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Sports · Posted February 24th, 2021
10 Reasons Why Fans Think Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are in a Secret Relationship
Fans on social media have their suspicions that the hockey stars are more than just rivals.
By Emma Chandrikar
Buzzfeed staff
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Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been gracing the headlines of ESPN and hockey blogs around the world since before they were drafted with their explosive rivalry that keeps hockey fans on their toes. Rozanov and Hollander were the respective first and second draft picks of the 2009 NHL draft and started playing for the Boston Raiders and Montreal Metros the following season. The two had been pitted against each other since they were teenagers, with both being named as generational talents who have led teams to Stanley Cup glory. However, some hockey fans have long held a suspicion that the two star players are more than just rivals, with some alleging a decade-long secret relationship.
Here are ten reasons why–and why not–they might be correct:
1.
THE WHY: At the All-Star Game in January 2017, the two players were said to be looking “friendly” by multiple onlookers. From casual conversations at the bar to poolside antics, there was no animosity present. And we cannot forget the iconic cheek kiss after Hollander scored a goal, which was captured by many cameras in the rink.
(photo: screencap of Ilya Rozanov kissing the side of Shane Hollander’s helmet at the All-Star Game in Tampa Bay [Source: ESPN, 2017])
THE WHY NOT: The friendliness could just be due to playing on the same team. It is very plausible that the two are putting the rivalry aside for the game and the game alone. Besides, many hockey players show teammates affection; Ilya Rozanov tells his teammates he loves them often.
2.
THE WHY: In an April 2017 game between the Montreal Metros and Boston Raiders, Metros captain Shane Hollander was injured in a hit by Boston player Cliff Marlow. After Hollander was injured, Rozanov remained on the ice near Hollander looking concerned until a ref yelled at him to return to his bench.
(photo: Shane Hollander in a #24 Metros jersey laying on the ice surrounded by two referees and Ilya Rozanov in a #81 away Raiders jersey. In the bottom right corner, Hayden Pike in a #35 Metros jersey, can be seen punching Raiders player Cliff Marlow. [Source: ESPN, 2017])
The day after Hollander’s injury, a fan posted a photo of Rozanov in the Montreal hospital where Hollander was rumored to have been treated.
@missmetros24
GUYS ILYA ROZANOV JUST GOT IN AN ELEVATOR AT THE HOSPITAL WHERE MY MOM IS GETTING SURGERY OMG WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!?!?!?
8:36AM • April 20, 2017 • Twitter for iPhone
(Photo: Ilya Rozanov in a black jacket standing in front of an elevator in what looks to be a hospital, looking at his phone in his right hand. [Source: @missmetros24 on Twitter, 2017])
With Rozanov’s concerned reaction to Hollander’s injury, refusal to leave the ice, and possibly visiting him at the hospital, fans suspected that the two players may be more than just rival captains.
THE WHY NOT: When any MLH player is injured, the concern can be felt through both teams. While Rozanov has a reputation as an instigator on the ice, even he would have a healthy level of professional concern at a colleague being injured. As for the hospital rumor, there’s no evidence that Rozanov was there to visit Hollander. One of his Boston teammates could have been treated Montreal General after the game. And even if Rozanov was there to see Hollander, it’s simply good sportsmanship for the captain of the team who injured another team’s captain to send his well-wishes and apologize for the injury. There’s no evidence that Rozanov was acting in any way other than a concerned colleague and acquaintance of Hollander’s.
3.
THE WHY: In May 2018, a fan posted a selfie with Shane Hollander after having reportedly run into him in a coffee shop in Boston.
(Photo: Shane Hollander smiling next to a woman with brown hair and purple eyeshadow. She is wearing a white blouse and a black leather jacket. He is wearing a black t-shirt under a maroon windbreaker. There is a slight purple discoloration on the left side of his neck just barely visible over his shirt collar. Caption: “Met THE @ShaneHollander! Best Day Ever!!” [Source: @maeveelizabeth13 on Instagram, May 2018])
Eagle-eyed fans noted a bruise peeking out from under Hollander’s shirt collar, and were–of course–immediately reasonable about it.
slut4hockey
May 4, 2018
SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT! SHANE HOLLANDER HICKEY ALERT!
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hollanderswhore
Reblogged • May 4, 2018
and in his bfs city hollanov we see you o_0
[Source: slut4hockey.tumblr.com]
Fans also questioned why Hollander was in Boston at all, given that he lives in Montreal during the season, but famously spends the summers in a cottage a few hours outside of Ottawa (if you haven’t seen the ESPN piece on Hollander’s summer cottage, you should…the yoga scene changed my life). Montreal was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round that year, so he should have been at his cottage. So why, then, was Hollander in Boston? Especially on a night where Rozanov was playing a home game in round 2 of the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Puffins (he scored a hat trick that night…coincidence???)
THE WHY NOT: There are a million reasons why Hollander could have been in Boston. He could have been visiting a friend. He could have been in the mood for a good cannoli. Or–and hear me out here–he could have simply been watching the Boston vs. Pittsburgh game because he likes to watch good hockey. Being in one of the largest cities in North America doesn’t mean that he’s dating the captain of their hockey team.
4.
THE WHY: Fans and analysts were shocked when Ilya Rozanov announced his sudden (and surprising) move to Ottawa in July 2018, following his becoming a free agent. When asked for a comment, Rozanov provided, “I play hockey, yeah? Does not matter where, I win.”
A few months following this announcement, Rozanov had another astonishing revelation for the public: he was teaming up with none other than Canada’s Shane Hollander to start a charity: the Irina Foundation. Now, why would these two be working together in such an endeavor? Better yet, why is THE Yuna Hollander, Hollander’s mom-ager, Director and Treasurer of the Irina Foundation? I cannot fathom how this charity was formed, why it is in such close proximity to an unexpected move to Ottawa, and how there is not more to this series of events.
(photo: Ilya Rozanov at a press conference announcing his signing to Ottawa [Source: @rozanov81 (Ilya Rozanov) on Instagram, July 2018])
(photo: Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, sitting side-by-side, announcing their joint charity, the Irina Foundation [Source: @theirinafoundation’s inaugural Instagram post, November 2018]).
THE WHY NOT: I mean, it could be that they just wanted to start a charity in the name of Rozanov’s late mother… but that would be far too vanilla. But to be fair, they could just be friends, as they have explained over the past few years. It’s not groundbreaking to be friends with players on other teams, especially in the same country. However, the timeline does make me wonder if it is a coincidence.
5.
THE WHY: In December 2018, Shane Hollander was spotted wearing a spectacularly ugly sweater in his mom’s family Christmas post on Facebook.
(Photo: Shane Hollander wearing a sweater with dark green and bright red stripes with designs of Christmas trees in the red stripes. To his left is Yuna Hollander in a white sweater, and to his right is David Hollander in a black quarter-zip. Caption: “Always a good day to have my boys home for Christmas!” [source: Yuna Hollander on Facebook, 2018])
Seem innocuous? What if I told you that Ilya Rozanov was photographed in the same sweater in 2015 in a post by the Boston Raiders?
(Photo: A group photo of the Boston Raiders hockey team in the locker room, each holding a wrapped present. Caption: “Team Secret Santa ✅”. [Source: @raidershockey on Instagram, 2015])
Some fans even noted that the sweater looked slightly large on Hollander, leading fans to wonder if the sweater belonged to Rozanov. What is more stereotypical boyfriends than sharing clothes??
THE WHY NOT: It’s literally just a sweater. They could both just own the same sweater. It’s not that deep.
6.
THE WHY: While doing press for the 2019 MLH Awards in Las Vegas, a reporter asked all the players their favorite restaurant in their hometown or the city they currently play in. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov provided the same restaurant as their answer: a hole-in-the-wall Italian place called Lucia’s in Ottawa’s ByWard Market (a neighborhood ALSO known for its gay bars). The reporter may not have clocked their identical answers, but fans sure did.
@centaursdynastyiscoming
NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY. Rozanov and Hollander recommended the same place when asked their favorite restaurant?? This is not a coincidence, it CANT be.
10:04PM • June 16, 2019 • Twitter for iPhone
(Photo: 2 GIFs from the 2019 MLH Awards Live Stream of Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander speaking into a microphone, respectively. [Source: @centaursdynastyiscoming on Twitter, 2019])
THE WHY NOT: They have a public and amicable friendship, largely due to their joint charity. It is very likely that Hollander recommended the restaurant to Rozanov upon his move, given that it is Hollander’s hometown. But, if I had a nickel for every time a hockey player found their significant other in an establishment with food, I would have two nickels…
7.
THE WHY: Ilya Rozanov posted a carousel of pictures on Instagram in November of 2019 captioned, “Missing Summer.” This would-be innocent post caused uproar among fans, who fixated on the fifth picture, which captured a lake at an unknown location. Rozanov is presumably riding the blue jet ski which peaks through the bottom of the photo.
(Photo: A landscape of a lake taken from the seat of a blue jet ski, which can be seen in the bottom third of the photograph [Source: @rozanov81 on Instagram, November 2019).
Fans (detectives) found the same jet ski in a photo that Shane Hollander posted in June of 2017.
(Photo: Two blue jetskis leaning against the wood of a dock [Source: @shanehollander on Instagram, June 2017]).
THE WHY NOT: Hollander and Rozanov are publicly friends. It is very possible that he is at Hollander’s cottage as a friend and nothing more. Maybe even for an Irina Foundation retreat. But what fun is that?
8.
THE WHY: Rozanov was famously seen with a tattoo of a loon on his left shoulder at the start of the 2020-2021 season.
(Photo: Screencap of Ilya Rozanov shirtless, wearing a gold crucifix, with several microphones in front of his face. A bear tattoo is visible on his left chest, and a tattoo of a loon is visible on his left shoulder. [Source: ESPN.com, 2020])
While Rozanov has never confirmed the meaning of either of his tattoos, fans found it significant that Hollander posted a photo of a loon on his Instagram in June of 2020.
(Photo: A loon perched on a deck nearby a body of water. [Source: @shanehollander on Instagram, 2020])
Fans speculate that the loon tattoo is a reference to Rozanov and Hollander’s relationship, though no one is exactly sure what the significance of a bird could be to these two hockey players.
THE WHY NOT: Shane could have been feeling patriotic with his post. While the loon is not Canada’s national bird, it is a strong national symbol. He also has a lake-side cottage where I am sure there are some wild loons roaming about. This one might be a stretch.
9.
THE WHY: In October 2020, Ilya Rozanov posted a picture on his Instagram of two toy rings sitting on what looks to be a wooden table.
(Photo: Two plastic, heart-shaped rings, one purple and one pink, laying on a table. [Source: @rozanov81 on Instagram, 2020).
Rozanov is famous for his vague, but prolific Instagram posts. There’s no way of knowing exactly where he got these rings and why he decided to post them, but one Tumblr user has a theory:
hollanderswhore
Nov 4, 2020
Guys so remember the random rings that Rozy posted on his insta a few weeks ago???
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rozanovslambo
Reblogged • Nov 4, 2020
yeah??
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hollanderswhore
Reblogged • Nov 4, 2020
I’m at a Metros game rn and I’m sitting next to Jackie Pike and her and Hayden’s kids and I SWEAR two of these girls are wearing toy crowns and jewelry that match those rings EXACTLY!!! Rozy hanging out with Shane’s bestie’s kids????? We’re so back!!
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ihatethissport
Reblogged • Nov 5, 2020
Yeah right. You hollanovs are delusional. Pics or it didn’t happen.
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hollanderswhore
Reblogged • Nov 5, 2020
I’m not going to post photos of random kids on the internet you weirdo
[Source: hollanderswhore.tumblr.com]
THE WHY NOT: Even the staunchest supporters have to agree that this is a weak one. There’s no evidence that Hayden and Jackie Pike’s children even owned those rings, and even if they did, Rozanov posting a photo of them doesn’t mean he was hanging out with Hollander and the Pikes.
10.
THE WHY: Within the last week, Rozanov’s iconic cross necklace seems to have a new addition, a black band with a gold interior. Fans are speculating that the ring may signify impending nuptials for Rozanov and an unknown individual (fingers crossed it’s Hollander).
(Photo: Four slightly blurry photos at different angles of Ilya Rozanov in a red Centaurs long-sleeve shirt with his gold cross necklace. On the necklace is a black ring that is seemingly a new addition. [Source: rozanovslambo.tumblr.com, 2021])
rozanovslambo
Jan 28, 2021
IS THAT A WEDDING RING? THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL
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slut4hockey
Reblogged • Jan 28, 2021
Shane did such a good job with this one.
[Source: rozanovslambo.tumblr.com]
THE WHY NOT: Now this could be a family heirloom or just a new addition to the Ilya Rozanov luxury collection. However, why the sudden addition? Why on the cross necklace? And why does it resemble this wedding band from Cartier?
(Photo: Black Cartier wedding band that looks eerily similar to Rozanov’s ring [Source: Cartier.com, 2021])
So what do you think? Is #Hollanov real? Are hockey's most infamous rivals secretly in love or is this just another outrageous fandom theory?
Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
Addendum (3/15/2021): Earlier today, in a FanMail video recorded by Montreal’s Hayden Pike, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander were seen kissing in the background (I will not comment on how). Immediately, the video was posted on Twitter.
@brad4montreal
Asked for a simple FanMail video, ended up with whatever this is. Cannot believe Hollander would stoop this low.
10:04PM • March 15, 2021 • Twitter for Android
(Photo: Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander kissing passionately outside what is presumably Hayden Pike’s Montreal home. [Source: @brad4montreal on Twitter, 2021])
And, while I do not support anyone being outed, I am happy for the two. And maybe now they can be together without worrying about anyone finding out. All the love to my two favorite hockey players. Hollander, transfer to Ottawa and win us a cup, please.
P.S. Kick rocks, Brad. I have been told by my editors that I am not allowed to say this.
Addendum 2 (6/16/2022): Ottawa Centaurs your 2022 Stanley Cup Champions!!! I am apparently a prophet. The next Oracle of Delphi, if you may. Reach out for all your divination needs.