Archive of Our Own

@HockeyInsider | BREAKING: Shane Hollander appears to be mic’d up for tonight’s game against Ottawa. This should be interesting. #GoVoyageursGo #LetsGoCentaurs #HockeyNightInCanada

@VoyageursNation | Replying to @HockeyInsider Our captain is always professional. This will be great content for the kids!

@CentaursDaily | Replying to @HockeyInsider Oh no. OH NO. Hollander’s playing ROZANOV tonight. This is either going to be boring as hell or absolutely fucking unhinged.

@RozanovStan81 | Replying to @CentaursDaily ilya rozanov has never been boring a day in his life what are you talking about

@SpicyHockeyTakes | WAIT. WAIT WAIT WAIT. Did Rozanov just tell Hollander he wants to “pull his hair while he-” and then the audio cut out???? #HNIC

@HockeyMomOf3 | Replying to @SpicyHockeyTakes I’M WATCHING WITH MY CHILDREN

@QueerPuckPodcast | Replying to @SpicyHockeyTakes [LOUD CACKLING] OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD

@WlWSportsBro | Replying to @SpicyHockeyTakes This is unprofessional and inappropriate. The NHL should fine both players immediately.

@SapphicSlapper | Replying to @WlWSportsBro shut the fuck up kyle. shut the fuck up forever. put your head in a hydraulic press. mail yourself to the sun. become one with the void. cease.

@hockeynight | We are aware of technical difficulties with tonight’s broadcast. We apologize for any inappropriate content that may have aired.

@ChaosLesbian | Replying to @hockeynight DON’T YOU DARE APOLOGIZE. THIS IS THE BEST CONTENT YOU’VE EVER PRODUCED.

@HockeyHistorian | Replying to @hockeynight In my 40 years of watching hockey, I have never seen anything like this. The historical significance of—actually, you know what, I can’t even pretend to be professional about this. HOLY SHIT.

@NHL | The National Hockey League celebrates diversity and inclusion. We support all our players.

@NotTheNHLBurner | Replying to @NHL you guys are typing this with one hand while frantically calling your lawyers with the other huh

@RainbowRinkRat | Replying to @NHL This tweet brought to you by: panic, fear, and a PR team that’s about to ask for a raise

@TheOcho | ROZANOV JUST SAID “WE WERE GOING TO COME OUT EVENTUALLY ANYWAY” ON LIVE TV. HOLLANDER LOOKS LIKE HE’S HAVING A STROKE. THIS IS THE GREATEST SPORTING EVENT OF ALL TIME.

[Attached: video clip of Ilya shrugging and Shane’s face going through all five stages of grief simultaneously]

142.3K Retweets | 876.4K Likes | 45.2K Quote Tweets

@DesiHockeyFan | Replying to @TheOcho my man said “fuck it we ball” and then proceeded to dirty talk his boyfriend for another twenty minutes. KING. ICON. LEGEND.

@StickToSports | Replying to @TheOcho This is disgusting. What about the children? What about family values? This is why I don’t watch hockey anymore.

@HockeyValkyrie | Replying to @StickToSports “this is why i don’t watch hockey anymore” buddy you’re literally here. you’re watching. you’re so deep in this conversation you might as well be at the game. go outside. touch grass. french kiss a cactus. combust.

@QueerChecks | Replying to @StickToSports the children are fine, kevin. the children are gonna grow up knowing that love is love and that russian hockey players can be hilariously unhinged. the children will be BETTER for this.

@YourLocalEnby | Replying to @StickToSports gonna tell my kids this was the stonewall riots

puckbunny-af

okay so i need everyone to understand the INSANITY of what just happened because my hands are literally shaking

shane hollander — SHANE HOLLANDER, canada’s golden boy, the most buttoned-up professional athlete maybe ever, the guy who once apologized to a GOAL POST for running into it — was mic’d up for hockey night in canada

playing against ilya rozanov

ILYA ROZANOV. who has the self-preservation instincts of a lemming and the filter of a drunk college student at 3am

and NO ONE TOLD ILYA about the mic

for TWO AND A HALF PERIODS ilya proceeded to:

• compliment shane’s haircut (cute!)
• talk about their BED BREAKING (oh?)
• discuss what shane SMELLS LIKE in detail (OH??)
• reminisce about “that thing shane does” (OH???)
• DIRTY TALK HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOCKEY GAME (OH???)

shane kept trying to tell him about the mic but ilya just KEPT GOING

and then when shane FINALLY managed to tell him?

ILYA SHRUGGED. JUST SHRUGGED. AND SAID “we were going to come out eventually anyway, this is better than your boring social media statement”

and then SOMEHOW RAMPED UP THE DIRTY TALK EVEN MORE

this man said “I love how you make that sound in the back of your throat when I-” ON NATIONAL TELEVISION

and shane was just standing there like a sim with the hygiene meter in the red

anyway they’re in love and they’ve been secretly dating for YEARS and the entire hockey world just found out because ilya rozanov has never met a boundary he didn’t immediately demolish

i’m going to be thinking about this for the rest of my life

#hockey #shane hollander #ilya rozanov #hollanov #i can’t believe this is real #i’m going to die #best day of my fucking life #historical moment #this is our moon landing

hockeyrpf-confessions reblogged puckbunny-af

THE HOLY GRAIL JUST WALKED ITSELF OUT OF THE VAULT

WE’VE BEEN WRITING FIC ABOUT THEM FOR THREE YEARS

THREE YEARS OF “this is just for fun, they’re not actually together haha”

AND THEY’VE BEEN TOGETHER THE WHOLE TIME

I’M GOING TO PASS AWAY

#fandom history #we were RIGHT #the rpf writers won #everyone who said we were delusional can PERISH #suck it karen from twitter

totally-not-insane-about-hockey reblogged puckbunny-af

my favorite part is that you can pinpoint the EXACT moment the broadcast booth realizes what’s happening

the play-by-play guy just STOPS TALKING

dead silence for like ten seconds

and then you hear someone whisper “oh my god” very faintly in the background

and they just ... keep broadcasting

i like to imagine there was a producer in the truck just screaming into the void

#hockey night in chaos #that producer is gonna need so much therapy #worth it though

queer-bear-reblogs

Okay but can we talk about how TENDER some of those moments were?

Like yes, Ilya was absolutely unhinged

But he also said:

• “I think about how you make me laugh even when I’m grumpy”
• “You learn Russian for me. You think I don’t notice but I notice.”
• “You are the best player I’ve ever played against. Best player in the world, maybe.”
• “I love how you are”

And Shane said “You’re everything” with his WHOLE CHEST into a HOT MIC

These men are SO IN LOVE and we all just got to witness it

I’m soft. I’m SO soft.

#i’m crying in the club #which is my living room #but emotionally i’m in the club #crying

r/hockey

u/VoysFanatic posted 2 hours ago

[Post Game Thread] I Just Watched Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov Come Out On Live TV and I Feel Like I’ve Been in a Car Accident (But Like, Emotionally)

Okay. Okay. I need to process this with all of you because I feel fucking insane.

I’ve been watching hockey for twenty-five years. I’ve seen brawls. I’ve seen bench-clearing incidents. I’ve seen goalies skate to center ice to fight each other. I once watched a guy lose three teeth and keep playing.

NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING,  has prepared me for what I just witnessed.

For those who missed it (and oh my god I’m so sorry for you), here’s what happened:

PERIOD 1:

• Shane Hollander was mic’d up for HNIC
• Rozanov clearly had NO IDEA
• Rozanov proceeded to flirt with/dirty talk Hollander
• Hollander kept trying to warn him about the mic
• Rozanov kept not letting him finish sentences
• The broadcast kept airing ALL OF IT

PERIOD 2:

• Somehow got WORSE
• Rozanov talked about their hotel bed breaking
• Rozanov described in detail what Hollander smells like
• Rozanov referenced “that thing” Hollander does (we all know what thing)
• Hollander looked like he was experiencing ego death
• Someone in the broadcast booth whispered “oh my god” and it got picked up on air

PERIOD 3:

• Hollander FINALLY manages to tell Rozanov about the mic
• Rozanov’s response: “We were going to come out eventually anyway“
• THEN KEPT DIRTY TALKING HIM
• INCREASED THE DIRTY TALKING ACTUALLY
• Said “that’s my boyfriend” when Hollander scored
• Hugged him during the handshake line (like a REAL hug, not a bro hug)
• Both of them confirmed it in post-game interviews
• They’re actually in love and have been together for years

I need to lie down. I need to be sedated. I need someone to confirm this actually happened and isn’t a fever dream.

Edit 1: Someone in the comments pointed out that Rozanov scored the game winner and then blew Hollander a kiss. I hate that I forgot to include this because it’s IMPORTANT.

Edit 2: The AO3 tag already has 102 new fics posted. It’s been TWO HOURS.

Edit 3: For everyone asking — yes, the full unedited audio is already circulating. No, I will not link it here because I value my life, but if you search “Rozanov Hollander hot mic” on literally any social media platform you’ll find it immediately.

Edit 4: Someone just told me their grandmother called them crying happy tears. This is affecting GENERATIONS.

Edit 5: To everyone DMing me angry messages — you can’t possibly be more upset than Hollander’s agent, who apparently called him 17 times during the game. Also, grow up.

Top Comments:

u/PucksInDeep [2.1k points] I’m a 45-year-old straight man and I’ve been sitting on my couch crying for twenty minutes. My wife asked if someone died. I said “No, the opposite. Someone LIVED.”

She’s very concerned about me.

u/SapphicSaucer [3.8k points] As a queer hockey fan, I never thought I’d see this day. I genuinely never thought it would happen in my lifetime. I’m sitting here sobbing into my girlfriend’s shoulder because two NHL players just came out, not with a carefully worded statement, not with corporate polish, but because one of them is SO in love he couldn’t keep his mouth shut for THREE PERIODS.

This is the most beautiful disaster I’ve ever witnessed.

Also Rozanov saying “this is better than your boring social media statement” is the funniest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.

u/AnalyticsNerd [892 points] From a pure hockey perspective: Hollander still put up 1G, 2A while having a complete mental breakdown. Rozanov had 2G, 1A while actively trying to seduce someone on camera.

These men are PROFESSIONALS.

u/OldTimeHockeyFan [1.5k points] Been watching hockey since 1973. Thought I’d seen it all.

I had not, in fact, seen it all.

u/ThrowawayCloseted [4.2k points] I’m a 17-year-old closeted gay kid in rural Alberta. My dad made me watch this game with him because he loves Hollander.

When Rozanov said “that’s my boyfriend,” my dad was quiet for a minute. Then he said, “Well, good for them. Takes guts.”

We kept watching. When Hollander talked about Rozanov in the post-game interview — the part where his voice cracked and he said “he’s everything” — my dad cleared his throat and said, “That’s real nice. Everyone should have someone who makes them feel like that.”

Then he looked at me and said, “Everyone. You understand?”

I think I’m going to come out to him this weekend.

Thank you, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, for being unhinged enough to give me courage.

Edit: Holy shit, the response to this has been overwhelming. Thank you all so much. I’m reading every comment and crying. Update this weekend.

u/PrideInPucks [856 points] Hey kid, we’re all rooting for you. Come back and update us. We’re your hockey family now.

u/HockeyHomophobe [-2.3k points] This is disgusting and inappropriate. What happened to keeping your personal life personal? Nobody wants to see this [comment removed by moderators]

u/ModTeam [3.1k points] [Mod Note] User has been permanently banned. We don’t tolerate bigotry here. This is a hockey sub. Hockey is for everyone. If you have a problem with that, the door is right there. Don’t let it hit you on the way out.

WHAT CHAOS! - Emergency Episode Recorded 11:57 PM EST

PETE BLACKBURN: Okay. Okay. DJ. DJ, are you there?

DJ BEAN: I’m here. I’m—Pete, I don’t—I can’t process thoughts anymore.

PETE: Same. SAME. But we need to record this NOW because this is the most insane thing that has ever happened in hockey and we need to document it for HISTORY.

DJ: History. Right. Okay. [deep breath] Okay. So. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov-

PETE: -came out on national television-

DJ: -because Rozanov couldn’t keep his mouth shut-

PETE: -and also because Hollander was mic’d up and nobody told Rozanov-

DJ: -and Rozanov just WENT FOR IT. Like, full send. Absolutely zero hesitation.

PETE: I need everyone to understand that when I say “went for it,” I mean that this man described in DETAIL what Hollander smells like. On National television.

DJ: “Like pine tree and something that makes me want to do very bad things to you.”

PETE: DIRECT QUOTE. That’s a DIRECT QUOTE from an NHL player about another NHL player during a nationally televised game.

DJ: And then when Hollander finally told him about the mic-

PETE: -Rozanov SHRUGGED-

DJ: -SHRUGGED-

PETE: -and said “we were going to come out eventually anyway, this is better than your boring social media statement!”

DJ: I’m losing my mind. I’ve fully lost my mind.

PETE: You know what the best part is? The BEST part?

DJ: There are so many parts, Pete. How do I choose?

PETE: The best part is that Hollander, while having a complete mental breakdown, still had a three-point night. This man was experiencing the worst moment of his life and he STILL put up numbers.

DJ: “Worst moment of his life?” I don’t know, man. Did you see his face during the post-game interview? When he was talking about Rozanov?

PETE: Oh my god.

DJ: That man is SO in love.

PETE: He looked like he wanted to cry and also maybe kiss Rozanov right there in front of everyone.

DJ: And Rozanov! Rozanov yelling “THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND” when Hollander scored!

PETE: Like a hockey mom! Like a PROUD hockey mom at a Peewee game!

DJ: I can’t breathe. I genuinely cannot breathe.

PETE: Okay, but we need to talk about the implications here.

DJ: Right. Yes. Professional analysis.

PETE: Two of the best players in the league-

DJ: -top three centers, both of them-

PETE: -just came out. At the same time. As each other’s boyfriends.

DJ: The hockey world is never going to be the same.

PETE: Never. This is a before-and-after moment. This is our moon landing.

DJ: You know what I keep thinking about?

PETE: What?

DJ: That kid who’s watching right now. That queer kid in some small town who thinks they can’t play hockey because they’re gay. And they just watched two of the best players in the world be openly, loudly, chaotically in love with each other.

PETE: [silence]

DJ: Pete?

PETE: Sorry, I-I’m a little emotional actually.

DJ: Yeah. Me too.

PETE: Okay. Okay. So. Predictions. What happens next?

DJ: Well, the NHL has to release a statement-

PETE: -they already did, very bland “we support diversity”-

DJ: -right, but like, an actual statement. And then there’s going to be media circus, endorsement deals, probably some bigots crawling out of the woodwork-

PETE: -who will be promptly told to eat shit by the entire hockey community-

DJ: -exactly. And then ... I don’t know, man. I think they just keep playing hockey. They’re still Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. They’re still two of the best to ever do it.

PETE: They’re just doing it as openly queer men now.

DJ: Wild. Absolutely wild.

PETE: You know what I want?

DJ: What?

PETE: I want to see them at the All-Star Game. I want to see Rozanov trash-talking Hollander on the bench. I want to see Hollander rolling his eyes. I want to see them be exactly who they’ve always been, just ... without hiding.

DJ: That’s—yeah. That’s beautiful, actually.

PETE: I’m a beautiful person, DJ.

DJ: You’re really not.

PETE: Rude. Anyway, we should probably wrap this up before I start crying again.

DJ: Before you start? I’ve been crying for fifteen minutes.

PETE: To Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov: thank you for being unhinged. Thank you for being yourselves. Thank you for giving us the greatest hockey moment of all time.

DJ: And to everyone listening: be gay, do hockey crimes.

PETE: That’s it. That’s the tweet.

DJ: That’s the tweet.

[END RECORDING]

ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov - January 13, 2020

Showing 1-20 of 5,083 Works

the mic’d up incident (or how ilya rozanov destroyed my life in three periods) by hollanovtruther Posted: 2 hours ago

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov

Characters: Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Fix-It? More Like Fuck-It, Hot Mic, Coming Out, Crack Treated Seriously, Everyone Is Gay And Nobody Is Surprised, Ilya Rozanov Has No Filter, Shane Hollander Has A Migraine, Dirty Talk, Public Claiming, The Author Regrets Nothing, Based On Real Events (YES REALLY), I Can’t Believe This Is Canon Now, RPF Writers Won

Summary: “I’m mic’d up,” Shane says desperately.

Ilya grins. “I know.”

“You WHAT?”

OR: An alternate take on the hot mic incident where Ilya knew all along. He’s just Like That.

Words: 6,894 | Comments: 251 | Kudos: 1,893 | Bookmarks: 407

Five Times Ilya Rozanov Had No Chill (And One Time Shane Gave Up Trying) by icetimequeen Posted: 1 hour ago

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov

Characters: Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Various OCs

Additional Tags: 5+1 Things, Established Relationship, Secret Relationship, Not Secret Anymore, Humor, Fluff, Ilya Rozanov is a Menace, Shane Hollander is So Tired, But Also So In Love, This Is Canon Now So I’m Allowed To Go Feral, Written In A Fugue State At 2 AM

Summary: Ilya has been in love with Shane for three years. He’s also been a complete menace for three years. This is a timeline of events leading up to the hot mic incident that surprised absolutely nobody who knows them.

Words: 4,562 | Comments: 187 | Kudos: 1,485 | Bookmarks: 329

postgame by hockeyshipper2020 Posted: 45 minutes ago

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov

Characters: Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov

Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Post-Game, Hotel Sex, Making Good On Promises, Ilya Rozanov’s Dirty Mouth, Shane Hollander’s Patience, Established Relationship, Porn With Feelings, So Many Feelings, They’re In Love Your Honor, Canon Compliant Smut

Summary: “You promised me things,” Shane says.

Ilya grins. “Many things. You have to be more specific.”

OR: What happens after the cameras stop rolling.

Words: 8,234 | Comments: 156 | Kudos: 2,107 | Bookmarks: 628

[AUTHOR’S NOTE: I can’t believe I’m writing canon-compliant fic about real events that happened three hours ago but here we are. What a time to be alive.]

The Group Chat Reacts by chaosandglitter Posted: 30 minutes ago

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Background Ships

Characters: Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Various Hockey Players

Additional Tags: Social Media, Group Chats, Everyone Knew Already, Crack, Humor, Outsider POV, The Players All Knew, The Agents Did Not Know, Chaos Ensues

Summary: The NHL Players’ Group Chat has always known about Shane and Ilya. They’re just surprised it took this long to become public.

A social media fic told entirely through group chat screenshots.

Words: 3,891 | Comments: 297 | Kudos: 3,672 | Bookmarks: 865

THE ATHLETIC

The Hot Mic Heard ‘Round the World: Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, and Hockey’s Most Chaotic Coming Out

By Katie Strang Published: January 13, 2020, 11:34 PM EST

MONTREAL — In twenty years of covering professional hockey, I thought I’d seen everything. I was wrong.

On Saturday night, during a routine Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Montreal Voyageurs center Shane Hollander was mic’d up for what should have been standard behind-the-scenes content. Instead, viewers were treated to two and a half periods of Hollander’s boyfriend — Ottawa Centaurs center Ilya Rozanov — engaging in what can only be described as aggressive flirting mixed with color commentary, all while apparently unaware that every word was being broadcast to millions.

The result? The most public, most chaotic, and possibly most important coming out in professional sports history.

“I’ve gotten about a hundred calls in the last two hours,” says Brian Burke, former NHL executive and longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in hockey. “This is huge. This is—I can’t even find words for how huge this is.”

THE SETUP

The mic’d up segment is a popular feature for Hockey Night in Canada, offering fans insight into on-ice communication during games. Players typically agree to wear the wireless microphone weeks in advance, with footage edited and curated before broadcast.

According to sources close to the situation, Hollander agreed to the mic’d up appearance nearly a month ago, before the schedule for that date was finalized. By the time he realized he’d be playing against Ottawa — and against Rozanov — it was too late to back out without drawing suspicion.

“Shane’s been very private about his personal life,” says one source who requested anonymity. “The idea of being mic’d up while playing against Ilya was basically his nightmare scenario. And then it got so much worse than he could have imagined.”

THE INCIDENT

What followed will be dissected by media analysts, sports historians, and meme creators for years to come. Rozanov, apparently unaware of the microphone, spent the game making increasingly explicit comments to Hollander, ranging from sweet (“you look very cute today”) to extraordinarily NSFW (this publication cannot print most of what was said).

Hollander, meanwhile, spent much of the game in visible distress, attempting repeatedly to warn Rozanov about the mic. These attempts were unsuccessful until midway through the third period, when Hollander finally managed to convey the information.

Rozanov’s response-”We were going to come out eventually anyway, this is better than your boring social media statement”—instantly became one of the most viral moments in sports history.

Rather than tempering his commentary after learning about the microphone, Rozanov appeared to lean into it, at one point shouting “THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND” when Hollander scored.

THE AFTERMATH

Both players confirmed their relationship in post-game interviews, with Hollander calling Rozanov “everything” and Rozanov providing an unexpectedly tender assessment of their relationship that contradicted his on-ice chaos.

The NHL released a brief statement supporting “diversity and inclusion,” while both the Voyageurs and Centaurs organizations issued longer statements expressing support for their players.

“Shane has been an exemplary captain and teammate,” reads the Voyageurs statement. “We support him fully and are proud that he felt comfortable being his authentic self.”

The response from fans has been overwhelmingly positive, with some notable exceptions. Social media has seen both an outpouring of support and the predictable backlash from certain corners of the internet.

“The negative reactions are a tiny minority,” says Dr. Shakia Gupta, a sports sociologist at the University of Toronto. “What’s remarkable is how quickly the hockey community has rallied around these players. It suggests that the sport is far more accepting than its reputation might indicate.”

THE SIGNIFICANCE

Hollander and Rozanov are not the first NHL players to come out — that distinction belongs to Scott Hunter. But they are the first active players to do so as a couple, and the first to come out while still at the peak of their careers.

Both players are elite talents. Hollander, 29, is a eight-time All-Star and three-time Hart Trophy finalist. Rozanov, 29, has led the league in scoring twice and is widely considered one of the most skilled players of his generation.

“That matters,” says Burke. “These aren’t fringe players. These are superstars. That sends a message to every kid out there who thinks they have to choose between being themselves and playing hockey.”

The timing — mid-season, during a nationally televised game — was unconventional, to say the least. But sources close to both players suggest that the forced nature of the revelation may have been, paradoxically, liberating.

“They’ve been hiding for years,” says one teammate who requested anonymity. “I think part of Shane is relieved it’s over, even if he’s mortified about how it happened. And Ilya … well, Ilya’s never met a spotlight he didn’t like.”

WHAT’S NEXT

Both players are expected to face intense media scrutiny in coming weeks. They’ll also likely field numerous endorsement opportunities, with several LGBTQ+-focused brands already expressing interest.

“This is a watershed moment,” says Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “Having two elite athletes be open about their relationship — and having it be received so positively — will have ripple effects throughout professional sports.”

The NHL Players’ Association released a statement expressing support for both players and emphasizing its commitment to creating an inclusive environment.

For Hollander and Rozanov, meanwhile, the focus appears to be on getting back to hockey. Both players have games this week and have indicated through their teams that they’ll be available to play.

“Hockey is what we do,” Rozanov said in his post-game interview. “Nothing changes except now I can say ‘I love you’ to Shane in front of everyone. Is better this way.”

Hollander, when asked the same question, simply said: “He’s a nightmare, but he’s my nightmare.”

It’s a sentiment that seems to sum up not just their relationship, but the entire surreal evening — chaotic, unexpected, and somehow perfect.

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected] CC: [email protected]

DATE: January 14, 2020, 1:28 AM

SUBJECT: Partnership Opportunity - Nike Pride Collection

Dear Shane,

I hope this email finds you well, though I imagine you’re having quite an eventful evening!

On behalf of Nike, I wanted to reach out regarding a potential partnership opportunity. We’ve been incredibly moved by the courage you and Ilya showed tonight, and we believe your story aligns perfectly with our commitment to diversity and inclusion in sports.

We’d love to discuss having you as the face of our 2020 Pride collection. This would include:

• Signature pride-themed skates and apparel
• A documentary short about your journey
• Appearances at Nike Pride events
• Significant compensation package (details to follow)

We understand you’ll need time to process recent events, but we wanted to express our interest immediately. Your authenticity and courage represent everything Nike stands for.

Please let us know if you’d be interested in discussing further.

Be True,

Darren Nichols VP, Athlete Partnerships Nike, Inc.

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected] CC: [email protected]

DATE: January 14, 2020, 2:19 AM

SUBJECT: Partnership Proposal - Absolut Vodka

Ilya,

First: congratulations! What we witnessed tonight was television gold.

Second: we want to work with you.

Absolut has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and we believe your ... let’s call it “unfiltered approach to authenticity” would be perfect for our brand.

We’re envisioning:

• A limited edition Absolut bottle with your image
• Social media campaign: “Absolut-ly No Filter” (working title)
• Pride month activations
• Substantial financial package

Your chaotic energy is EXACTLY what we’re looking for. Let’s talk.

Cheers,

Alexandra Blomqvist, Chief Marketing Officer Absolut Vodka

P.S. - “This is better than your boring social media statement” is already being printed on t-shirts. You’re a marketing dream.

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected], [email protected] 

DATE: January 14, 2020, 7:21 AM

SUBJECT: Taste The Rainbow 🌈 - Partnership Opportunity

Shane and Ilya,

We’ll keep this brief because we know you’re probably drowning in emails right now.

Skittles has been a proud supporter of LGBTQ+ causes for years. Our “Taste The Rainbow” campaign has taken on special meaning in the Pride community, and we’d love for you both to be part of it.

Proposed partnership:

• Joint campaign: “Taste The Rainbow, Play The Game“
• Custom rainbow hockey stick tape
• Limited edition Skittles flavors
• Super Bowl commercial spot (yes, really)
• Seven-figure compensation package l

We’re literally THE rainbow brand. This is destiny.

Hit us back when you can breathe again.

With Pride,

Jasmine Torres, Director of Brand Partnerships Mars Wrigley

P.S. - Ilya, we saw your tweet from 2019 saying Skittles are “best candy, better than Swedish Fish, I will fight about this.” We’re ready to make that tweet worth something.

@SpotifyLeaks | 2:57 AM okay so someone found ilya rozanov’s spotify account and you’re not ready for this

[Screenshot of Spotify playlist]

“for my shane 💛” by ilya-rozanov-81 63 songs • 5h 24m

Liked by 902 users

FULL PLAYLIST (AS SCREENSHOTTED BY FANS):

1. Golden - Harry Styles Note: “is about you. you are golden. also you like this song even though you pretend you don’t”
   
   
2. Lover - Taylor Swift Note: “shane this is us!!! we are the lovers!! you say is cheesy but I see you smile”
   
   
3. Наше лето (Our Summer) - Валентин Стрыкало Note: “Russian song. Is about missing someone. I miss you always even when you are right there”
   
   
4. Electric Love - BØRNS
   Note: “this is how I feel when you touch me. very electric. very love.”
   
   
5. I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys Note: “you show me this song. you are very drunk. you cry a little. is very cute. I want to be yours too.”
   
   
6. Make You Feel My Love - Adele Note: “for when you have bad game. I always love you even when you miss goal”
   
   
7. Пачка сигарет (Pack of Cigarettes) - Кино Note: “classic Russian song. my mama loved this. now reminds me of you.”
   
   
8. As Long As You Love Me - Backstreet Boys Note: “YES IS BACKSTREET BOYS. I DON’T CARE. IS GOOD SONG. ‘I don’t care who you are, where you’re from,’ this is me about you”
   
   
9. Dance Me to the End of Love - Leonard Cohen Note: “is very beautiful. make me think of growing old with you”
   
   
10. Кукушка (Cuckoo) - Полина Гагарина Note: “is sad but beautiful. like when we have to be apart for games. but we always come back“
    
    
11. Riptide - Vance Joy Note: “you sing this in shower. you think I don’t hear but I hear. you have nice voice but don’t tell anyone I say this”
    
    
12. Everything - Michael Bublé Note: “you are everything!!!! this is fact!!!! science!!!!”
    
    
13. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Note: “home is wherever I’m with you. is TRUE. hotel is home. arena is home. anywhere with shane is home.”
    
    
14. Я не могу без тебя (I Can’t Live Without You) - Валерий Меладзе Note: “is true, I can’t live without you. don’t make me try.”
    
    
15. You Are The Reason - Calum Scott Note: “is very emotional song. I am very emotional man. you are reason for everything good in my life.”

[playlist continues ...]

61. Can’t Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley Note: “classic. like us. wise men say only fools rush in, but I rush into you every time and I am not fool. or maybe I am fool but is worth it.”
62. Falling - Harry Styles
    Note: “I am falling for you every single day. three years and still falling. will never stop.”
63. Beyond - Leon Bridges Note: “last song. is most important. ‘I love you more than I’ve ever loved in my life’ this is truth. you are my beyond.”
    
    

@HockeyRomantic | I’M CRYING IN MY CAR AT A 7-ELEVEN PARKING LOT. ILYA ROZANOV MADE A PLAYLIST FOR SHANE HOLLANDER WITH NOTES ON EVERY SONG. I’M NOT OKAY. I WILL NEVER BE OKAY AGAIN.

@SapphicPuckhead | the note on Electric Love being “this is how I feel when you touch me. very electric. very love.” just fucking ENDED me. i’m DECEASED. i’m GONE. someone call my next of kin

@QueerHockeyPod | NOT THE BACKSTREET BOYS WITH “YES IS BACKSTREET BOYS. I DON’T CARE.”

ILYA ROZANOV IS THE MOST CHAOTIC ROMANTIC OF ALL TIME

@RozanovUpdates | everyone shut up ilya’s note on “Can’t Help Falling In Love” says he rushes into shane every time and he’s not a fool OR MAYBE HE IS BUT IT’S WORTH IT

I’M CALLING MY THERAPIST

@GoldenHollander | “you sing this in shower. you think I don’t hear but I hear. you have nice voice but don’t tell anyone I say this”

STOP. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. I CAN’T HANDLE THIS.

@DefenseWins | I’m a 6’4” defenseman who’s been playing hockey since I was 4 years old. I’ve broken my nose seven times and lost count of my stitches.

I just cried over a Spotify playlist for 20 minutes.

Hockey is for everyone. Love is for everyone.

softboyrozanov

OKAY OKAY OKAY SO

you know how we’ve all been DYING over the hot mic incident?

WELL

some absolute LEGEND found ilya’s spotify account (which he apparently never made private because why would he, he had no reason to before)

and there’s a playlist

called “for my shane 💛“

with SIXTY-THREE SONGS

and EVERY SINGLE SONG HAS A NOTE

let me share some highlights because i’m having a full mental breakdown:

• “you are golden. also you like this song even though you pretend you don’t” (GOLDEN BY HARRY STYLES)
  
  
• “you show me this song. you are very drunk. you cry a little. is very cute.” (I WANNA BE YOURS)
  
  
• “you sing this in shower. you think I don’t hear but I hear. you have nice voice but don’t tell anyone I say this” (RIPTIDE)
  
  
• “YES IS BACKSTREET BOYS. I DON’T CARE. IS GOOD SONG.” (AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME)
  
  
• “home is wherever I’m with you. is TRUE. hotel is home. arena is home. anywhere with shane is home.” (HOME)
  
  

but the one that DESTROYED ME COMPLETELY is the last song

“Beyond” by Leon Bridges

and ilya’s note says: “last song. is most important. ‘I love you more than I’ve ever loved in my life’ this is truth. you are my beyond.”

I’M NOT OKAY

THIS MAN SPENT HOURS MAKING A PLAYLIST

WITH NOTES

TELLING SHANE EXACTLY WHY HE CHOSE EACH SONG

THIS IS THE MOST ROMANTIC THING I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE

ilya rozanov went on national television and dirty talked his boyfriend for three periods AND made him a spotify playlist with personalized notes

he contains MULTITUDES

#i’m sobbing #i’m actually sobbing #this is the softest thing ever #ilya rozanov #shane hollander #they’re so in love i’m going to DIE #the playlist is killing me #‘you are my beyond’ SHUT UP #i need to lie down #i need to lie down for a YEAR

hockeyromancenovel reblogged softboyrozanov

I JUST LISTENED TO THE WHOLE PLAYLIST IN ORDER

IT TELLS A STORY

It starts with the golden, electric, falling-in-love songs Then there are the “missing you” songs for when they’re apart Then the “I’m yours forever” commitment songs

And it ends with “Beyond,” the “this is forever forever” song

ILYA ROZANOV STRUCTURED A PLAYLIST LIKE A NARRATIVE ARC

This man is out here creating ART

#i’m not crying you’re crying #wait no i’m definitely crying #this is LITERATURE #this is POETRY

definitely-not-crying-over-hockey reblogged softboyrozanov

okay but the fact that he included Russian songs with notes explaining what they’re about so Shane could understand them even though he’s still learning Russian

AND THEN THE NOTE ABOUT SHANE SHOWING HIM SONGS WHEN HE’S DRUNK

they share music with each other they learn each other’s languages through songs they cry together over lyrics

i’m going to throw myself into the SUN

#this is too pure #this is too SOFT #i can’t HANDLE this level of romance

the-hockey-romantic-complex

My favorite detail about the playlist is that it was last updated THREE DAYS AGO

which means Ilya has been actively maintaining and updating this playlist

for WHO KNOWS HOW LONG

probably YEARS

just constantly adding songs that remind him of Shane

constantly writing little notes

knowing Shane would see them and smile

THIS MAN HAS BEEN SOFT THE ENTIRE TIME

WE JUST DIDN’T KNOW

#secret softie ilya rozanov #i’m emotional #he’s been in love this whole time #OUT LOUD #just privately

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer 8:37 AM

[Image: Screenshot of the Spotify playlist “for my shane 💛” with the caption visible]

Caption: Found this at 3am. Couldn’t sleep anyway.

You’re still a menace. But you’re the most romantic menace I’ve ever met.

Love you. Even when you ruin my life on national television.

(Also you’re wrong, I DO like Harry Styles and I don’t pretend otherwise. Get your facts straight.)

❤️ 1,257,839 likes

TOP COMMENTS:

@ilyarozanovofficial SHANE YOU ARE AWAKE!! Come back to bed. Is too early. Also I am RIGHT about Harry Styles, you always skip songs.

❤️ 483.2K likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer I skip ONE song. ONE.

❤️ 312.4K likes

@ilyarozanovofficial Is most important song!! “Watermelon Sugar“!! Is best song!!

❤️ 296.1K likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer We are NOT having this argument again on Instagram.

❤️ 401.8K likes

@ilyarozanovofficial Fine. Come to bed and we argue there instead. Is more comfortable.

❤️ 523.9K likes

@harrystyles This is the best thing I’ve ever seen. You two are adorable. TPWK. 🏒🌈💕

❤️ 932.4K likes

@taylorswift “you say is cheesy but I see you smile” might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said about Lover. 😭💜

❤️ 1.1M likes

@FallonTonight | TONIGHT: @shanehollanderhockeyplayer and @ilyarozanovofficial sit down with Jimmy for their first joint interview since the Hot Mic Incident.

You do NOT want to miss this.

11:35/10:35c on @NBC

[Video clip: Jimmy looking at the camera with mock seriousness] “I have SO many questions.”

85.3K Retweets | 416.9K Likes

@NHL | Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov will appear on @FallonTonight this evening.

We support our players in sharing their stories. 🏒🌈

54.2K Retweets | 312.8K Likes

@SpicyHockeyTakes | Ilya Rozanov is going to say something absolutely unhinged on Fallon tonight and Shane is going to have another mental breakdown on live TV

I can FEEL it

34.7K Retweets | 178.3K Likes

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON - TRANSCRIPT

Aired January 14, 2020

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE. SHANE and ILYA walk out together. Shane is wearing a perfectly tailored navy suit. Ilya is wearing a suit that’s somehow both stylish and slightly chaotic, the tie is patterned with tiny hockey sticks. They sit on the couch together, naturally close.]

JIMMY FALLON: Okay! Okay! Welcome, welcome!

[MASSIVE APPLAUSE]

JIMMY: Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, everybody!

[MORE APPLAUSE. ILYA waves enthusiastically. SHANE looks nervous but smiling.]

JIMMY: So. I think we need to address the elephant in the room.

ILYA: There is elephant? Where?

JIMMY: [laughing] No, no, it’s an expression-

ILYA: I know. Is joke. [grins at camera]

JIMMY: Okay, you’re already getting me. So, two nights ago, you both made headlines in what is possibly the most chaotic coming out in sports history. Shane, let’s start with you. When you agreed to be mic’d up, did you have ANY idea this would happen?

SHANE: [rubbing his face] No. God, no. I agreed to it like a month ago, and I just ... I didn’t check the schedule. I didn’t realize we were playing Ottawa that night.

JIMMY: So you just woke up the day of the game like—

SHANE: I woke up, looked at my calendar, and just ... [makes a strangled noise]

[AUDIENCE LOSES IT]

JIMMY: Okay, okay. Ilya, I have to ask — at what point did you realize Shane was mic’d up?

ILYA: [pauses] Middle of third period.

JIMMY: And what was your reaction?

ILYA: [grins] I think, “Oh. This is why Shaney keep trying to talk to me. This make sense now.”

SHANE: I was trying to tell you for TWO AND A HALF PERIODS!

ILYA: Yes, but you are not very good at communication under pressure. Is okay, I still love you.

SHANE: I-

JIMMY: Wait, wait, hold on. [to audience] So Shane is trying to warn him for almost the entire game, and Ilya just ... doesn’t notice?

ILYA: I am focused on hockey! And on Shane. Mostly on Shane, is true.

JIMMY: And then when you DID find out, you said — and I’m reading the quote here — “We were going to come out eventually anyway, this is better than your boring social media statement.”

[AUDIENCE CHEERS]

ILYA: Is true! Shane would write something very boring. Like “Hello everyone, I have announcement-”

SHANE: I would NOT-

ILYA: “-I am very serious person with serious news-”

SHANE: Stop-

ILYA: “-please respect my privacy during this very boring time-”

JIMMY: [cracking up] As opposed to this, which was NOT boring.

ILYA: Exactly! Was much better. Was very entertaining. Very romantic!

SHANE: It was mortifying!

ILYA: Yes, but also romantic! I tell everyone how much I love you! How beautiful you are! How you smell like pine tree-

SHANE: [covering his face] Oh my god.

JIMMY: [laughing] Shane, you look like you’re having flashbacks.

SHANE: I am having flashbacks. [looks at Ilya] Do you have any idea what the last 48 hours have been like? My phone has not stopped ringing. My MOTHER called me. She used her full “I’m disappointed in your choices” voice.

ILYA: Your mother loves me!

SHANE: My mother loves you NOW. In the moment, she was very concerned about the BRANDING IMPLICATIONS.

ILYA: The branding implications are fine! The brands learn important lesson about love!

JIMMY: Speaking of lessons about love ... [pulls out phone] So, someone found your Spotify account.

ILYA: [lights up] Oh! You see playlist!

SHANE: [groans] Here we go.

JIMMY: “For my shane” with a yellow heart. And there are NOTES on every song.

ILYA: Of course! How else Shane know why I choose song?

JIMMY: [reading] “You sing this in shower. You think I don’t hear but I hear. You have nice voice but don’t tell anyone I say this.”

[AUDIENCE “AWWWW”S]

SHANE: [blushing] I hate you.

ILYA: No you don’t.

SHANE: [softly] No, I don’t.

JIMMY: [clutching his chest] Okay, that was adorable. [to audience] Are they not adorable?

[MASSIVE APPLAUSE]

JIMMY: But I have to ask — and the internet wants to know — there’s a note on the Backstreet Boys song that says “YES IS BACKSTREET BOYS. I DON’T CARE.”

ILYA: Is good song! People make fun but is very good song about love!

JIMMY: Were people making fun of you for liking Backstreet Boys?

ILYA: Shane make fun.

SHANE: I did NOT-

ILYA: You say “Ilya, is boy band from 90s, you cannot be serious-”

SHANE: I was JOKING-

ILYA: And I say “I AM serious! I am VERY serious! ‘I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, what you did, as long as you love me’ is beautiful! Is poetry!”

JIMMY: It IS poetry.

SHANE: Thank you!

ILYA: [to Shane] You agree with Jimmy but not with me?

SHANE: I AGREED WITH YOU! I was teasing!

ILYA: You hurt my feelings about Backstreet Boys.

SHANE: [turning to him] I’m sorry I hurt your feelings about Backstreet Boys.

ILYA: Apology accepted. [kisses his cheek]

[AUDIENCE SCREAMS]

JIMMY: [grinning] Okay! Okay! So let’s talk about the reaction. It’s been overwhelmingly positive, right?

SHANE: Yeah. Yeah, it really has been. We’ve gotten so much support from fans, from other players, from … honestly, from everyone. It’s been incredible.

ILYA: So many messages. SO many. I cannot read them all. But is all very nice.

JIMMY: Have there been any negative reactions?

SHANE: Some. But honestly, fewer than I expected.

ILYA: And the negative ones are from people with, how do you say, sad little lives. People who are angry about everything. Is not about us, really. Is about them being miserable.

JIMMY: That’s a very mature perspective.

ILYA: I am very mature person.

SHANE: [snorts]

ILYA: What! I am!

SHANE: You put pop rocks in my water bottle last week.

ILYA: Was funny!

SHANE: It was NOT funny. They exploded!

ILYA: Exactly! Was hilarious!

JIMMY: [laughing] You two are like a married couple.

ILYA: [shrugs] Maybe someday.

[AUDIENCE LOSES IT. SHANE’S EYES GO WIDE.]

SHANE: Did you just-

ILYA: What? Is true! I want to marry you someday!

SHANE: You can’t just SAY that on TELEVISION!

ILYA: Why not? Is fact!

JIMMY: [delighted] Are you proposing right now?

ILYA: No, no. When I propose, will be much better than this. Will be very romantic. Maybe on ice. Maybe with fireworks. Still planning.

SHANE: [to Jimmy] Can we move on?

JIMMY: [grinning] Sure, sure. Let’s talk about the game itself. Shane, you had three points while having what appeared to be a complete mental breakdown. How did you do that?

SHANE: [laughs] Honestly? Muscle memory. My body just ... kept playing hockey while my brain was offline.

ILYA: He is very good at hockey. Even when brain is broken.

JIMMY: And Ilya, you scored the game winner.

ILYA: Of course! I have to impress my boyfriend!

SHANE: You ALWAYS have to impress me?

ILYA: Yes! Every game! I score goal, I think “Shane will like this.” I make good pass, I think “Shane will be proud.” Everything I do on ice is little bit for you.

SHANE: [softly] Yeah?

ILYA: Yeah.

[LONG MOMENT. THEY’RE JUST LOOKING AT EACH OTHER.]

JIMMY: [to camera, whispering] I’m just gonna let this happen.

[AUDIENCE CHUCKLES]

SHANE: [clearing throat] Right. So. Hockey.

JIMMY: Hockey! Yes! So, what’s next for you guys? You’ve got games coming up. Are things going to be different now that everyone knows?

SHANE: Honestly? I don’t think so. We’re still the same players we’ve always been. We still hate each other on the ice-

ILYA: I don’t hate you on ice.

SHANE: -we’re still competing at the highest level-

ILYA: I love you on ice. And off ice. All the times, I love you.

SHANE: [gives up] Okay, fine. We love each other all the time. But we’re still professional rivals.

ILYA: Professional rivals who kiss.

SHANE: Yes. That.

JIMMY: I love everything about this. [to audience] Don’t you love everything about this?

[MASSIVE APPLAUSE]

JIMMY: Before we go, I have to ask — any advice for other athletes who might be struggling with coming out?

SHANE: [thinks] I mean ... it’s scary. It’s really scary. But the alternative is spending your whole life hiding who you are, and that’s ... that’s exhausting. And lonely. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there are so many more people who will support you than you think.

ILYA: Also, if you have boyfriend who has no filter and cannot keep secret, will make decision for you.

SHANE: [laughs] That too.

ILYA: But really, is 2020. World is better than it used to be. Not perfect, but better. And if you are yourself, you give permission to other people to be themselves too. Is important.

JIMMY: That’s beautiful.

ILYA: I know. I am beautiful person.

SHANE: [fondly] You’re impossible.

ILYA: Yes, but I am YOUR impossible.

SHANE: My impossible.

JIMMY: [to camera] Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, everybody! We’ll be right back!

[APPLAUSE as they cut to commercial. As the cameras pull away, you can see Ilya lean over and whisper something to Shane, who laughs and shoves him gently.]

@FallonTonight | “Maybe someday. I want to marry you someday!”

“You can’t just SAY that on TELEVISION!”

We are DECEASED. Full interview on YouTube now. 💛🏒

[Video clip of the exchange]

128.5K Retweets | 992.6K Likes

@NHL | This is what hockey looks like. 🏒🌈

[Retweets @FallonTonight’s video]

98.3K Retweets | 537.2K Likes

@GLAAD | “If you are yourself, you give permission to other people to be themselves too.”

Thank you, @ilyarozanovofficial and @shanehollanderhockeyplayer, for your courage, authenticity, and joy. You’re changing lives.

86.4K Retweets | 475.9K Likes

@QueerHockeyFan | ilya really said “when I propose will be much better than this, will be very romantic, maybe with fireworks” like it’s a GIVEN that he’s going to propose

and shane didn’t even argue

they’re getting MARRIED

i’m CRYING

45.2K Retweets | 234.7K Likes

@SportsCenter | Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s Fallon interview is the most-watched Tonight Show clip in 3 years.

Love wins. 🏆

82.7K Retweets | 543.8K Likes

REDDIT - r/hockey

u/WatchedFallonLive posted 45 minutes ago

That Fallon Interview Was Everything

Just finished watching and I need to process with all of you.

Things I learned:

1. Shane tried to warn Ilya for 2.5 periods and Ilya just ... didn’t notice
2. Ilya thinks he was “very normal” during the game
3. They bicker like an old married couple about Backstreet Boys
4. Ilya WILL be proposing at some point (!!!)
5. They’re so stupidly in love it’s actually painful to watch

The moment where Ilya said “everything I do on ice is little bit for you” and Shane just MELTED?

I’m not crying. You’re crying.

Top Comment:

u/DefinitelyNotCrying [4.3K points] “You hurt my feelings about Backstreet Boys.” “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings about Backstreet Boys.”

This is PEAK relationship communication. This is what all couples should aspire to.

u/FamilyValues89 [-1.8K points] [deleted] This is inappropriate and shouldn’t be celebrated. There are better role models

u/ModTeam [5.2K points] [MOD NOTE] User banned. We’ve said this before: Hockey is for everyone. Love is love. If you’re uncomfortable with that, this isn’t the community for you.

To everyone else: Keep being awesome. Keep supporting these players. Keep making hockey a welcoming space for everyone.

And to the user we just banned: Go step on a Lego. In the dark. Repeatedly.

@hockeygoals | 1.2M views | Posted 1 hour ago

[Video compilation set to “Lover” by Taylor Swift]

• Clip of Ilya saying “THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND” during the game
• Clip of them hugging in the handshake line
• Clip of Shane’s face when Ilya talks about marriage on Fallon
• Clip of them looking at each other softly
• Screenshot of the Spotify playlist
• Clip of them bickering about Backstreet Boys

Caption: they’re so in love i’m physically ILL ❤️🏒 #hockey #love #hollanov

Comments (showing 3 of 17.2K):

@user1: my mom asked why i was crying and i showed her this and now we’re BOTH crying

@user2: i’ve watched this 20 times and i’m not stopping

@user3: relationship goals: bicker about backstreet boys on national television

ESPN

BREAKING NEWS

Hollander and Rozanov Coming Out Sparks Surge in LGBTQ+ Hockey Participation

Published: January 15, 2020, 6:34 AM EST

Following Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s public coming out, LGBT sports organizations across North America report a 300% increase in inquiries about hockey programs.

“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” says Jonathan Hamilton, director of the Toronto LGBTQ+ Hockey League. “We’ve had more interest in the last 48 hours than we typically get in six months.”

You Can Play, an organization dedicated to ensuring equality in sports, reports similar numbers.

“This is what visibility does,” says Wade Davis, executive director. “When young people see athletes like Shane and Ilya living authentically and being celebrated for it, it changes everything.”

The NHL has announced plans to increase support for LGBTQ+ hockey initiatives, including a $5 million donation to You Can Play and expanded Pride Night programming across all teams.

“Shane and Ilya have shown us the power of authenticity,” reads the NHL’s statement. “We’re committed to ensuring hockey is a welcoming space for everyone.”

In related news, Hollander and Rozanov’s jerseys are now the top-selling items in NHL history, surpassing even Sidney Crosby’s 2009 sales records.

@ilyarozanovofficial Posted 7:15 AM

[Image: Shane asleep on Ilya’s shoulder in what appears to be a car. Shane’s face is soft and peaceful. Ilya is looking at him with the most tender expression.]

Caption: My Shane. My golden boy. My everything. 💛

Thank you to everyone who send kind messages. We read them all (okay, Shane read some, I tried to read all but there are SO MANY).

Is scary to be open about who you are. But is more scary to hide. And now I don’t have to hide anymore. I can tell world: this is person I love. This is person who make me laugh, who make me better, who make me want to be best version of myself.

Also he is very cute when he sleep. Look at this. LOOK. Is like angel. Angry angel who yell at me about Backstreet Boys, but still angel.

I love you, @shanehollanderhockeyplayer. Even when you are grumpy about me posting picture of you sleeping.

(Yes, I know you will be grumpy. Is okay. I accept this about you.)

❤️ 2,846,392 likes

TOP COMMENTS:

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer I wasn’t grumpy until you posted this at 7am on a Tuesday.

But I love you too. 

(Take this down.)

❤️ 893.5K likes

@ilyarozanovofficial No.

❤️ 673.4K likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer Ilya.

❤️ 556.8K likes

@ilyarozanovofficial Shane.

❤️ 602.1K likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer I hate you.

❤️ 701.3K likes

@ilyarozanovofficial No you don’t. 😘

❤️ 823.7K likes

MONTREAL BROS OVER HOES (23 members)

JJ: so we all saw the fallon interview right

JJ: “maybe someday. I want to marry you someday”

JJ: CAP IS GETTING MARRIED

SHANE: I’m not getting married

SHANE: We’ve been out for three days

SHANE: It’s too soon

JJ: bro he made you a spotify playlist with NOTES

HAYDEN: 63 songs

HAYDEN: SIXTY THREE

BLAKE: with personalized annotations about your relationship

BLAKE: that’s husband behavior cap

SHANE: It’s not

SHANE: It’s just Ilya being Ilya

JJ: being in LOVE

SHANE: Okay yes obviously he loves me

JJ: AND YOU LOVE HIM

SHANE: Yes obviously I love him, what’s your point

HAYDEN: my point is that you’re getting married

HAYDEN: probably before the end of the season

BLAKE: I give it three months

JJ: I give it six weeks

HAYDEN: twenty bucks says he proposes at the all-star game

BLAKE: you’re on

SHANE: I hate all of you

SHANE: Also you’re all wrong

SHANE: Ilya wouldn’t propose at the all-star game

SHANE: He’d want something more private

JJ: CAP

JJ: CAP YOU JUST ADMITTED YOU’VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT

SHANE: Fuck

HAYDEN: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

BLAKE: GOTTEM

SHANE: I’m trading all of you to Arizona

JJ: worth it

TMZ SPORTS

BREAKING: Shane Hollander Spotted at Tiffany & Co. in Manhattan

Published: January 16, 2020, 2:08 PM EST

Just days after his chaotic coming out, Montreal Voyageurs captain Shane Hollander was photographed entering Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue, where he remained for approximately 45 minutes.

Sources inside the store confirm Hollander was looking at rings.

“He seemed nervous but excited,” says one employee who requested anonymity. “He kept looking at his phone and smiling.”

When asked for comment, Hollander’s agent responded: “No comment. Please respect Shane’s privacy.”

Rozanov, when reached by phone, said only: “Is about time,” before hanging up.

@TMZ_Sports | 2:09 PM BREAKING: Shane Hollander spotted at Tiffany & Co. looking at rings 💍👀

[Photo of Shane in a baseball cap and sunglasses, very obviously trying to be incognito]

89.3K Retweets | 562.4K Likes

@HockeyRomantic | Replying to @TMZ_Sports

IT’S BEEN LITERAL DAYS

LESS THAN A WEEK SINCE THEY CAME OUT

AND HE’S ALREADY RING SHOPPING

I’M GOING TO PASS AWAY

34.6K Retweets | 175.9K Likes

@ilyarozanovofficial | Replying to @TMZ_Sports

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer you are not very good at being sneaky. Everyone can see you. Is baseball cap. Not invisibility cloak.

Also 💛

142.8K Retweets | 891.6K Likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer | Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial I hate you so much.

67.3K Retweets | 445.2K Likes

@ilyarozanovofficial | Replying to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer No you don’t. You love me. Is why you are buying me ring. 😘

98.4K Retweets | 623.7K Likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer |
Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial Who says I’m buying YOU a ring? Maybe I’m buying one for myself.

45.2K Retweets | 312.8K Likes

@ilyarozanovofficial | Replying to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer Is okay. I already have ring for you. Have had for six months. Just waiting for right time.

167.9K Retweets | 1.2M Likes

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer | Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial You WHAT

134.6K Retweets | 892.3K Likes

@ilyarozanovofficial | Replying to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer 😏

89.7K Retweets | 567.8K Likes

@SpicyHockeyTakes | THEY’RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO EACH OTHER

AT THE SAME TIME

I CAN FEEL IT IN MY BONES

THIS IS THE MOST ROMANTIC DISASTER I’VE EVER WITNESSED

56.8K Retweets | 374.9K Likes

BUZZFEED

We Need To Talk About Shane Hollander And Ilya Rozanov’s Twitter Exchange

By Laurie Ortega | January 16, 2020

Okay. OKAY. Everyone needs to CALM DOWN.

Just kidding. Nobody calm down. Nobody should EVER calm down.

Because Shane Hollander just revealed that he’s ring shopping, and Ilya Rozanov revealed that he’s ALREADY BOUGHT A RING, and they had this entire exchange on TWITTER where EVERYONE COULD SEE IT.

Here’s what we know:

1. Shane was spotted at Tiffany & Co. (subtle, Cap, real subtle)
2. Ilya immediately called him out on Twitter
3. Shane tried to play it cool
4. Ilya revealed he’s had a ring for SIX MONTHS
5. Shane replied “You WHAT” with the energy of someone having a heart attack
6. Ilya replied with a smirking emoji because he’s CHAOS INCARNATE

The internet is losing its collective mind, and honestly? Same.

UPDATE 3:45 PM: Hollander has apparently called Rozanov 18 times in the last hour, according to Rozanov’s Instagram story which shows his phone with “Shane 💛” calling with the caption “He is very excited. Is cute. I let it ring few more times.”

This man is a MENACE.

UPDATE 4:12 PM: Hollander posted an Instagram story that just says “I’m going to kill him” with a photo of Rozanov grinning. The photo is clearly taken with love. We see you, Shane.

UPDATE 4:46 PM: They’ve both gone silent on social media. We can only assume they’re either (a) talking, (b) arguing, or (c) making out. Possibly all three.

We’ll update as this develops.

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer [24 hours ago]

[Video of Ilya in their apartment, laughing hysterically while Shane films]

SHANE (off-camera): “This isn’t funny.”

ILYA (in video): “Is VERY funny! You are so MAD!”

SHANE: “You told EVERYONE about the ring!”

ILYA: “You told everyone by going to Tiffany! With baseball cap! Like criminal!”

SHANE: “I was trying to be DISCREET!”

ILYA: “Shane. Baby. Love of my life. You are hot and famous. You cannot be discreet.”

SHANE: “I hate you.”

ILYA: [still laughing] “No you don’t. Come here. Come kiss me. You know you want to.”

SHANE: [pause] “... Fine.”

[Video ends as Shane presumably puts down the phone]

@ilyarozanovofficiL [23 hours ago]

[Photo of Shane asleep again, this time with his head on Ilya’s lap. Ilya’s hand is in Shane’s hair.]

Caption: He forgive me. Was never really mad anyway. Just embarrassed that everyone know he is soft romantic who shop for engagement ring right after coming out.

Is okay, Shane. I am soft romantic too. Is why we are perfect together. 💛

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

The Hot Mic That Changed Hockey: Inside Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s Love Story

By Amanda Thornton | January 21, 2020

[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

It’s been one week since the Hot Mic Incident  — as it’s now universally known — and Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are sitting in Hollander’s Montreal apartment, bickering about whether to order Thai food or Italian.

“Thai,” Hollander says firmly.

“We have Thai last night,” Rozanov argues.

“We had Thai two nights ago.”

“Same thing!”

“It’s literally not-”

This is what love looks like, apparently.

After they finally settle on sushi (“Is compromise,” Rozanov explains. “Neither of us get what we want, but we are together, so we both win“), we sit down to talk about the last week — arguably the most chaotic seven days in recent sports history.

SI: So. How are you both doing?

HOLLANDER: Tired. So tired.

ROZANOV: He is tired because he stay up reading all the comments on internet.

HOLLANDER: I’m not-

ROZANOV: You read comments for four hours last night. I time you.

HOLLANDER: [sighs] Okay, fine. I read comments. But people are saying really nice things!

ROZANOV: [softly] They are. Is very nice.

SI: The response has been overwhelmingly positive.

HOLLANDER: It really has. I mean, there are always going to be negative people, but the amount of support we’ve gotten — from fans, from other players, from the league — it’s been incredible.

ROZANOV: I get message from kid yesterday. Thirteen years old. He say he was scared to join hockey team because he is gay. But then he see us and he join. He make team. His parents are proud. [pauses] This is why is important. This is why I am happy we come out, even though was chaotic disaster.

HOLLANDER: It wasn’t a disaster-

ROZANOV: Shane. I dirty talk you on national television.

HOLLANDER: … Okay, it was a little bit of a disaster.

SI: Ilya, you said during the game that you’d been planning to come out eventually anyway. What did you mean by that?

ROZANOV: We talk about it. Before. Many times. Shane want to do it properly. With statement. With plan. Very organized, very Shane. But I think ... life is not always organized. Sometimes things happen and you just—you react. And when I realize everyone is hearing me talk about how much I love Shane, I think: why hide anymore? Why pretend? Is exhausting to pretend.

HOLLANDER: I’m still not convinced that chaotic public outing was better than a planned statement.

ROZANOV: Is more memorable!

HOLLANDER: That’s not necessarily a good thing!

ROZANOV: Is EXCELLENT thing! Now everyone know Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. They know our names. They know our story. Little gay kid in—where is that place you mention-

HOLLANDER: Manitoba.

ROZANOV: Yes! Little gay kid in Manitoba see us and think “I can play hockey. I can be myself.” Is worth embarrassment.

HOLLANDER: [quietly] Yeah. It is.

SI: Speaking of being yourselves, Ilya, you revealed on Twitter that you’ve had a ring for six months.

ROZANOV: [grins] Yes.

HOLLANDER: I’m still processing that, by the way.

ROZANOV: What is to process? I love you. I want to marry you. I get ring. Is simple.

HOLLANDER: You’ve had it for SIX MONTHS.

ROZANOV: I am waiting for right moment!

HOLLANDER: And the right moment was to announce it on TWITTER?

ROZANOV: [shrugs] You announce you shopping for ring. I announce I already have ring. Is fair.

HOLLANDER: That’s not-

SI: Are you two going to propose to each other at the same time?

HOLLANDER & ROZANOV: [simultaneously] No. / Maybe. / [look at each other] [start laughing]

ROZANOV: Is probably going to be disaster again.

HOLLANDER: Everything with you is a disaster.

ROZANOV: But you love me anyway.

HOLLANDER: [smiling] Yeah. I really do.

[They have a moment. It’s disgustingly sweet.]

SI: What’s next for you two?

HOLLANDER: Hockey. That’s what we do. We’re still competing at the highest level-

ROZANOV: I am still better than him-

HOLLANDER: You are NOT-

ROZANOV: -but now we don’t have to hide. We can just be. Together. In front of everyone.

HOLLANDER: And that’s—yeah. That’s pretty great, actually.

SI: Any advice for other athletes who might be in similar situations?

HOLLANDER: [thinks] Find someone you trust. Build a support system. And know that it’s scary, but it’s scarier to spend your whole life hiding.

ROZANOV: Also, if you have boyfriend who cannot keep mouth shut, maybe don’t agree to be mic’d up for national television.

HOLLANDER: [laughing] That too.

ROZANOV: But really, just be yourself. People will surprise you. They will support you. And if they don’t, well ... [looks at Shane] You have each other, yes? That is what matters.

HOLLANDER: That’s what matters.

As we wrap up the interview, an alarm goes off on Rozanov’s phone. He checks it and grins.

ROZANOV: Time to go. We have reservation.

HOLLANDER: For what?

ROZANOV: [standing up] You will see.

HOLLANDER: [suspicious] Ilya ...

ROZANOV: [to me] Thank you for interview. Was fun. [to Shane] Come on, Shane. We are going to be late.

HOLLANDER: Late for WHAT?

As they leave, I hear Rozanov say something in Russian. Hollander stops walking.

HOLLANDER: Are you serious?

ROZANOV: Very serious.

HOLLANDER: You’re—right now?

ROZANOV: Right now.

HOLLANDER: [laughing, sounding slightly hysterical] Oh my god. Oh my GOD.

The door closes behind them. I’m left wondering: did I just witness the beginning of a proposal?

[EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll update this story as it develops.]

[UPDATE 9:52 PM: Both Hollander and Rozanov posted identical photos to Instagram of their hands, each wearing an engagement ring. The caption on both posts: “He said yes. 💛”]

[The internet is losing its mind.]

[So are we.]

@shanehollanderhockeyayer and @ilyarozanovofficial 9:48 PM

[Image: Two hands intertwined, each wearing a simple gold band]

Caption: He said yes. 💛

❤️ 8,349,262 likes

@nhl Replying to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer and @ilyarozanovofficial CONGRATULATIONS! 🏒❤️🎉

❤️ 1.2M likes

@taylorswift SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP Congratulations you two!! 💍✨💜

❤️ 2.1M likes

@harrystyles Golden. ⭐️💛

❤️ 1.6M likes

REDDIT - r/hockey

u/ModTeam posted 2 hours ago

SHANE HOLLANDER AND ILYA ROZANOV ARE ENGAGED

They both posted at the same time. They PROPOSED TO EACH OTHER at the same time.

They’re the most chaotic couple in sports history and we love them.

Comments are open. Be kind. Be excited. Be gay. Do hockey crimes.

Congratulations, Shane and Ilya. 🏒❤️

Top Comment:

u/HockeyRomantic [27.3K points] Started the week with a hot mic incident.

Ending the week ENGAGED.

This is the greatest love story ever told and it happened in REAL TIME and we all got to witness it.

I’m going to be telling my grandkids about this.

u/DefinitelyNotCrying2 [18.9K points] The fact that they proposed to each other AT THE SAME TIME proves that they’re PERFECT for each other.

Two idiots. Same brain cell. So much love.

I’m not crying. You’re crying.

u/ThrowawayCloseted [34.7K points] UPDATE: I came out to my dad this weekend.

He hugged me for five minutes and then we watched the Fallon interview together.

He said, “You deserve to be as happy as those two knuckleheads.”

Thanks, Shane and Ilya. For everything.

[AWARDS: 47 Gold, 23 Platinum, “Wholesome” x156]

@TheOcho | One week ago: Hot mic disaster Three days ago: Ring shopping revealed Tonight: ENGAGED

This is the most chaotic, beautiful, perfect love story and I’m SO GLAD we all got to watch it unfold.

Congratulations @shanehollanderhockeyplayer and @ilyarozanovofficial ❤️🏒

214.5K Retweets | 1.8M Likes

@ilyarozanovofficial | To everyone: thank you for support. Thank you for love. Thank you for accepting us.

To @shanehollanderhockeyplayer: thank you for saying yes. Thank you for loving me even when I am disaster. Thank you for being my home.

Cannot wait to spend rest of life arguing with you about Backstreet Boys and Thai food. 💛

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer | Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial

You’re still a menace.

But you’re MY menace.

Forever.

I love you. 💛

@NHL | This is what hockey is all about. Family. Love. Community.

Welcome to hockey history, Shane and Ilya.

🏒🌈❤️

@ilyarozanovofficial | @shanehollanderhockeyplayer are you awake

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer | Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial We’re in the same bed. You could just talk to me.

@ilyarozanovofficial | Replying to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer But then internet cannot see how much I love you

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer | Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial Go to sleep, you disaster.

@ilyarozanovofficial | Replying to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer Your disaster. Forever. 💛

@shanehollanderhockeyplayer | Replying to @ilyarozanovofficial Forever. 💛