A cult fave piece from everyone’s favourite hockey romance series, Heated Rivalry, is officially becoming reality, and it’s doing some good along the way. Pre-orders for a limited edition fleece jacket inspired by the hit series will begin on June 3 through the Province of Canada website, with 10 per cent of net profits supporting You Can Play, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.
The jacket first appeared in season one, episode two of Heated Rivalry as part of the Canadian team uniform worn by Shane Hollander, and quickly became one of the show’s most recognizable costume moments. Fans quickly banded together to ask Crave and Accent Aigu Entertainment (the production company behind the show) to make the fleece official show merch. Soon enough, Toronto apparel brand Province of Canada was posting a design tribute to the fleece on social media, hoping to catch the attention of the Heated Rivalry team — and it worked. They officially partnered with Accent Aigu in January to produce the fleece for purchase, and now fans will soon be able to get their hands on their own Team Canada fleece.
The initiative is also getting major backing from both the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, which will each match donations up to $25,000 for a combined potential contribution of $50,000.
“We chose You Can Play because their unwavering dedication to inclusivity mirrors the very heart of Heated Rivalry,” said Jacob Tierney, the show’s director and creator and chief creative officer of Accent Aigu, and Brendan Brady, CEO of Accent Aigu, in a statement. “Teamwork, respect, and the courage to be yourself are values that You Can Play brings to life every day. We’re proud to support their work creating spaces where everyone truly belongs.”
The jacket was designed as a collector’s item in collaboration with costume designer Hanna Puley and will be manufactured in Canada using globally sourced materials. Right now, only prototype images of the fleece have been shared, so fans will have to wait until pre-orders officially open on June 3 to see the final design details.
“We’ve taken the time to create a beautiful product that we believe the fans will appreciate,” said Julie Brown and Jeremy Watt, co-founders of Province of Canada. “This has been a meaningful project for us to work on, and we’re proud to create it in Canada with a strong focus on sustainability, quality, and care.”
This isn’t the first time Heated Rivalry merch has crossed over into real hockey fandom culture. Earlier this year, the Ottawa Senators’ team shop sold Hollander and Rozanov jerseys inspired by the series, with proceeds supporting Ottawa Pride Hockey. Those jerseys sold out fast at Canadian Tire Centre ahead of a game against Montreal, while online orders continued to come in from fans around the world!
The fleece jacket will be available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last once pre-orders launch on June 3 at 12 p.m. Visit Province of Canada for pre-order info or follow @provinceofcanada on Instagram.
