Rating:

Not Rated

Archive Warning:

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Fandoms:

Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid

Relationships:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Shane Hollander & Ilya Rozanov

Characters:

Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Scott Hunter (Game Changers), Original Children of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-05-07 Words: 981 Chapters: 1/3

We Don’t Owe You Anything. But We’ll Give It To You Anyway.

Summary

When Shane Hollander-Rozanov and Ilya Rozanov-Hollander are inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame, 3 years after adopting a twin boy and girl and 24 years after meeting on a cold day in Saskatchewan, they didn’t plan to tell the world during their acceptance speeches about their love story.

The plan was hockey.

Stats, scores, a play up of the old rivalry and a short section about their time on the ice together, marriage, children and retirement.

They didn’t owe the world anything.

They’d had them on the cover of magazines and an ESPN documentary and that was enough. Right? But they did it anyway.

Notes

I’m not going to pretend to know anything about hockey or how the Hall of Fame works but I looked up a few things to hopefully get timings somewhat correct.

Apologies for any spelling or grammar issues. I literally wrote this on my notes app.

Let me know what you think :)

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Toronto - November 2032

The induction was announced in June. It was unexpected to a certain degree. Ilya had been retired for three full seasons so he was eligible, but Shane had just retired, literally weeks ago, with his final season a swan song ending in a Stanley Cup victory. His sixth overall. Ilya had 3, but thats not important right now. They’d talked only once before about whether being inducted would be important for them, either as individuals or together. Ilya joked he would be inducted first and Shane was sure that would be true, but that June, sitting on a call with Farah and Yuna, they found out they were being inducted together that year.

10 players.

Only 10 players had ever been inducted into the Hall of Fame without the usual 3 year period post retirement. Ilya was insufferable because of it for the whole day, taking it as a personal attack. In a loving way obviously.

The committee had personally decided to honour both Ilya and Shane in the same year, and the waiting period had been waived for Shane. The exact wording being “2009 First Overall Pick Ilya Rozanov-Hollander has been a force on NHL ice since his first season with the Boston Raiders, and seeing him flourish and shine throughout a 19 year NHL career with his husband a constant at his side, we believe inducting Shane Hollander-Rozanov, 2009 Second Overall Pick to the Hall of Fame along side him is the greatest gift we could give to the two greatest generational players the game has ever seen. These men have continued to change the game of hockey in ways they can never be truly thanked for, but we hope this honour will go a ways towards ensuring the names Rozanov and Hollander are remembered for generations to come.”

And now, backstage at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Shane was pacing.

“You are nervous.” Ilya stated.

“I’m not nervous.”

“You are. Is fine, I’m nervous too.”

Shane stopped and turned on the heels of his feet towards his husband.

“You don’t seem nervous.”

“Well no. I am being inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame. Is probably the only correct thing happing right now.” Ilya called back, cocky smile already plastered across his face.

“We, Ilya. We are being inducted.”

“I know moya lyubov. Yes we are. So come here and gimme kiss, because in about 20 seconds we will have cameras pointed at us and our entire night will be swallowed whole by annoying people and I won’t be able to do it again.”

Ilya took Shane by the hands, pulling him forward and raising them to his shoulders as he took Shane at the waist.

They kissed. A deep, longing kiss. One they’d practiced for the last 24 years almost. God Shane loved kissing his husband. Shane’s hands found Ilya’s curls, now greying slightly at the temple and gave a gentle squeeze, grounding him in the moment.

Ilya pulled away, gave a light kiss to Shane’s forehead and rested his own there for a second. They both turned towards the stage, fingers now interlocking.

Scott Hunter stepped up to the podium, composed and effortless, the kind of presence that quieted a room of hockey lovers without trying.

“Good evening,” he began. “It’s an honour to be here tonight, celebrating two of the most accomplished players of their generation.”

He turned slightly, gesturing toward them.

“Between them, Shane Hollander-Rozanov and Ilya Rozanov-Hollander have defined an era of hockey. Over two decades at the top of the game, they’ve combined for thousands of points, countless records, and, most importantly, nine Stanley Cups.”

A small ripple of appreciation moved through the crowd.

“Six for Shane,” he added, glancing at him. “Which, I’m told, he has been bringing up regularly.”

“Only when it’s relevant,” Shane called back.

“Which is always,” Scott replied smoothly, earning a laugh.

He shifted his gaze to Ilya. “And three for Ilya. With a reputation as one of the most naturally gifted, and always infuriating, players the league has ever seen.”

“I was not infuriating,” Ilya said.

“You absolutely were,” Scott shot back.

The audience laughed again, warmer now.

“But what made them special wasn’t just the hardware,” he continued. “It was the rivalry that pushed them, the competitiveness that defined them, and eventually… the partnership that elevated both of their games.”

His tone steadied, more grounded now.

“They faced each other at their best. They learned each other’s games inside out. And when they finally wore the same jersey in Ottawa, they didn’t just win. They changed how the game was played.”

A brief pause.

“I’ve been lucky enough to be along for the ride with both of these incredible men during my career. First as an opponent on the ice, second as a coach for many of their ‘Game Changer’s’ hockey camps with ‘The Irina Foundation’, raising crucial funds for life saving resources across many mental health and LGBTQ+ charities, thirdly, as committee members for ‘Hockey for All’, where we have been able to create serious changes across the world of sport, championing inclusion and diversity and ensuring anyone joining the ruthless world of elite sports feels included and seen. But most of all, I’m now lucky enough to call these two my friends.”

Shane and Ilya turn to each other and smiled.

“From rivals… to teammates… to something more enduring.”

It was a simple line. Easy. Almost throwaway.

But it lingered for Shane.

Scott glanced at them both, a small, knowing smile touching his lips before he moved on.

“Tonight, we honour the careers and the lasting legacy they leave on the ice,” he said. “And there’s more than enough there to justify this moment.”

He straightened slightly.

“So it’s my privilege to welcome two legends of the game and now two Hall of Famers. Shane Hollander-Rozanov and Ilya Rozanov-Hollander.”