HBO Max and Crave’s new sports drama, Heated Rivalry, delivers a compelling mix of romance and drama. Based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changer novels, the show centers on the intense connection between rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, whose competitive relationship blossoms into a passionate affair. Currently airing its six-episode season, the series doesn’t shy away from depicting the strong physical attraction between the two leads.
The latest episode of Heated Rivalry shifted focus to characters Scott Hunter and Kip Grady, who are older than the show’s main leads. With the romance between characters becoming a hot topic, fans are now discussing how old the hockey players actually are.
How Old Are Shane, Ilya, Scott, & More in Heated Rivalry? Character Ages Revealed
Shane Hollander
- Age: 18 (present timeline)
In Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series, it’s revealed that Shane Hollander was born on May 10, 1991. Since the story starts in 2008, he’s 17 years old when he initially encounters his future rival and love interest, Ilya Ruzanov. A year later, at age 18, Shane is drafted second overall to play for the Montreal Voyaguers.
In Chapter Two of Heated Rivalry, it’s clearly stated that Shane is 18 years old in 2009. Ilya describes him as being short and feeling very young at the time.
In the “Heated Rivalry” series, the character Shane is the same age as the Shane in the books. The first episode shows how Shane and Ilya first met during the championship game of their senior year of hockey. Later, the episode jumps ahead six months, revealing that Shane was drafted to the Montreal Metros and Ilya signed with the Boston Raiders.
Ilya Rozanov
Age: 18 (present timeline)
The series doesn’t state Ilya Rozanov’s age, but information from the Game Changer novels (and a related wiki) reveals he was born on June 15, 1991. This makes him a month younger than Shane. When they first met, Ilya would have been 17, and he turned 18 during the events of the 2009 HBO Max show.
Throughout the nine-year story, Ilya and Shane are at their best in professional hockey, likely in their early to mid-20s. You can find out how their story concludes in the novel Heated Rivalry.
Scott Hunter
Age: 25
According to the book Game Changer, Scott was born around 1988. Since the third episode of Heated Rivalry takes place from late 2013 to February 2014, he would have been approximately 25 years old at that time.
In Chapter 20 of Heated Rivalry (page 190), set in 2017, Shane reveals that Scott is three years older than both him and Ilya. This makes Scott 29 years old at that time, while Shane and Ilya are both 26.
In a TV Guide interview, Francois Arnaud revealed his character is about ten years older than the show’s main characters, solidifying the idea that Scott is significantly older than them.
It’s really moving to see a character who’s older than our main characters dealing with a similar struggle, but he’s kept it bottled up for so long that he just seems incredibly sad and worn out.
The difference between 25 and 18 isn’t ten years, but it seems like the speaker highlighted this age gap to emphasize how much more life and relationship experience he has compared to them.
Kip Grady
Age: 25 (2013 timeline) to 26 (2014 timeline)
Kip and Scott have been developing a romantic relationship since the beginning of the story, first as the main characters in the first book, and then as important secondary characters in the novel, Heated Rivalry.
The latest episode mainly told the story of their romance and revealed he turned 26 while with his father. This means he was 25 when he first encountered Scott, in a flashback scene that took place before the Olympics.
Carter Vaughn
Age: 25
As a big fan of the show and books, I’ve always been curious about Carter Vaughn. He’s Scott’s best friend, and while his exact age isn’t ever stated, a lot of fans think he’s probably around 25 – the same age as the main character in Game Changer. But honestly, that’s just a popular theory; we haven’t had it confirmed yet.
Hayden Pike
Age: 18
Hayden Pike is Shane’s best friend, but he doesn’t trust Ilya, viewing him as competition rather than a friend. The show doesn’t reveal Hayden’s age, but the book establishes that they’ve been teammates for a long time—it describes him as Shane’s longtime linemate even before they joined the draft.
In chapter twelve of Heated Rivalry, Shane revealed that Hayden married his wife, Jackie, when he was 21 years old. Shane shared this information in October 2016, while Jackie was pregnant with their fourth child. This suggests the marriage took place around 2012, as Hayden would have been 18 in 2009.
Svetlana Vetrova
Age: 18 (around the same age as Ilya in the show) & 26 in the books
Svetlana Vetrova is a casual romantic interest for Ilya in the show. According to the novel Heated Rivalry, Shane says Ilya first met Svetlana around three years before the events of 2017. Since Ilya was 18 in 2009, this means he likely met her in 2014, when he was 23.
In the show, Svetlana appeared much earlier than expected – she was at the rookies’ award ceremony in the first episode of Heated Rivalry. The premiere also suggested that Ilya and Svetlana had been seeing each other for a while.
Svetlana’s age isn’t officially stated in either the books or the show. However, given their close relationship and deep connection, it’s reasonable to assume she’s around the same age as Ilya.
Yuna & David Hollander
Age: 40s – 50s
Yuna Hollander is Shane’s mother and a strong source of support, always wanting the best for him. While her exact age isn’t stated in either the book or the series, many believe she’s likely between 40 and 50, judging by her appearance and how she views love and life.
I was completely surprised to discover, towards the end of the book, that Shane and Ilya had been having a secret relationship! It took me a moment to process, but ultimately, I admired Yuna’s ability to come to terms with it and accept Shane for who he is. It was a really touching moment to see her embrace his truth.
David Hollander is Shane’s father, portrayed as both stern and caring. Like Shane, his exact age isn’t stated in either the books or the TV show, but it’s likely he’s around the same age as his wife.
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2025-12-07 05:07