At a Glance
- Jesse Kortuem publicly came out after watching HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry”
- The series depicts closeted NHL players finding love and acceptance
- Kortuem played high-level hockey in New York and Atlanta but never reached the NHL
- Why it matters: Visibility in sports media can inspire real athletes to live openly
A fictional streaming series about closeted professional hockey players has prompted a real-life player to share his own story. Jesse Kortuem, a defenseman and center who competed in multiple leagues outside the NHL, announced on Facebook that he is gay, directly crediting the HBO Max drama “Heated Rivalry” for giving him the courage to come out publicly.
From Screen to Ice Rink
“Heated Rivalry” centers on rival players Ilya and Shane, portrayed by Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, and their secret relationship that spans several seasons. In Episode 5, attention shifts to Scott Hunter, played by François Arnaud, a closeted veteran who falls for Kip, a smoothie-shop employee played by Robbie G.K. After his team wins the Stanley Cup, Scott invites Kip onto the ice, kisses him in front of the crowd, and later declares his love while accepting an award.
Kortuem watched that episode and said the moment resonated so deeply he felt compelled to speak out. In his January 13 Facebook post he wrote that arena sounds once symbolized “the sound of a place where I felt I had to hide.”
A Lifetime in the Closet
Kortuem, the youngest of four boys from Minnesota, described growing up loving hockey while fearing he could never fit in as a gay athlete. “I wondered how I could be gay and still play such a tough and masculine sport,” he recalled. At 17 he quit his high-school team, believing coming out in the early 2000s would be “a social disaster.”
He later returned to the game and performed “at a high level” in New York and Atlanta. Though friends and family knew his sexuality, he never discussed it with teammates.
- Changed the subject when talk turned to wives or girlfriends
- Always claimed he was single
- Feared becoming “the gay player” who distracted the team
Turning Point in 2017
Kortuem’s outlook shifted after he entered an LGBTQ+ sporting tournament and met the Las Vegas Boyz, a team of openly gay hockey players from across the United States and Canada. “From that moment forward, my life has never been the same,” he said.
He credits friendships with the Cutting Edges in Vancouver and the Misfits in Toronto for helping him move past “the closeted athlete persona.” During the Cutting Edges Hockey Club’s Winter Classic he finally felt “peace” on the ice.
Message to Others
Kortuem ended his post with encouragement for athletes still hiding their identity:
> “I want you to know that there is hope and you’re not alone. There is a life and a deep happiness waiting for you on your path. You will get through this, and it is going to be okay.”
Speaking to Out magazine, Kortuem added that many closeted men in hockey have been emotionally affected by the show’s success. “Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport,” he said, thanking former teammates for their supportive messages since his announcement.
According to News Of Los Angeles, Kortuem never played in the NHL but spent years competing in respected amateur and semi-pro leagues. His story highlights how positive representation in entertainment can ripple into real-world acceptance for LGBTQ+ athletes.
