crazy to assume they lived in or around the Montreal area.
Many children of immigrants end up better at a country's official language than their parents, especially early on. They end up speaking their new language in schools and with their peers and use it for all their classes. The fact that Yuna has no accent likely means she would have been very young when she moved to Canada. Or that she worked hard to lose any accent she had to fit in better.
I bring up the last point because since the child usually knows the new language better; they end up being an interpreter for their parents. Asking for directions, help, or ordering food could all have fallen to her. (The last one is something to take into consideration, which I didn’t think about until now, with my opinions of her actions in the Rolex/Right up the Butt scene.) This could all be part of what led to much of her ‘take charge’ outlook.
Racism
There is no doubt in my mind that Yuna faced some level of racism her whole life. Depending on her parent’s English/French ability, she could have been hearing slurs directed at her parents (subtle or obvious) when acting as their interpreter or just going around. She would have learned to bite her tongue at a very young age. Especially since an important aspect of Japanese culture is politeness and respecting one’s elders.
She was also likely born in the 1960s - 1970s, and racism was historically worse the further back you go. (If anyone knows what the Canadian view of Japanese immigrants at the time was, I would love to know. I only know what it would have been like for them in America, and it would have been…not good, to put it lightly.) Growing up, she would have faced more racism than Shane likely did on a day-to-day basis.
But in saying that hockey is a notoriously racist sport. (Here’s a breakdown of POC representation in hockey.) And I can’t begin to imagine the pain she would have felt knowing she was the “cause” of the racism Shane would have faced. She also likely faced it from the other hockey parents (both because of racism and jealousy at Shane’s talent). I can see a world where she faced some level of isolation from the other parents. IE them not inviting the Hollanders to team activities.
And beyond the general politeness found in Japanese culture comes the aspect that if she was to call anyone out, it would have isolated her/Shane further (no one enjoys being called out on their racism). And if done to the wrong person, it could have cost Shane his future in the sport and later on, his career.
Since we don’t see Shane interact with Japanese culture in any way (beyond his diet being macrobiotic), it could indicate she subconsciously did everything to give Shane the best chance and in doing so erased that part of herself. IE not sending him to school with Japanese food so he wasn’t picked on and other such things. Since we see Shane be uncomfortable at being considered a representative for other future Asian athletes (and what I think is also probably imposter syndrome), I think she might have “over-corrected” to ensure he didn’t face the problems she did.
Raising an Autistic Child
I won’t touch on this much because autism is a very large spectrum with many facets and presentations. And while we see Shane mask extremely well, the younger he was, the harder things would have been for him. Yuna, being the extremely involved parent she is, would have seen/handled all traits/behaviors he displayed. Since we don’t get any insight into what Shane was like as a child, we can’t say what things would have been like for any of the Hollanders or how the situation was handled.
We also don’t know if Shane was officially diagnosed and, if so, what kinds of treatment/therapy he went through. During the 1990-2000s less was known about ways to help autistic people navigate the world than we know today. Therefore, there were less well-known accommodations to make life easier (weighted blankets, sound-canceling headphones, ect.)
It also isn’t uncommon that the parents of children who were diagnosed around this time or earlier would elect to keep this from the child and essentially ignore it. If Shane's being autistic were common knowledge, he would have faced many more hurdles when it came to hockey. So either it was kept secret or not known at all. (Here is my post about Autism as it relates to this show.)
"Tiger Parenting"
(Someone mentioned this, and I didn't realize people might not know this but the term does have racist undertones when used as "Tiger mom/mother". Which is why I stuck to using the colloquially used and understood term "Tiger Parent" instead for this style of parenting.)
Something many children of immigrants face on some level is so-called “Tiger Parenting”. Usually, this is driven by the desire to see your children take advantage of every opportunity that most non-immigrant children get without hesitation. They don’t want their children to face the struggles they did, but in doing so, they bring their own problems. And since parenting styles are usually passed down (more so the further back you go, since there were fewer studies into childhood development) the pressure we see Yuna put on Shane is probably an echo of what she faced.
I grew up around many such families, so I’ll talk about my experience of it from an outsider’s perspective. Many of the children I grew up with had "Tiger Parents" (specifically Vietnamese), and it affected them deeply in a few similar ways.
Something common would be that a child would have a slight or true interest in something, and in trying to support that and see their children succeed, they would eventually drain out what joy the child found in that activity/topic. But because so much effort/money/time would be poured into that area of their lives, the children would often see it as ungrateful if they wished to stop.
Many described something they used to love as becoming soul-sucking.
It also puts the child in constant competition with their peers. If someone were better at their chosen subject/hobby/sport/instrument, then they were failing. Not just themselves, but all the work their parents put in.
One of the most devastating versions of this I saw in a friend was them developing first orthorexia and then anorexia from the pressures put on them as a swimmer. It wasn’t until after they fainted in the pool during a meet that they were finally encouraged/allowed to stop. And even now, over a decade later, they are still dealing with the trauma.
I believe Shane Hollander is genuinely obsessed with hockey but I don’t think it’s wild to say that part of why he is so enthralled with Ilya is that when playing against him, hockey is fun again. The conversation with Rose in episode 4 when they first meet hints at this. R: “Did it stop being fun?” S: “No. Well, I mean, kind of. I love it, but it got more intense, so I guess I kinda got more intense too, if that makes sense.”
Another thing I’ve seen in these situations is the child flattening anything that makes them stand out so they don’t risk failing any expectations. In Shane’s case, we see this in part by him staying in the closet even with his parents. I think a lot of why Shane doesn't come out is not wanting to disappoint his mother and her vision of his future.
Throughout the series, we see Yuna (never David) multiple times push Shane to be the very best. And I think this is a subtle hint at the “tiger parenting” he went through along with the next point.
Momager
A lot of this section is going to be colored by my experiences and view of the world, more so than most of the topics I write about.
I think Yuna Hollander being Shane’s manager is a monumental mistake.
Throughout the series, we only ever see her being mom first, one time, during the “I tried” scene in episode 6. Most of why that scene is so emotionally impactful is because it feels like for the first time in the show Yuna is seeing Shane and not Shane Hollander. They are just Shane and just Yuna at that moment. And only moments after that she was back to full-on manager mode.
We see little of their relationship, but the switch is so quick I can’t imagine most of their relationship isn’t this business overtaking familial time/responses. Because of this, Shane never has the chance to confide in his mother without anything he says or confesses being measured for PR reasons. It would make talking to her about anything stressful.
I honestly think if Yuna was just his mom and not his manager, most of his internal struggles would be lessened or gone altogether. If he can’t even come out to his parents, of course, he can’t come out to his friends. If anyone he might want to be serious with would be seen through a PR lens, he might as well just keep things casual so he doesn’t have to deal with it.
Yes, Shane is a grown man and his mistakes are his own, but I think Yuna’s biggest mistake is being her son’s manager. I acknowledge that early on this was probably the best thing she could do for Shane. From what we see, Yuna and David love Shane, and her taking on that role for him kept him from being taken advantage of as a child. But this also made their relationship muddy to the point where by the end of season one it almost feels like the bond they could have had as mother and son is almost entirely overshadowed by talent and manager.
There are three major problems with breaking such a relationship.
Yuna is genuinely amazing at her job. There is no denying this, and it is unlikely Shane could find someone better than her. Her drive is in part due to her wanting what is best for her son.
Yuna is a good parent in the sense that she would never take advantage of Shane’s fame or money. Something managers/agents too often do in real life.
There is no easy way for Shane to end this business relationship without hurting Yuna and damaging what little of a mother/son relationship they have left. The only chance they have of separating this is for Yuna to be the one to do it.
There are a few inherent problems with your management team being your parents.
There is no easy way to fire a family member. Unless you cut them off completely afterwards, they will continue to be part of your life, and after ending a business relationship, it will forever shadow your future interactions.
Depending on how young a person is when this crossing of boundaries starts, it becomes hard for the child (and later adult) to say no to their parent’s plans for their future. We see Shane being extremely uninterested in any of the partnerships/shoots Yuna sets up. We don’t know if he is really okay with doing them, and even if he isn’t, there is no good way for him to say no.
It seems to be extremely easy for the separation between parent and manager to disappear. Things like child stars going to late-night events. From a parent’s view, it’s a bad idea, but from a manager’s, it would be good. And because adults often forget what being a child was like, they are less likely to see such things as problems once they start crossing that barrier. The sexualization of child stars is a good example of this.
There is also the inherent strangeness of your parent setting up brand deals/ads ect that play on their child's (no matter the age) sex appeal.
We constantly see Yuna protecting Shane Hollander the brand and not Shane Hollander her son. Constantly pushing him to work with more brands is good for his professional reputations but seems to be extremely taxing on him emotionally/mentally.
For her part, there are some very good reasons why Yuna is so intense.
The average hockey career is only 5-6 years long, and the top 12% of players average 12 years. And once your career is over, most athletes tend to fade into obscurity, and those who don’t are usually the ones who made the most of their time in the spotlight to build their brands.
Why is this important? Because most sports come with the risk of major injuries and lifelong medical problems. And hockey being as intense and violent as it is, ages a player's body way past its years and leaves lifelong care needs.
Hockey has one of the highest rates of concussions. Hell, Shane’s line of “We all get our bell rung eventually, right?” is a terrifyingly casual thing to say about a brain injury. That it is just expected in some sports that playing at a professional level comes with an expectation of at least some brain damage should alarm everyone. Too many or a single bad enough concussion can lead to lifelong disability. There is no getting around it. There is no medication or surgery to correct brain damage. The money he makes now needs to be able to cover all his future medical problems.
Another thing players as famous as Shane have to deal with, especially in a hockey-obsessed city like Montreal, is security. While not as bad as some other famous careers, athletes do still have stalkers and fans who push the boundaries. During the height of his fame, it would be necessary for Shane to be careful about where he lives and where he goes.
That security comes at a monetary cost. High-end security systems and living in a secure building aren’t cheap. Though being a brand ambassador would make this problem worse in some ways. And depending on how successful Yuna is, it dictates how long Shane is in the spotlight and has a need for such security.
Something else to consider is that Shane starts his MLH career at around 18-19. While other people his age are going to college and getting their first bits of job experience, Shane is missing that. By the time his hockey career ends, Shane’s only job experience will be linked to hockey. He has no other career prospects. If he does go to college, he will be older than most other students, which would isolate him.
All of this is important because…
This all means the remainder of Shane’s life’s comfort level might rest entirely on what he earns/builds now. Yuna pushing him so hard is a way for her to ensure his future. The role Yuna Hollander plays for Shane is absolutely necessary.
But by being the best manager, Yuna is sacrificing her ability to be the best mother.
"[hudson] builds out the universe of his character with small details, such as scribbling the name of his mom, yuna hollander, on the knob of his stick." x
hello, would you mind expanding on your shane thrives in grroups of large men tag bc i would like to hear more if you're willing.
Okay so I'm gonna try to put this into words but I also need you to bear with me because it's gonna sound a bit wild at first.
Shane Hollander is a pick me.
STOP THROWING TOMATOES HEAR ME OUT. Yes I know pick me is a loaded term. I've known a couple of pick mes and they were actually really lovely girls who had been so conditioned to behave only in the most male-attention-oriented ways that it literally broke them. Yes I know this is not the universal experience but honestly I think it's more common than anybody realizes. We live in a society etc. etc.
So enter Shane Hollander who grew up in locker rooms. He has spent most of his life courting and thriving on male attention purely by necessity. If you want to do well at sport you need to perform at a level that catches the attention of your (male) coaches and your (male) teammates and your (male) rivals on the opposing team. As a gay man, this almost definitely crossed some wires for him. He wants every man in that room to want to be him. He wants every man in that room to want him, sickly and carnally. And some of this is latent and internalized to hell while some of it he is painfully aware of, most notably when he is jerking off and allows himself to think about kneeling in a room full of men who are all fighting over who gets to fuck him first--
I mean, you get the POINT.
So yeah Shane thrives in groups of men. He's their guy, he's their good hockey boy. The inherent assumed heterosexuality of the spaces he orbits in allow him to flirt kind of WILDLY with some of these guys and nobody is any the wiser because these highly masculine spaces are also, paradoxically, highly homoerotic to the point where male bonding is valued highest above almost any other relationship one can have. And Shane, who is Actually Gay and genuinely does WANT that attention, even latently, is very good at male bonding (read: flirting.) You'll look great in silver, Vaughny. See You In October [wink].
Crucially, Shane doesn't really realize that he's doing any of this.
It's probably part of how Ilya clocks his shit. The way Shane behaved around him at the CCM shoot is probably not all that different from how Shane approached other men in his social sphere who he wanted to impress or to be impressed by him. But Ilya, who is enlightened to those tactics by being actually queer, sees it for what it is.
The other major key factor in Shane's ability to thrive in rooms full of men is that he very early on becomes an object of envy for these guys. He's hockey Jesus. He's a generational talent. Honestly, some of these guys probably WOULD like to fuck Shane Hollander if they had it in writing that it didn't make them gay, no way, doesn't count if it's Shane Hollander, that's basically the same as putting your dick in hockey itself,
And yeah maybe that's also something that Shane has fantasies about.
Then again, the pick me analogy isn't perfect because Shane actually IS in a position to be coveted by the people whose attention he craves, just not in any way that is actually accessible to him. And not in any way that he would actually admit to himself he wants.
Again, this is part of the reason why his relationship with Ilya goes down the way it does. Part of Shane KNOWS that he is Ilya Rozanov's perfect little slut and that Ilya Does Not Know How To Quit Him. At some point years down the line Shane will actually be able to admit this to himself and it WILL make him a slightly worse version of himself, but only in ways that make Ilya that much more insane about him.
I would like to add that Shane probably would never realize and acknowledge this about himself until he is on a team that knows and is okay with the fact he is gay.
And if Ilya wasn’t Shane’s equal there is a good chance that Shane would have a crush (for above ‘pick me’ reasons) on whoever was considered the best hockey player.
Heated Rivalry Episode 1 Scene 13: ALL STARS ASSEMBLE!! (31.44 - 35.25) Analysis
Once again this is just my read on the show and any input is more than welcome. Sorry it's been a while, got caught in hollanov fic writing hell. X X
31.44 - 33.40 Emotional Support Footsie
The first thing to note is that while they are both on stage it is Ilya who has someone messing with his mic set up. This could be a subtle indication about Shane being used to such interviews so he didn’t need the help.
The next thing is the layout of their name cards. These were personally made to sit next to each other and simulate a face-off. That means this interview was planned beforehand.
Something the announcer confirms by saying the league isn't subtle in its attempts to set them against each other.
What's interesting about this is that they are rookies here. They should not have the kind of publicity worthy of centering the entirety of All-Star around. But yet here they are.
Once again I think the fact that we are never outright told they are the best hockey players (along with the reporter's line calling both their rookie seasons "legendary") is another example of the show trusting us to pay attention. We never need in your face exposition, because of this the viewer doesn't feel babied and it makes the overall experience of watching this show feel more mentally stimulating.
Another thing I noticed, that probably doesn't mean anything, is that the All-Star logo looks nearly identical to the locker room shot in scene 8.
Let's talk about Ilya's name. So far every character except for his father and brother has said his name incorrectly. Everyone is saying Ill-y-a (three syllables) but it should be Ill-ya (two syllables) it's nothing major but it sure has to be annoying. I'm not sure if he's bothered to correct anyone but I feel like even if he did most people wouldn't bother to correct themselves. (It feels to me like what happened to Kamala Harris.)
This scene does a great job of showing us the problems Ilya is facing when it comes to language. It's a great little nod to the fact one of the biggest themes of this show is miscommunication or the lack thereof.
The first foot tap happens before Ilya ever speaks. It is both Ilya seeking comfort through physical connection (the way Shane and Ilya communicate best) but also him giving the most subtle permission for Shane to take over whenever possible.
I also want to quickly point out the camera work in this scene, while it's not extremely wobbly it also isn't hyper stable. It feels like something shot by actual journalists. Along with the background camera flashes.
Now Ilya's short answer to the question of a 50 goal campaign being simply, "Yes" makes him seem stand-offish/cocky/like an asshole. This is what the vast majority of viewers will believe. Along with the way he seems annoyed at even having to talk to the press makes Shane come off looking like a media darling.
It's interesting because we've seen Ilya relax and charismatic when press is involved. I think the difference here is the stakes. This is a much larger event than an after game local sports news interview. If he mispeaks here he will be forever judged for it. Also the questions being asked here are much more verbose.
At this point most of Ilya's vocabulary would be basic (beyond some hyper specific hockey terms). He can get along just fine in casual conversation but he also has to continuously consciously translate. In normal conversation there would be shorter sentences with pauses for him to reply. He wouldn't have to remember a paragraph all at once before responding.
In casual conversation with people he's closer to or stranger on the street he also would be able to ask them to say something again, or ask for a word's meaning. But there is no way his pride would ever let him do that here.
No one here is considering that he has been in the country for less than a year, so asking for clarification would just have them thinking he’s uneducated.
Ilya also probably feels a lot of negative things about himself here. Why am I having such a hard time with this when Hollander speaks his second language easily? Is probably bouncing around his mind somewhere. And with how his father called him lazy, and Ilya later calls himself that, there might be a bit of, Why was I so lazy when learning English?
Now I don't think the first reporter was being malicious but I do think the second one was at least a little bit. I don't watch sports so I could be wrong but this seems more like the kind of question asked to PR, Management or the Coaching staff and if not them, then at the very least a captain. Especially since this is All-Stars and not a Boston press conference.
Asking about their season is understandable but this seems like an inappropriate place for this question. Again I could be wrong and this might be a normal thing to ask rookies at a league event but it seems strange to me.
I also wonder if questions, in this setting, would have been screened beforehand and if so the league has failed Ilya here, more than I already think they have, by not having a Russian translator.
In past posts I've praised Hudson Williams micro-expressions many times but Connor Storries is doing just as good a job here. I want to point out, for the most part, Connor doesn't need to do such subtle work when playing Ilya because his character is more prone to expressing his feelings more openly. The fact he does it so masterfully here shows Connor's range.
About the expression in the above gif: This scene could have easily been over played and still worked but going with this near invisible route here gives us insight into Ilya on a deeper level.
What makes this actual expression work is that we feel a sense of tension without an obvious clenching of Ilya's jaw. There the slightest furrow to his brows and the flickering back and forth of his eyes indicate that he is trying to follow what is being said.
But the moment he gives up trying to follow along we are back to a wide view. We lose the intimacy of being able to see his expressions up close.
His discomfort is obvious by the way he adjusts his collar as if trying to get air on a sweaty neck due to nerves.
Shane here while following along easily also seems bored. It's clear that Ilya doesn't want to be here but I also think Shane doesn't want it either. Neither of them seem to enjoy the PR side of being a professional athlete.
I think most of Ilya's problem is just his language barrier and would probably enjoy it more once he has an easier time with English but Shane, who has much more PR interaction, never finds a sense of ease.
Now Shane taking over here to outsiders might seem like a continuation of their rivalry but it's really a case of silent support. A good way to show that outsiders will see things one way, but to Ilya and Shane it’s something else. Which basically explains their whole public relationship.
I like that Shane double checks it's okay for him to take over and waits until he sees Ilya's nod. It's a different form of consent than we see later in the sex scenes but it's still asking a partner for permission to take control in a situation.
Shane's answer here sounds like a well edited PR-approved statement. The fact Shane came up with this off the cuff indicates the level of media training he has been through.
A thumping, driving music starts when Shane says the line, "She (Yuna) wants us to be back in the playoffs regularly." Another subtle indication of their rivalry being reinforced.
When Ilya adds in his, "What he said." The words seem almost floaty(?) and he seems zoned out until his name is called, as if he turned off his brain for the entirety of what Shane said but also trusted Shane to give an answer he could easily agree with.
We get background laughter. The journalists have obviously missed the entire interaction and think, "Ah Rozanov being Rozanov again. What a menace/punk/asshole ect."
The scene ends with them bringing their feet together for the rest of the interview (since there have only been two questions so we can assume it continues after we cut away). They have just formed a team dynamic on how to handle such situations. And Shane is taking the lead here, giving Ilya someone to lean on.
Ilya is all alone in this country and has only been on his team for a short time. Shane is the person he has known longest and knows him on a deeper level than anyone else. Shane might not know the most about him but he is currently the person closest to Ilya.
33.40 - 35.25 Y'all Aren't the Least Bit Subtle (Hunter Knows)
I would love to know how long Scott Hunter has held the accuracy record for and how long it had been between him and the last person to get a better view on just how much of an accomplishment Ilya and Shane make here.
Another thing to note is that this is about accuracy, something I would assume you only get better at with age (practice). So the fact they both broke the record at 19-20(?) is amazing.
Shaving a whole second off a <8 second record is an insane jump. That's like super human levels of good. And since this is about how much you practice we get our first hint of just how dedicated (obsessed) Shane is.
Saw this is a post by @hearteyesilya This is the kind of details that make HR so good. These tiny things that make the characters feel real.
Despite my feeling about Yuna Hollander, Shane Hollander loves her and she is a huge driving force in Shane's career and love of hockey. He likely grew up watching hockey in his mother's lap.
His love for hockey and her are linked and it is probably a big reason behind his hesitancy around acknowledging he was gay and telling her.
When Shane beats Ilya's record he has only held it for "less than a minute". In that time he felt on top of the world only to have the rug pulled out from under him.
But even though he looks annoyed (most likely more at himself than anything else) he doesn't get angry and instead goes out of his way to talk to Shane.
Something to note about the above two gifs is that in the first one Ilya is three people away from his position in the second gif where he is right next to the American's team box.
It also only took a short amount of time between Shane skating over to his team and him sitting down for Ilya to move seats.
He was eager to talk to Shane here and made his team mates move so he could do so. He might be upset he lost but he isn't letting that get in the way of possible time with Shane.
I don't have much to say about the majority of this interaction beyond that it's a nice change of pace for their relationship. So far all their interactions have been intense but here there is a playfulness we haven't seen before.
Even though they are competing at this moment they are also delving into the first stages of friendship in this conversation.
We also get a line about Shane not drinking another hint to his self imposed restrictions.
I know the line, "No boring Canadians, no stupid Americans, so..." is just a silly chirp but there is also some truth behind it. Most European players in the NHL (MLH) come from Slavic or Nordic countries. Most Slavic countries (according to a little research) would be able to understand (with only a bit of difficulty if any) Ilya when speaking Russia and most of the European NHL (MLH) are from Russia to begin with.
This means Ilya is on a team that he can relax into his mother tongue and not have to worry about being understood. After what we saw in the interview this had to be extremely stress relieving.
These are also people who will understand his struggles of moving to a new country and having to navigate American/Canadian society.
The Slavic/Nordic countries share more similarities culturally than either do with North America. The jokes and references you make in everyday life between these two sets of people are wildly different.
This is Ilya's first time being with a group of people who understand him as he wants to be understood, who he can tell jokes to without having to explain nuances and references, in months.
Ilya's face here is so fond, this is the first joke (at least that I can remember) Shane makes. Once again this is friendship building.
Now I'm not sure if Scott knows for sure that they are in any kind of relationship but I do think he knows they at least get along. There is no way he didn't hear Ilya give Shane his room number.
And I think him bringing up being next to Rozanov in a few lines is proof of that.
He has also just seen them be friendly despite Rozanov just loosing to Hollander so at this point he knows the media spin is bullshit on some level.
Personally I prescribe to the theory that Scott Hunter at least suspects. Though that is more speculation than anything concrete.
We also get Scott calling Ilya an asshole. Since Ilya has only been on a team for less than a year and Scott has only likely played 2-3 games against him so far. (Their teams would play against each other 4-5 times a year.)
Scott already having his opinion of Ilya being an asshole formed here is interesting. Either Ilya really is that much of an asshole on ice and we never see it because we are focused on Shane and Ilya rather than how he behaves around other teams. Or that has been the media spin.
I think it's a bit of both. The media using stereotypes (Russian's bad) and Ilya's clipped communication while contrasting against "Good Boy Shane Hollander", and that he does like to chirp make him seem like a much bigger asshole than he actually is.
Last thing to note is that despite Scott basically warning Shane that he is right next door to Ilya, and the look of suppressed panic, Shane still goes.
Had to rewatch all the episodes for the next post because I thought I was cooking with a crazy theory only to be proven wrong. Nope, I had just been high on HR and thought I solved world hunger or something.
