Summer might be here, but the hottest place on TV is still the ice hockey rink.
Following the success of “Heated Rivalry” and “Off Campus,” Netflix has handed a series order to the hockey romance “Icebreaker,” the streamer announced on Monday. Based on the bestseller by Hannah Grace, the series “follows Anastasia Allen, a competitive figure skater with her eyes on Olympic gold,” per the official synopsis. “Everything changes when Anastasia is forced to share the rink with Nate Hawkins, a hockey player who’s equally determined to go pro. Despite the cold temperatures on the ice, the heat between Anastasia and Nate is undeniable. Is ambition or attraction the sharper blade?” (Is anyone else getting serious “The Cutting Edge” vibes here?)
Amanda Lasher (“Gossip Girl,” “Riverdale”) will serve as showrunner, with Jade Bartlett joining her as co-writer. “I have been a fan of steamy YA since the 7th grade; reading Judy Blume stealthily hidden behind a textbook,” Lasher said in a statement. “I love this genre, and it’s been a joy working with Jade, the team at Unwell and Netflix to bring Hannah Grace’s beloved ‘Icebreaker’ novel to the screen.”
Icebreaker joins hockey hits Heated Rivalry and Off Campus
“Icebreaker” is just the latest TV series to look to the ice hockey rink for inspiration. In November, “Heated Rivalry” premiered on HBO Max and became a cultural sensation, with Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams starring as pro hockey players who have a steamy secret romance while playing for rival teams. (Check out our list of Season 1’s 10 best moments.) Then in May, Prime Video unveiled the college-set series “Off Campus,” centered on the sparks flying between hockey player Garrett (Belmont Cameli) and music student Hannah (Ella Bright). It debuted at #6 on Nielsen’s streaming originals chart with 516 million minutes viewed in its first week.
Like those two, “Icebreaker” is based on a popular book — and is clearly hoping to make the same kind of splash. “Netflix has a long history of turning beloved romance novels into massive global hits,” Jinny Howe, the streamer’s head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada, said while announcing the series order. “We know our members can’t get enough of these stories, which makes ‘Icebreaker’ the perfect next chapter for us.”
Book fans, are you excited to see “Icebreaker” come to life on Netflix? Who would you cast as Anastasia and Nate? Let us know in the comments!
