Fans of Heated Rivalry have more familiar faces to look forward to when the hit hockey romance returns for its second season.

Nine actors from the first season have been confirmed to return alongside leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who will reprise their roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. The returning cast announcement was reported by Deadline on September 1.

Among those returning are François Arnaud as Scott Hunter, Robbie G.K. as Kip Grady, Christina Chang as Yuna Hollander, Dylan Walsh as David Hollander, Sophie Nélisse as Isabelle and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova as Svetlana Vetrova.

Nadine Bhabha, Kamilla Kowal and Callan Potter are also among the returning performers.

The announcement comes as the series moves into a new chapter of Shane and Ilya's relationship. Season 2 will draw from Rachel Reid's The Long Game, the sixth novel in the Game Changers series, and is expected to premiere in spring 2027.

The story will take place several years after the events of the first season. Ilya's move to the Ottawa Centaurs brings him closer to Shane, while the two continue navigating their relationship alongside their professional hockey careers.

The second season will also introduce new characters. Daniel Diemer has been cast as Ryan Price, while Shaheen Jafargholi will play Fabian Salah.

One notable absence from the returning cast announcement has already caught attention: Charlie Gillespie, who played Kip's partner in the first season, was not included among the nine returning stars announced.

The focus, however, remains firmly on Williams and Storrie. Their performances as Shane and Ilya were at the center of the first season, which became a breakout success after premiering on Crave and later reaching a wider international audience through HBO Max.

Season 2 is expected to continue expanding the show's world beyond the central romance, while bringing back many of the characters who helped shape the first season.