HBO has announced that Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie will join the second season of hockey drama ‘Heated Rivalry’ in leading roles. Their casting expands the series beyond its original central pairing and adapts a storyline from the fifth book, ‘Role Model’, signalling the show’s continued growth after its reported streaming success.

Gillespie will play Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ottawa following allegations against a former Toronto teammate, while Smith will portray Harris Drover, Ottawa’s social-media manager. The characters’ relationship is described as a grumpy-and-sunshine pairing, with Harris helping Troy become more open; they will appear alongside returning stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. HBO has renewed the series for a second season, which the article says is expected to begin filming soon.