Matt Kenny recalls the moment a young hockey fan recognised him for Heated Rivalry coming-out story
"He told her that I was his hero" – said Kenny
By Aaron Sugg
Professional ice hockey player Matt Kenny shared a wholesome moment with a young hockey fan after attending the 2026 National Hockey League Unites Pride Cup on 3 March.
Matt Kenny publicly came out as gay in January 2026, after being inspired by the TV series Heated Rivalry, which follows stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie going from sporting rivals to off-the-ice lovers.
In a heartwarming social media post, the sporting star, who had hung up his skates 15 years ago, said the Canadian programme inspired him to come out of retirement.
“I thought was lost forever” – Matt Kenny on Heated Rivalry helping him come out of retirement
He thanked author Rachel Reid and showrunner Jacob Tierney “for weaving it together with incredible delicacy and care,” as well as the actors, “for giving me back something I thought was lost forever.”
Kenny attended the two-day hockey pride event at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex, where Vancouver’s The Cutting Edges won gold and the Seattle Pride Hockey Association won silver.
In a moment of reflection, the sporting star posted a clip to social media, recalling the moment a 9-year-old boy recognised him for his coming out story.
“This was about getting into the mind of a kid who felt something” – Kenny recalling the moment a young hockey fan recognised him
“I talk all the time about how I’m doing this work for the next generation, but yesterday was the first time I actually looked into the eyes of that next generation, and it hit me,” he said. “This was no longer just an idea. This isn’t about saying the right thing.”
He continued: “This was about getting into the mind of a kid who felt something, connection or recognition or maybe even the possibility.”
“And here’s the wild part: There were Stanley Cup champions in that room. Actual legends of the sport. And he still wanted a picture with me. Later, his mum texted me that on the ride home, he told her that I was his hero, and that it was the best day he’d had in a long time,” Kenny added.
“A kid seeing someone who loves the same thing he does” – Kenny on the 9-year-old hockey fan
“I guess maybe what this is is it’s about us being fearless and visible and accountable. That it’s about a kid seeing someone who loves the same thing he does, trying to stand fully in himself and realising that the different parts of him don’t have to cancel each other out for him to belong,” he said.
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