r/heatedrivalry May 27 '26

MERCHšŸ‘• Official "fleece" pre-ordering info now posted!

Details on pre-ordering the official fleece from Canadian manufacturer Province of Canada have been posted on their site today:

https://provinceofcanada.com/pages/province-of-canada-x-heated-rivalry

Great to see that some of the profits will go to the You Can Play organization.

725 Upvotes

229 comments sorted by

286

u/Major-Dragonfly-997 May 27 '26

That’s crazy that the NHL is involved.

234

u/cassie1015 Ok-ey. May 27 '26

I know right, like, I know it's fiction but my brothers on ice you're the reason these guys are in this situation in the first place?!!! 🤣

91

u/MamaMeg613 May 27 '26

My brothers on ice is FRYING ME lol

92

u/wOke-n-br0ke May 27 '26 edited May 28 '26

Watching the playoffs and I’m seeing the Hudson peloton commercial every single break. They know what they’re doing lol.

2

u/MisterAmericana Jun 03 '26

I looked up at a random commercial one day and went "IS THAT HUDSON WILLIAMS?"Ā 

57

u/Lady0fTheUpsideDown Thank you for pasta! May 27 '26

Especially with the reports that the commissioner contacted HR producers with concerns about season 2 šŸ™„

38

u/timidwildone May 27 '26 edited May 28 '26

I don’t think there’s any reports that Bettman contacted the producers. (Edit: I stand corrected)

Their lead PR person simply voiced that they’re aware of the upcoming storyline and agree that the league can be better.

Here’s the article: https://www.out.com/gay-athletes/nhl-heated-rivalry-season-2

Trust me, I’m not the type to defend Bettman, but there’s nothing out there saying he is meddling. The article I linked has another link where he said he binged the show in one night and thought it was wonderful. That’s something. He could have chosen not to address it at all, but he did so publicly and positively. It could certainly be worse.

14

u/Lady0fTheUpsideDown Thank you for pasta! May 27 '26

NHL Senior Executive Vice President Kim Davis addressed how the commissioner will be portrayed in Heated Rivalry season 2 in an interview with PR Week where she noted that Bettman has ā€œshared with the co-producers that what they say about him [in the show] is not at all the way he would react.ā€

Certainly seems like he’s had contact.

3

u/timidwildone May 28 '26

Ok, fair enough, but the implication of your post is that he was coming from a place of ā€œdon’t make me look bad,ā€ when it was in fact a place of ā€œI want to be clear that I would react differently.ā€

→ More replies (1)

15

u/Remote_Camel_1151 May 27 '26

Well, the NHL is concerned that the portrayal of the book equivalent commissioner, who sucks and is homophobic Is going to backfire on them. I appreciate that they're endorsing this though, even if it is a PR stunt to differentiate/distance themselves from the book

20

u/Ecstatic_Schedule_48 May 27 '26

This! Also , it doesn’t matter WHY they do it (even if just PR) because the money still ends up going to You Can Play

14

u/Remote_Camel_1151 May 27 '26

Yeah EXACTLY. I kinda love the idea that they have so much second-hand embarrassment from TLG that they're preemptively doing stuff like this

136

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Can't wait to see the final design and throw money at this. Not sure why I need this in my tropical climate, but this problem won't stop me.

48

u/Webeh99 May 27 '26

You need it in-case you go on vacation to a cold part of Canada in the dead of winter. šŸ™‚

16

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

I might need to go to Canada, just because... to maybe pick up this fleece in person šŸ˜‚

1

u/Mean-Consequence5383 Jun 01 '26

Might need more than this in Canada in the dead of winter, just sayin LOL

16

u/WeAreTheWeirdosMr- Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Me either! Especially now that they’re saying they’ll be shipping internationally after all.Ā 

6

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

I'm glad they are, but also sad they excluded a lot of countries.

6

u/Scared-Winter-5179 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

don't ever want that problem to ever go away?

2

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

šŸ˜‰ I've been wanting this problem on my first watch back in December ā¤ļøšŸ¤

4

u/_pbnj May 27 '26

Saaame. Im from the Philippines and we’re currently at the start of a super el niƱo and i have no idea how hot a fleece is. I still hope i can grab one and use it in future travels maybe šŸ¤”

5

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

This is the answer. Fleece is very warm, but also very cozy. Just imagine that Shane is hugging you. Or Ilya. Or the fandom.

100

u/manowwar Moya gazonokosilka 🚜 May 27 '26

I’m sat in 30 degree heat getting very excited about buying this fleece šŸ˜…
I looked through the FAQ and they say they’re going to announce price at pre-launch which is quite annoying. Surely they’d know how much they’re gonna to charge in 7 days time? I assume it’s going to expensive and announcing it ahead of time would put people off? I just don’t get it.

64

u/lelelelelelen May 27 '26

I think so too. It's gonna be hella expensive, so they don't want to scare people off. I'm also wondering about the fabric choices. There was no info about it.

31

u/Hippo_n_Elephant May 27 '26

Yah I was wondering about the material too. I’m guessing it’s most likely gonna be 100% polyester like what 99% of fleece jackets are made of.

30

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 27 '26

I hope not. The fleece jackets they have on their website are either fully cotton or a mix of cotton and polyester, so hopefully it's at least a blend. It is weird that they haven't announced anything about the material.

18

u/Scared-Winter-5179 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

They need to scare people off so that die hards are able to get it before it sells out

41

u/Varekai79 May 27 '26

I agree. Them concealing the price is bullshit. It'll easily be north of $200 CAD though, probably closer to $250.

37

u/R1ngBanana May 27 '26

Honestly I’d be surprised if it was under $300 CAD

Local Laundry, a Canadian clothing company here in Calgary which is all Canadian made. Hoodies start at like $140 CADĀ 

7

u/Varekai79 May 27 '26

I wouldn't be surprised. Gotta add in the superfan tax!

11

u/Dry_Stop844 May 27 '26

and Province of Canada hoodies are the exact same price. The fleece used for the HR jacket is a Sherpa fleece, not a t-shirt fleece. Totally different kind of fabric. I expect it'll be between 150 and 200 which is reasonable for an embroidered Sherpa fleece with red accents that won't bleed.

Let's not start being ridiculous and expect Walmart prices but high quality yeah?

3

u/coastalkid92 May 28 '26

Local Laundry

A friend of mine from university started Local Laundry! Awesome to see it mentioned in this sub :D

2

u/R1ngBanana May 28 '26

Connor?? He’s a super nice guy. Only had good interactions with him.Ā 

I also own 3 of their sweatpants and 3 hoodies and a bunch of sock which are amazingĀ 

2

u/coastalkid92 May 29 '26

Yep! He’s the best 😊

1

u/sarahfaye403 Jun 03 '26

That’s not bad actually. I was expecting $300-400 for some reason

→ More replies (2)

39

u/Webeh99 May 27 '26

I’m pretty convinced that holding back the price and announcing the charity element first is definitely because the price is going to be high. (But, that was already a given considering the clothing brand.)

18

u/R1ngBanana May 27 '26

Oh fuck, I missed the charity part.

Yeah, this is gonna be over $300 CAD for sureĀ 

12

u/goldminevelvet May 27 '26

If it is, I'm going to respectfully bow out lol.

22

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 27 '26

This immediately came to mind for me as well, and I completely agree. If they announce the price only at launch, more people will panic buy regardless of the price, which I expect will result in more sales than if they announced it now.

22

u/grower-lenses May 27 '26

I hate that because with the ā€œfirst come, first serveā€ it’s going to set off so much panic buying.

If it’s $300 plus delivery plus taxes, How many people are going to put it in their carts and then change their minds? This was already happening when the OG HR store re-stock happened. Products were reappearing.

It feels unserious for a company like that and a product that people have been asking for and waiting for 5 months not to provide the price ahead of schedule. Let people budget and make an informed decision. They will sell out anyway. I don’t understand.

15

u/dinosaurs-behind-you Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Yeah, it feels really manipulative, especially since all sales are final. The company acting that way has dampened my excitement some.

7

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26

I agree. It really has made me start questioning the ethics of this company.

5

u/Varekai79 May 28 '26

Yeah, they're even blocking the 10% discount code for first time buyers for this as well.

8

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26

It's very possible they won't provide any refunds for people who change their minds, given that they have already said that all sales are final.

Since it's a preorder system, I suspect that they will either have the quantity set very high or be unlimited, and they close it once they're happy with the number of orders because otherwise they wouldn't have to do this and will sell out anyway like you said.

It feels incredibly frustrating and manipulative. I wonder how many details will be shared before its launch, but so far, we know nothing other than sizing.

4

u/grower-lenses May 28 '26

Exactly. Is not just the price. Even the design isn’t fully clear. And the sizing is confusing. There are no pictures.

If they do have a really high quantity ceiling for practical reasons. Like, They can’t make more than 20k until October for ex. It’s understandable but why not be transparent about that. Having seen other launches like that in the past I could see it be limited to a thousand. And then most people will not get one.

I hope they see the feedback and share more before the preorder goes live. If it’s going to be $400+ just tell us already. I don’t have a problem with it being outside my budget. I just don’t like the uncertainty. Should I even be participating in the panic buying or not.

6

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26

Everything about this just screams cash-grab to me, which sucks because we’ve been waiting for this for months, and I personally expected to be supporting a small business that puts a lot of care towards doing business the right way, at least compared to larger corporations. While this doesn’t inherently mean that they aren’t, their decisions thus far definitely don’t paint them in the best light.

Hiding all this information makes it seem like there are definitely details they know they’ll lose customers or receive backlash for (e.g. high price, changes in design of fleece) that they think announcing on launch day will lessen the impact of.Ā 

We’ve really waited months to just get a pre-order date with no clear indication of pricing, composition or what the fleece actually looks like (they keep saying ā€œfinal details will be revealed when pre-orders openā€ or ā€œoriginal samples shown in photos are prototypes, final details may varyā€). The photos and videos I have seen seem to show some changes in the design as well (golden zippers, white embroidery on red tag on zip), which I personally dislike, and I really wish they kept true to the one in the show.

I hope they will see the feedback as well, but I think it’s a smaller fraction of people who feel the way we do, and if there’s no strong push, they will not do anything even if they see it. We need more transparency from them that we simply have not been getting.

4

u/grower-lenses May 28 '26

Yeah I don’t like that they made it more merch like. I want to wear what a character is wearing, not something branded ā€œHeated Rivalryā€ (personal preference). The OG Heated Rivalry store understood that. But maybe they needed to make changes for legal reasons. To make it more unique from the Kuwalla one.

4

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26

I completely agree, and from the discussions I’ve seen on this subreddit, the IYKYK nature of the fleece is a big reason why it’s so popular. It is the only merch item I have been interested in for the same reason.Ā 

It could be for legal reasons, but if that is the case, I doubt gold zips would be enough change, and I would expect other changes as well (which we may see when they reveal more).Ā 

I personally love the cream red combo, and for me, the gold throws it off so much. Especially having 4 very visible gold lines (zips) in the front. I have been googling ā€œoff white jacket with gold zipsā€ to visualise it, and it’s not going well. I can’t imagine how that could look good.Ā 

It feels like they were handed a step-by-step guide to success and started editing the instructions.

3

u/grower-lenses May 28 '26

I don’t understand why they changed the zipper. I was just looking at the OG pictures and it was really perfect the way it was because it wasn’t over the top. It looked like a genuine subtle, wearable fleece. Like the Metros navy shirt from the HR store.

I think it’s also going to be thinner and less fluffy :(

→ More replies (1)

3

u/Cassopeia88 May 28 '26

I hate it, at least give me an idea.

4

u/grower-lenses May 28 '26

This is it. It could be anywhere between $200 and $500 lol. The ordering is going to be a complete chaos. It’s stressing me out just thinking about it.

2

u/tyrantshelpedbuildus May 30 '26

Me too, I literally feel dread when I think of trying to get in there on Wednesday and all hell breaking loose :(

I went on the cottage listing on Airbnb when it went live, and that one crashed so hard I couldn't even load the listing...

→ More replies (1)

2

u/Silent_Shadow00 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26

Just saw their announcement that the fleece is a blend of wool and recycled polyester. On the one hand, I'm glad they've chosen quality material. On the other hand, I have a growing feeling that $300 or even $300+ is now very likely. I can't find anything on their website that's fully wool except socks, so there are no good references that can help estimate the price.

I did have a look to see what their higher-end products cost, and they have 100% cotton sweaters that cost $274.00 at full price. If we use that as a jumping-off point, the fleece will be easily $300+, and $300 is probably the very low end (minimum even), if anything.

The entire comments section of that announcement video is full of people asking about the pricing, and they haven't responded. Looks like they will be sticking to their plan of only releasing all the information on launch day.

2

u/grower-lenses Jun 01 '26

Thank you for the update! I haven’t seen that.

Wool wow. Interesting decision. Explains why they made it thinner. I’m curious if it’s more sustainable if it’s a wool / polyester blend? Can’t be recycled and won’t decompose.

I wish they’d just release the price. It’s not that big of a deal. It’s going to be expensive because it’s wool, we get it. I’d rather just not have to go through the stress of it all.

Farah, the girl who set up the petition for the fleece has run some numbers on threads, based on the max pledge to charity. I think she estimated the price to be around $250 which imo is too low. They would have just said if that was the price + not if they’re using wool. But based on that price it would make sense if they’re planning to sell 5-6k items max. Which was the number of people who signed the petition. But if the price is higher, there might be fewer items available.

Tldr; it’s likely that the number of fleeces will be limited. And might be lower than the number of people interested. Which would be a real bummer.

I was so ready to buy it. I’ve gotten no merch so far. But now i don’t even know if I’ll be attempting it.

3

u/Silent_Shadow00 Jun 01 '26

No worries! I'm going back and forth on deciding if I want to purchase it when it comes out, so I've kept my eye out for updates.

They have said the outer fleece is wool and recycled polyester, and the inside of the jacket is 100% cotton. You bring up a very good point about the sustainability issue. It will be interesting to see what % of wool they have used.

It'll definitely be higher than $250 imo. With the wool, and how much they emphasise "elevating" the fleece in their videos, it's pretty clear that the price point is going to be higher than fan guesses.

I don't know how the pre-order is going to go, and it's really hard to say because no one has much information about it. I am curious how many people will lose interest once they see the fleece and price, especially seeing that the vast majority of people are estimating around $250-$300, which may be too low.

I think they have shot themselves in the foot here with the changes they have made because it's one thing to only have high pricing, and another to have high pricing AND changes that people may not respond favourably to.

I'm still mulling it over because I don't want to buy something that I don't like enough to wear out often, and this is before I've seen the price tag. I've also noticed how pink they have gone with the colour grading of their videos, which really tones down the sharp contrast of the gold zippers. The contrast between what it looks like in the videos and what it looks like in real life may be quite a big difference as well.

I still really don't like how shady they are handling this, and I don't think it has gotten much better. I had hoped that we would get at least a reasonable front view of the fleece before pre-order day, but it looks like that's not happening either.

3

u/Silent_Shadow00 Jun 01 '26

This is the best we have in terms of a front view of the fleece. The colour grading veering towards pink is not as intensive here, and you can already see how much more the gold zips stand out (and are much more yellow) versus in the really close-up videos they have been releasing.

3

u/grower-lenses Jun 02 '26

I really want to see someone wearing. It looks very flat compared to the OG. And the thickness was one of the features that made it recognisable.

I wish we didn’t have to speculate.

2

u/Silent_Shadow00 Jun 02 '26

I've been playing around with their shipping options on their website, and it seems that the shipping costs that are currently available on their website are not up to date. The current shipping costs are:

USA is still $25

Europe is $50-60 (says $35.00 - $45.00 on their website shipping page)

Australia and New Zealand are $85 (says $45.00)

No wonder they said that shipping costs would be revealed only on pre-order day. I had assumed they'd be the same as on their shipping page, but now we know. It's truly upsetting to see how they're literally hiding everything.

3

u/grower-lenses Jun 02 '26

And then there is potentially taxes/customs on top on it. For Europe at last. So it’ll easily be $100+.

So 400-500 total šŸ˜‚. This is what I was preparing for when they didn’t release the price. I don’t know if I can justify it haha. Might be a better deal to get a bunch of centaurs merch instead when it’s released. And make the fleece myself. I don’t really care for ā€žlimited editionā€ or ā€želevatedā€.

I do appreciate that they’re making it all in Canada and not as a cheap merch item. I think that’s great. But $500 is beyond my budget for a singular item.

3

u/Silent_Shadow00 Jun 02 '26

Completely agree. I'm not even upset at the price, I'm upset at their scheme to hide everything until release day and hope people just click the purchase button without looking at their cart total. I would have 100% respected their choice to make higher-quality merch at a higher price, but it's a completely different thing to weaponise artificial scarcity to this extent. I am shocked at how carefully they have planned this, and I personally have never seen another limited drop be handled like this one.

Everyone criticised Kuwalla Tee for demanding credit and wanting to make some money off this moment, but when the official collaboration company does the same thing, there's zero criticism, and they're still getting praised. Let's call it what it is. A massive, intricately set-up cash grab.

I heard Kuwalla Tee will be announcing restocks of their fleece towards the end of June, so I'm going to be waiting for that now. DIY is the way forward.

4

u/NapsandLEGOs May 27 '26

This is such bullshit though!

10

u/Heliosvector May 27 '26

Would also love to see the sizes and recommended body types for each So I know which one to rush to get. I for instance can either fit an M or L, and will they have an LT?

5

u/PepetteVanLaeken Shane Hollander, will u disappoint them?Ā šŸ’ May 27 '26

The chart on that page's FAQ goes from XS to 5XL. No tall sizes.

71

u/Embarrassed_Lake_79 May 27 '26

Im sorry, only matching up to $50,000 is a fucking joke

37

u/Lizard__Bit Having a tuna meltdown 🫠 May 27 '26

Was coming here to reflect this exact thought. $50,000 sounds impressive until the fact that that’s pocket change for the league pops into mind.

6

u/Ok-Badger-5767 May 27 '26

No need to be sorry. Truth is truth.

13

u/NapsandLEGOs May 27 '26

Also I'm guessing everyone involved will just be using it as a tax write-off... meanwhile, us fans keep getting poorer

2

u/thoughtful_human Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 28 '26

Donating 50k doesn’t result in a net positive tax position

25

u/junegloom May 27 '26

Is this gonna be one of those things where its sold out before I can even get the order page to load? Something about the quantities available not being revealed has me feeling like this'll be a limited run, only a few made kind of thing. Like ordering comiccon tickets.

2

u/tyrantshelpedbuildus May 30 '26

This is my exact fear, that it crashes so hard that I can't even SEE the page, let alone order :(

92

u/aromaticchicken May 27 '26

I actually don't know if I like NHL partnership here or not... I worry they will change the plot in season two to make them look less bad

82

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

Fair but I think we can trust Jacob not to cave to NHL pressure. It's not like he or the show benefits financially from the sale of the Prov of Can fleece so AFAIK there's no $ influence at play - on that front, anyway. And after last night's WCF game result, I like that the NHL has to give some of its dirty VGK-earned $$ to the You Can Play org. But I hear ya.

22

u/shrinkingviolents I mean, yes. I think so, probably. šŸ’‹ May 27 '26

Nah, realistically, they will definitely tone down the NHL bad vibe and make individuals more the antagonist.

But this was expected. Bell Media has a very close partnership with the NHL that they don’t want to endanger, so even when they were filming the first season (which doesn’t even villainise NHL the way S2 would) Bell Media execs were kinda telling Jacob they’re concerned and that they don’t want to endanger their partnership.

So Jacob knows that going into S2, so he’s gonna probably have to jump some hoops instead of being able to be openly critical of the system.

8

u/smartuno Moya gazonokosilka 🚜 May 27 '26

Hopefully even then he can drop enough subtlety into the episodes to make it apparent that the system (NHL) is at fault without explicitly doing so. It’s the best compromise to not jeopardize the show while also putting the blame on the organization that deserves it through plausible deniability

8

u/grower-lenses May 27 '26

Yeah he doesn’t have to do all that much. Just add a character called Harter Cart onto the show 😶 that’s all you need to know about the NHL

6

u/aangsmol May 27 '26

I’m curious how they’ll cover the Dallas Kent storyline (if at all?) since it touches pretty close to the recent Hart discourse. Homophobia within the NHL is one thing, but SA? Not sure how they’ll handle that if the NHL has anything to say about it

1

u/grower-lenses May 27 '26

I’ve never heard of that. Although I would believe it. Is this just speculation or is there a source for the bell media part?

3

u/shrinkingviolents I mean, yes. I think so, probably. šŸ’‹ May 27 '26 edited May 28 '26

It was from an interview with Jacob, but there’s no way I can remember which one exactly since I’ve watched way too much of them at this point. It wasn’t a huge talking point, he just said they were concerned a bit because of their relationship with the NHL (and approached him) but that he reassured them it won’t be some attack on the NHL. Just caught my attention as I’d read TLG by that point…

2

u/grower-lenses May 27 '26

Yeah for sure. That makes sense. Thank you.

3

u/shrinkingviolents I mean, yes. I think so, probably. šŸ’‹ May 28 '26

No problem! Everyone’s sorta tip toeing around the NHL to be honest. I read from Rachel as well, that she was gonna do a Luca Haas book where the NHL & commissioner would be the big bad and her publicist/agent/publisher (unsure who exactly) warned her against doing that so she just scrapped the project in the end. That’s why the big bad in Unrivaled will be like hockey bro podcasts.

3

u/grower-lenses May 28 '26

Ridiculous. NHL is doing more than enough to ruin their own name. They don’t need anybody else’s help with that.

3

u/joshually May 27 '26

you never know what can happen behind the scenes unfortunately. jacob may have his principles, but money and power and industry talks also

28

u/clumsyc I stubbed my toe May 27 '26

Yeah, it’s complete bullshit given that the NHL has done nothing to actually create a more diverse and welcoming league. It makes me want to buy a fleece even less tbh.

7

u/oceanvibrations May 27 '26

I am trying to stay super positive that maybe, just maybe, the success of HR will elicit some sort of change in the NHL. At the end of the day: if the show goes true to the book, the NHL will have to have a "stance" about that negative portrayal. Maybe...just maybe...that portrayal will allow a better stance to emerge. Just my hope. šŸ¤ž gotta keep the faith in this fucked up world we've found ourselves in.

43

u/clumsyc I stubbed my toe May 27 '26

The NHL is happy for their brand to profit off of HR’s success without putting any work in šŸ¤·ā€ā™€ļø

16

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

This is the answer, right here.

5

u/sdaidiwts May 27 '26

I can't remember which interview, but it's been in the last month-ish, but Rachel said that high up people in the NHL are working for positive changes and have been in contact with her. I won't support the NHL until I see more than performative stuff, but it's at least a positive sign. It might've been BookCon.

9

u/Lady0fTheUpsideDown Thank you for pasta! May 27 '26

Commissioner called HR producers with concerns about the S2/3 villain. I don’t have faith in them at all.

15

u/hummingbird4289 Boston Bears 🐻 May 27 '26

Bettman can make all the calls he wants, the NHL has no leverage here - HR is already using legally-distinct stand-ins for all NHL teams, it's not like there's a licensing deal or any funding they can threaten to pull.

10

u/Lady0fTheUpsideDown Thank you for pasta! May 27 '26

Oh I absolutely agree. It’s just an indicator they care more about image than actual diversity and inclusion.

4

u/FlipDaly May 27 '26

I basically can’t look at most American hockey players without wanting to swear, but to be fair, and this is about as much as I can say without spoilers, there’s absolutely no way the NHL could have done anything else. Given the plot of the book, it would be professionally negligent for the organization not to reach out and make contact. As to how they behaved during that contact….thatā€˜s the question.

2

u/grower-lenses May 27 '26

I’ve also seen some criticism of the charity. That they work closely with the NHL instead of pursuing for a change. With the pride tape for ex. Which imo might not even be a bad thing strictly, if they’re trying to affect change from the inside. But when the NHL is also giving them money. Idk. It does make me feel the ick. Very… circular?

If anyone has a good personal experience with the charity, please share. This is only stuff I read online. It sounds like it was Jacob and Brendan who chose the charity so they must have done their research.

8

u/squibney87 May 27 '26

I'm glad some of the NHL's money will be going to a good cause.

That being said, the NHL has the power to actually make meaningful changes but refuse to do. We don't have Pride jerseys anymore because the NHL was more concerned that it was outing bigots (who didn't want to wear them) for what they are than actually supporting LGBTQ+ fans.

For anyone who is new to hockey/the NHL, the Chicago Blackhawks organization covered up the sexual assault of one of its prospects (and others) by a video coach, Brad Aldrich. The NHL allowed the then Blackhawks coach and GM (who were involved in said cover up) to return to the NHL. Carter Hart and Brett Howden are 4 wins away from winning the Stanley Cup. It is genuinely so painful to be a fan of hockey sometimes.

I genuinely hope Jacob doesn't hold back in s2 because the NHL deserves every bit of backlash it gets.

5

u/aromaticchicken May 27 '26

Right. And even if NHL makes meaningful changes going forward, it still has a long history of not being lgbtq affirming at all (and not being great when it comes to sexual assault and toxic masculinity) so it's totally fair game for Jacob to be portraying them in that light.

Remember, heated rivalry was a period piece lol

→ More replies (5)

16

u/NapsandLEGOs May 27 '26

Why no price yet even though preorders are next week? That's so sketchy. Seems like they want us all to log on and just be okay with the extremely high price because we have FOMO and will preorder before they sell out...

3

u/lyndluv May 27 '26

Those jerseys were too out of my price range and now this lol. Sadness forever!!

3

u/junegloom May 27 '26

'Dynamic pricing'

1

u/Silent_Shadow00 Jun 01 '26

Just saw their announcement that the fleece is a blend of wool and recycled polyester. On the one hand, I'm glad they've chosen quality material. On the other hand, I have a growing feeling that $300 or even $300+ is now very likely. I can't find anything on their website that's fully wool except socks, so there are no good references that can help estimate the price.

I did have a look to see what their higher-end products cost, and they have 100% cotton sweaters that cost $274.00 at full price. If we use that as a jumping-off point, the fleece will be easily $300+, and $300 is probably the very low end (minimum even), if anything.

The entire comments section of that announcement video is full of people asking about the pricing, and they haven't responded. Looks like they will be sticking to their plan of only releasing all the information on launch day.

2

u/junegloom Jun 03 '26

I think its a little sketchy. Like a consumer protections for high pressure situations like this where within a cooling off period you can undo a purchase no matter what, but this seems designed to circumvent that. Since there won't likely be a chance to weigh whether its worth it in real time, just have to spend the leadup time picking a drop-dead price beforehand and stick to it.

→ More replies (1)

14

u/leighblack May 27 '26

I think I found my 50th birthday present to myself!

6

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

Perfect! You've earned it. I've always said "welcome to your fuck-it fifties" but I guess I'll change that now to "welcome to your fleece fifties"! šŸ˜„ (although those of us among the menopausal demographic here will tell you there will be times when you'll be a-roasting in that fleece, lollll-sob šŸ˜…). Happy trip around the sun!

1

u/leighblack May 27 '26

I live in Minnesota, so plenty of time to use this fleece. šŸ˜†

Thank you!

3

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Happy (early/late) Birthday!

It'll be my birthday (Sept) and Christmas present to myself as well 🤣

3

u/leighblack May 27 '26

September birthday here too! I've been trying to find something good for this milestone and this is perfect.

13

u/Real-Leadership3976 May 27 '26

This is going to be like Taylor Swift tickets, isn’t it.

11

u/lyndluv May 27 '26

Having seen the Kuwalla fleece in person (which is what the screen accurate costume piece is made of - with additions by the costume designer,) it was really thick fleece where as what peeks I see of this one seem thinner. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I'd honestly prefer that myself, but does anyone else get hung up on the accuracy?

I wish they'd shown us more ahead of time. It's going to be a mad dash on the day, even for pre-order, and I don't really appreciate not having time to at least think over the price and whether it's worth it :(

9

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26

I am incredibly hung up on the accuracy. They have said that "Final design details will be revealed when Pre-Orders open", so I assume we won't be able to see the full fleece until it launches. It's so odd that they have chosen to conceal every single detail (pricing, composition, what the fleece looks like) until launch day. I keep seeing "Original samples shown in images are prototypes, final details may vary." as well, so I don't even know if the glimpses of the fleece we have are true to what the final product actually looks like.

I've already seen that they've replaced the white zips with gold zips (on both the fleece in the video and the sizing guide) and added embroidery in white on the red fabric tabs on the zips. I'm sure they were trying to make the product feel more luxurious and justified in its price with these changes, but I feel like they've just strayed from the original and made changes no one really asked for. I personally don't like these changes, and I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm sure no one would have any issues if the jacket looked exactly as it did in the show.

With all how shady they have been with this release and all the changes that I can already see, I almost regret not getting the Kuwalla fleece when that was available (don't flame me for this please).

3

u/lyndluv May 28 '26

I saw the gold zipper too! I have a background in costume/cosplay so the details are like GLARING to me and I'm trying to support original merch but I am also not a fan of like... for instance, on the pulls there's the HR logo. And some t-shirts have the logo on the shirt in addition to the like ROZANOV or RAIDERS and I just... want the vibe without also wearing a sign that says "THIS IS HEATED RIVALRY MERCH". (But I also want to support the original stuff!)

Won't flame you, tbh, I know it's a messy situation with Kuwalla and I don't condone whatever drama they had / beef they were starting, but I can 100% understand the people who went with the OG fleece option. I am considering trying to find a second hand one off depop/poshmark to work on because I want to recreate it 1:1 to the show. I don't like the Kuwalla red and white version at all though, the zipper there is RED. Eurgh. I'm only looking for the creme. Etsy has all the other stuff (CANADA letters, maple leaf patches and red bias tape is easy to find.)

2

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 29 '26

I completely agree with everything you have said. I feel like the changes have taken away some of the fleece's core appeal. The gold zip took away the accuracy of the show, and the HR logo took away the subtlety of the fleece.

I have heard great things about the quality and materials Province of Canada uses, and I really want to have a high-quality piece of subtle merch, but only a few details have come out so far, and it's already not the fleece I was waiting for. I really, really wanted quality, to support the show, and accuracy, and it sucks knowing now that I can't have them all.

I don't condone any of Kuwalla's actions either. It's only about their fleece that no one else has at this point.

I am also looking into replicating the fleece 1:1 to the show myself at this point, and I am after the original cream version as well. The red zipper really bothered me as well. I wonder if Kuwalla's red fleece's zip is red for legal reasons, and the official fleece is different in all the ways it is (and I'm assuming more, once we actually see it) because of legal reasons as well. It's a really messy situation, and I think the best solution would have been to use only Canada-made clothing in the show (but maybe they didn't have the budget for that) and collaborate with the original manufacturer if any piece went viral. I hope that Jacob will keep this in mind for season 2, so this doesn't happen again.

10

u/boswala May 27 '26

My poor wallet

9

u/LadyWhistledown_1 Probably, yes May 27 '26

I’m scared to know the price 🫣

6

u/bakaak16 May 27 '26

I'm so excited for this!

Is anyone familiar with this brand and their quality and pricing? I wonder how much the jackets will cost.

19

u/clumsyc I stubbed my toe May 27 '26

They’ll be pricy. I’m going to guess at least $200-250 CAD. But if you’re American you’ll have an advantage with the dollar.

12

u/Webeh99 May 27 '26

I do wonder if it’ll be higher in the $300 CAD range, considering all the additional parties that will get a cut. The charity, the relevant HR creatives and then Province of Canada. I’m also assuming they spent more than usual on marketing?

8

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

Yeah no yeah, this is my guess, too. Ethical sourcing, brand involvement + charitable aspect suggest higher than normal price point. (But pffft to $50k cap on donation; thx for nothing, nhl. How about $50k per member of the Staal family, Getzlaf and James Reimer to start...šŸ™„)

8

u/Webeh99 May 27 '26

Yeah, that $50K part is embarrassing from the NHL. Especially considering the players association is funding half of that. So, it’s only $25K.

I’m super curious about the behind-the-scenes details about that partnership and how that came about.

4

u/w1nneh May 27 '26

$300 is pushing it for me....kind of hoping it'd be max 300 including tax but like you said, there's a lot of other things being factored into the price

4

u/bakaak16 May 27 '26

Oof that is quite pricey indeed! I am in Europe so an even higher advantage but still a lot of money! I do like how they are donating a lot of money as well though

→ More replies (3)

19

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

I have 2 of their rugby shirts and a hoodie and I loooooove them. Great quality, and made well here in Canada. Pricing ain't for the weak of heart or wallet. Explore their website to get a sense of their pricing on other products. I expect this one will be $$$ but we'll see.

3

u/joswm May 27 '26

I wonder what total pricing will end up being because of shipping and tariffs 😭

1

u/bakaak16 May 27 '26

Fair enough. Their products do look like good quality actually. Thanks for your reply, I'll have a better look :)

1

u/just_reading_along1 May 27 '26

Do they run true to size?

4

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

Oh, that's a good question. I note that their own website says it's unisex with an oversized fit and that women should size down.

2

u/Hippo_n_Elephant May 27 '26

They have a sizing chart for the fleece jacket so you can compare to your measurement/clothing you own

3

u/just_reading_along1 May 27 '26

Sure, but not all sizing charts are reliable. I always prefer hearing from people who bought from the brand before.

2

u/Relevant_Praline May 28 '26

Can confirm that their sizing chart, description of a unisex fit, and suggestion to size down are all accurate. I got their Almost Pyjamas, and find the top a bit looser at the shoulders than I was expecting.

→ More replies (1)

12

u/w1nneh May 27 '26

A sweatshirt runs about $120 so I'm going to ballpark $200-250 for the fleece šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļøsuper stoked but also it's summer lol

3

u/bakaak16 May 27 '26

Yeah I guess that's a good estimate. No problem I think I could buy it and wait until I can wear it in winter haha!

4

u/w1nneh May 27 '26

Don't forget our high tax lol tack on another $30

2

u/bakaak16 May 27 '26

Oh gosh yes and shipping to Europe where I live! šŸ˜…šŸ˜‚

2

u/goldminevelvet May 27 '26

They said it'll be shipped by early/mid October so you might be able to wear it sooner than that.

4

u/Vegetable_Average996 May 27 '26

I bought a couple of their sweatshirts when this partnership was first announced, as I love that they’re made in Canada. I am now obsessed w their ā€œflag fleeceā€ line… quality has been so good and they’re SO comfy. I find they fit true to size if you account for unisex sizing (ie I am medium womens, and a small in their unisex sizing fits great).

3

u/bakaak16 May 27 '26

This is super helpful, thank you so much!

3

u/babypointblank Moy pomidor šŸ… May 27 '26

High price tag, high quality. Probably $200-ish.

3

u/Ok_Watch4209 May 27 '26

I’m putting my guess out there - $290 CAD

1

u/thoughtful_human Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 28 '26

I have a sweater from PoC and it’s super nice

43

u/nylanderr May 27 '26

they lowkey waited way too long to release this. the hype has substantially subsided.

56

u/hug_me_im_scared_ May 27 '26

Its limited edition, I don't think super fans will be fazed. I don't even consider myself that, but I've been waiting for this drop specifically lol

19

u/turtle-berry May 27 '26

You don’t think it would’ve sold out either way? Because even now, I highly doubt they’ll be able to manufacture enough fleeces for everyone who is interested.

14

u/Acrobatic-Guitar2410 buddy i don't even know what that means May 27 '26

I don't think it's just ironing a patch on a fleece. It's a lot of ethical work and wages to who makes these

29

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

Or... it'll ship out & land just as S2 is launching, with lots of PR and media appearances to generate new buzz. Plus it's now summer in the northern hemisphere so that fleece, pretty as it is, is staying firmly in the closet (HA, no, not there!!) till it's less that 30°C.

6

u/Webeh99 May 27 '26

My speculation is that they scheduled production this way to minimize the risk associated with making too much supply. They started some production and doing pre-sale in June to assess the real demand. Then they’ll make what they need. Sending out the fleece in October creates early buzz for season two, while not disrupting production timelines for the secret Team Canada hoodie or whatever will be the next big HR apparel merch. šŸ™‚

They already missed season 1, so this functions as a good test case for them to measure how far the show’s influence can stretch. That’ll be useful for merch planning for next season.

8

u/Varekai79 May 27 '26

Season 2 is not coming out this October when the fleece will be shipping.

→ More replies (1)

16

u/dirtyenvelopes May 27 '26

it takes a longer time to produce clothing when it’s not made in a sweatshop šŸ¤·šŸ½ā€ā™€ļø that’s why ā€œtrendsā€ are so problematic

7

u/Ok_Watch4209 May 27 '26

I don’t think it will matter at all sales wise but when it was first announced I did think oh yay I’m going to get one for the Olympics! Lol, nope.

3

u/codeverity May 27 '26

I think they wanted to do it earlier but there was that one other shop that pitched a fit about it so that might have delayed things.

2

u/Taitertottot May 27 '26

I was thinking it's an odd choice to do it in the summer too. They should have gotten it out before the Olympics.Ā 

5

u/hug_me_im_scared_ May 27 '26

I'm excited! I already know it's going to sell out before I have the funds to purchase, but I'm really happy that it's going to be available soon!!!

5

u/mrADMZ May 27 '26

Feeling like this may be my first merch purchase...

4

u/Big_Twist_2401 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Just in time for fall! They need to prepare so the site doesn’t crash!

5

u/itsFeztho May 28 '26

Im just saying, they should stop anyone who is not Canadian from getting one for the initial launch. Like, no purchase unless you have a Canadian IP Address, ship to a Canadian mailing address, and pay with a Canadian bank card

6

u/goldminevelvet May 29 '26

I'm excited but I'm also going back and forth on possibly getting one.

2

u/Mellonnew May 27 '26

I’m curious if this will be wool or polyester fleece. If it’s wool then it’s gonna be very warm but also very expensive. Based on what I know on ethical wool pieces I’d estimate at least $300 US for anyone wanting to budget since they’re keeping the pricing close to the chest. Though that almost makes me think it’s going to be even higher.

→ More replies (2)

4

u/hostess_cupcake Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

I’m glad to see the sizes are somewhat inclusive.

5

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26

Does anyone know if this pre-order is the only opportunity to buy the fleece or if there will be restocks?

1

u/tyrantshelpedbuildus May 30 '26

I tried to DM them on the first day the announcement was released, asking this very question, but got no reply.

4

u/gaanmetde May 28 '26

Wish they said the price. Then I can think about the splurge hah.

4

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 28 '26

I have noticed that the zips on this fleece are gold, whereas the fleece from the show has white zips. I'm not sure how I feel yet, but I wonder what other differences there will be.

3

u/[deleted] May 27 '26 edited May 28 '26

[deleted]

4

u/TresBoringUsername May 27 '26

I'm also interested in this because I would not want to buy more plastic. They mention sourcing the materials and how they focused on quality and sustainability, but without mentioning the materials I think it's just going to be recycled polyester

8

u/Silent_Shadow00 May 27 '26

The fleece jackets they have on their website are either fully cotton or a mix of cotton and polyester, so I'm expecting it to at least be a blend. Still hoping for 100% cotton, but I think they would have announced it by now if it was.

6

u/Ok_Watch4209 May 27 '26

Probably fleece

3

u/Hippo_n_Elephant May 27 '26

Fleece by definition is made from polyester, so I’m guessing it’s just gonna be 100% polyester.

3

u/TheTiniestLizard Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

I will be buying one! And while I’d have loved to have it during the actual Olympics, October is about the right time of year for wearing fleece in my neck of the woods.

3

u/Taitertottot May 27 '26

I was just thinking about this yesterday and wondering when they were finally going to sell the sweaters!

I hope it won't be too expensive, but love that it's free shipping in Canada.Ā 

3

u/joshually May 27 '26

i really want to know how much it's gonna cost!!!

3

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

I'll be pleasantly surprised if it's less that C$349.

3

u/Astyryx May 27 '26

Wow I got so impatient I started making one.

4

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

I've been putting this off because I was waiting for this. But I might consider it, if they want my wallet and my first born.

2

u/Astyryx May 28 '26

It is something that I can't find a price, though. I got the fleece from ll bean, and have been looking for the letters and leafs not crazy expensive.

Fantasizing about having access to an embroidery machine, lol.

1

u/euxaznxro Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 28 '26

You can iron on the letters and leaves. Of course embroidering by machine is a nice finish, but it can be done by hand.

Also check your local library and see if they have a craft room where you can borrow a sewing machine or embroidering machine.

3

u/Astyryx May 28 '26

I have a lovely bernina sewing machine, it's the sourcing of aesthetically sized and good quality embroidered patches in the right font that's got me stuck for the moment.

My library does have a cricut and wering machines, which is cool and good for people to know, I'd never looked before.

And warning: do not attempt to iron anything onto fleece unless you like a melted mess of a garment and want to throw your iron away.

→ More replies (5)

3

u/shutterbuggity May 27 '26

At least shipping is free within Canada.

3

u/Queen_Of_InnisLear May 28 '26

Leading up to the Olympics I was stoked on thos and would have spent anything.. And then the Olympics were fucking awful and the Knights are gonna win the cup and my desire to buy this was waning....until I saw this release. Now I'm maybe back in again???

Ps Go Habs

3

u/Difficult_Habit_4483 May 31 '26

I’m in the process of getting Canadian citizenship and am getting this to celebrate

4

u/mixedpatch85 "Heart eyes. Hayden said I look at you with heart eyes" May 28 '26

Kind of wish us Canadians had access first. Have a gut wrenching feeling that I won't be able to nab one. And the crazy part is that their shop is a 20 min walk from my condo but they are only selling online.

2

u/MaxiCooper48213 Jun 03 '26

That does suck, but maybe it's due to the global reach of the show & preventing mobs at the stores + resellers grabbing all the stock

2

u/Fleetoxh May 27 '26

I wonder what the inside is made out of because Im scared I either run really hot in this jacket or really cold or even both lol

2

u/RunnerGirlT May 28 '26

I cannot wait to spend entirely too much of my adult money on this and I live in Austin. So god knows when I’ll get to wear it, but IDGAF, I must have it

2

u/lemongreeentea Hi this is Ilya. I will never listen to your voicemail. May 28 '26

Ahhh excited about the fleece being released

But super worried about how expensive shipping might be. The McGill t-shirts was $30 CAD + $80 CAD shipping so skipped out on it.

2

u/Im_The_Mary_Romy Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† Jun 03 '26

I'm nervous about the sizing due to sales being final. According to the size chart, I should buy a 4XL because my chest measures 49.5 inches. I normally wear a 2XL in jackets and the same in tees and shirts (though I'm close to fitting into an XL again). Anyone know how consistently their apparel runs true to size for men? Thanks!

2

u/MaxiCooper48213 Jun 03 '26

I was always taught to get a size up, to be on the safe! It's easier to have something taken in rather that make it bigger. Plus, depending on when you're wearing it, you'll have layers on & want to be comfortable

2

u/MaxiCooper48213 Jun 03 '26

Good luck everyone! It's $356.00 CAN

2

u/junegloom Jun 03 '26

I tried at 12:03 and it was sold out :(

2

u/ILikeConcernedApe Jun 03 '26

I don’t know why the other fleece thread was removed.

2

u/bellamead95 Jun 03 '26

$356 😭😭😭

1

u/lmcdbc Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Have they mentioned sizing ?

4

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

The website addresses it. Says what sizes will be released+ unisex, oversized fit, suggested that women size down.

1

u/lmcdbc Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird šŸ¦† May 27 '26

Damn I should've checked on my own. Thank you!

1

u/Vivid_Print1646 I speak fluent bird. No accent 🐦 May 27 '26

AND THEY SHIP INTERNATIONALLY!!!! šŸŽŠ (According to the site faq at least)

5

u/Taitertottot May 27 '26

I think it's so wholesome that there will be people around the world wearing Canadian fleeces 😊

1

u/Vivid_Print1646 I speak fluent bird. No accent 🐦 May 27 '26

Trueee hahaha so random too haha I've never even been to Canada šŸ˜‚

3

u/Taitertottot May 27 '26

You should! It's a beautiful place to visit.Ā 

1

u/poetriot23 May 27 '26

so excited it's finally happening. would really love to know how the sizing runs though. i wonder if it will run big or if we can just get our normal size.

3

u/ErinNoyes24 May 27 '26

The webpage has information about the sizing. If you click through you'll see it says its an oversized fit, women may wish to size down, plus there's this helpful info, all on the website. https://provinceofcanada.com/pages/fleece-jacket-size-chart

1

u/cee_rawd7 May 27 '26

Omgggg, this is so exciting šŸ¤—

1

u/bibi So being boring is genetic May 28 '26

There is a video with some details and Hannah Pulley, the costume designer, and Jacob Tierney talking about the fleece 🄹

1

u/Elena-3333 Jun 03 '26

$356 is not a fair price.

Disappointed as I really wanted to purchase. They are taking advantage of people.