‘Heated Rivalry’ love nests: A look at Ilya’s supposed Boston house and ‘The Cottage’

Though one of the characters is meant to live around Boston, the real house where the show filmed scenes is many miles away.

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in a scene from "Heated Rivalry." Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max

January 15, 2026

3 minutes to read

Streaming’s steamy hit “Heated Rivalry” has maintained a lofty perch atop the HBO Max rankings (where it airs in the U.S.) and seems to be equally dominating social media, morning and late-night TV, and even the social feeds of NHL teams. The Boston Bruins nearly broke the internet last month after using the caption “Heated rivalry” on an X post during a game against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Canadian-produced show is about rival professional hockey players and puck-crossed lovers playing for fictional Montreal and Boston teams. Based on the book series by Rachel Reid, the show’s main characters include Canadian Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams), the captain and center of the Montreal Metros, and Russian Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie), the captain and center of the Boston Raiders (whose fictionalized jerseys just happen to look a little like the Boston Bruins’).

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in a scene from “Heated Rivalry.” *– Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max*

And Bostonians are loving it — Boston viewership was recently up 108% (the most of any major U.S. city) since the show debuted, according to smart TV data company Samba TV. There’s plenty fans wish they could know about the fictional Boston Raider. What’s his Dunkin’ order? Has he been down the “cop slide” at City Hall? Does he use Russian or English expletives anytime he’s stopped on Storrow Drive due to a truck getting “Storrow-ed” and he’s running late to a game at the Garden? Where does he live?

The book is neighborhood agnostic and references Ilya’s Boston residence merely in passing when the rivals “moved their Boston hookups from hotel rooms to Rozanov’s penthouse.” Where might that Boston penthouse be located? Well, the TV show version took some creative liberties, making Rozanov’s Boston lair instead a suburban house. Just don’t waste your time planning a foray into the local suburbs for a look.

An 8,000-square-foot contemporary Ontario home is used as the stand-in for Ilya’s home. It’s an ultramodern glass box set deep in a ravine, featuring 115 feet of floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. The white panels and net-zero energy efficiency give it a high-performance, clinical vibe that suits Ilya perfectly. But crucially, the open-concept layout and massive kitchen island provided the perfect stage for the show’s tuna melt and ginger ale scene (if you know, you know). The luxe abode sold for nearly $3.4 million last August, per Zillow.

Another piece of key real estate in “Heated Rivalry” inspired the line that birthed countless social media takes, recreations, and edits: “I’m coming to the cottage.”

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A post shared by Trevor McIvor Architect (@trevormcivorarchitect)

Once hockey’s lovestruck duo appear to finally be on the evolution from situationship to relationship, Ilya agrees to a two-week sojourn to Shane’s cottage — though said “cottage” is actually a massive lakefront mansion.

Trevor McIvor Architect, the design team behind Barlochan Cottage (which was the stand-in for Shane’s cottage in the show), did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but they have been active on social media showing off what might be eclipsing “The Bachelor” mansion as the most popular love nest on TV.

While Ilya’s Boston home is a sterile, glass jewel box, Shane’s retreat is a warm retreat. Located in Muskoka, Canada, the home is clad in Douglas Fir Kindl (a Japanese charred wood siding) and features an exposed timber structure that helps it blend in with the landscape. The design is anchored by a massive granite fireplace, providing the kind of grounded, cozy aesthetic fit for figuring out what exactly one does when falling for an athletic archrival.

Until these listings hit the MLS, Bostonians will just have to make do with our brownstones and Seaport condos. But if any local developers are reading: we wouldn’t say no to a glass box in the burbs or a luxe cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Just make sure the kitchen is ready for a tuna melt.