NHL’s ‘Hot for Hockey’ Romance Campaign Sparks Backlash

The National Hockey League has launched a promotional campaign titled “Hot for Hockey,” producing romance-style audio stories featuring its players. Released on audiobook platforms, the 60- to 90-second narratives aim to capitalize on a growing subculture of hockey romance fans. However, the initiative has drawn sharp criticism from established authors in the genre and advocacy groups, who argue the campaign is a shallow marketing stunt that fails to address serious issues within the sport’s culture.

According to the Sports Business Journal, the league collaborated with popular hockey romance writers and TikTok creators from the “BookTok” community to produce the content. The initial batch features NHL stars such as Trevor Zegras of the Philadelphia Flyers, Sebastian Aho of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Jack Eichel of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Written by C.R. Jane, author of the novel Pucking Wrong, the stories read more like back-cover blurbs than full romance narratives and do not pair the athletes with fictional partners.

One example, The Summer I Turned Gritty with Trevor Zegras, describes the player’s return to Philadelphia with slogans emphasizing grit and heat, ultimately serving as an advertisement to drive viewership for upcoming games. Jon Weinstein, an NHL spokesperson, told WIRED the project is a “playful nod” to trends in the cultural zeitgeist and praised the participation of authors, illustrators, and voice actors.

Despite the league’s framing, several prominent authors in the hockey romance space publicly refused to participate. Emily Rath, a bestselling author known for her Jacksonville Rays series, stated she rejected the offer immediately. On the social media platform Threads, she expressed outrage, alleging that the league’s pitch deck contained jokes mocking the genre and featured AI-generated cover art. Chelsea Curto, author of the D.C. Stars series, also declined, noting that her work often critiques the league and that she was relieved to avoid association.

Critics argue that the campaign exploits the credibility of romance authors to “launder” the NHL’s brand without addressing systemic problems. Lacey Conine, founder of the clothing brand Double Hockey Stix, described the initiative as “tone-deaf” and indicative of the league prioritizing profit over inclusivity. She pointed to recent moves by teams like the Dallas Stars, which cancelled its Pride Night for the first time in five years, as evidence that the league is not genuinely engaging with LGBTQ+ fans.

The backlash also highlights concerns about sexual harassment and the sexualization of players. In 2023, the Seattle Kraken faced criticism after a player and his wife reported an influx of predatory comments on social media following content aimed at BookTok users. Conine and other fans worry that official league-sanctioned romantic narratives encourage uncomfortable parasocial relationships and objectification.

Jess Rauchberg, a lecturer at the University of Leeds, noted that the campaign blurs the line between official marketing and real-person fiction, a genre that has existed since the late 1990s. While fans traditionally create such content within private spaces, Rauchberg argued that the NHL’s endorsement violates long-standing fandom norms about not “breaking the fourth wall.”

Furthermore, fans and advocates have connected the campaign to broader issues of accountability regarding sexual assault and misconduct. Reports indicate that Hockey Canada previously used registration fees to cover expenses related to sexual assault claims. Additionally, five former junior players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case were recently deemed eligible for the NHL, with three currently on active rosters. Echo, a Montreal Canadiens fan who requested anonymity, stated that she views the romance narratives as an attempt to whitewash the “insidious aspects” of hockey culture.