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Centaurs Sign Shane Hollander to Three-Year Contract
The Ottawa Centaurs
5 July, 2021
The Ottawa Centaurs have signed center Shane Hollander to a three-year $6.8 million per year contract with a No-Move Clause. Hollander, an Ottawa native, will play his first game as a Centaur in the September 20th preseason game against the Boston Raiders.
The 2021-2022 season will be Hollander’s 13th season in the MLH. Drafted second overall by the Montreal Metros in the 2009 MLH entry draft, Hollander played for the Metros for the last 12 seasons. The three-time MLH Cup champion (2015, ’16, ’20) has played in 811 regular season games and has a total of 1,221 points. During this time, Hollander surpassed every scoring record in Metros history.
Hollander, selected to play in all 12 MLH All-Star Games in which he was eligible, also won Rookie of the Year in 2011 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020. Hollander won a silver medal with the Canadian National Hockey Team at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. In 2009, Hollander led the Canadian National Junior Hockey Team to silver as their captain, and led the team to gold in 2010.
When asked about playing for the Centaurs, Hollander said, “I am beyond excited to be playing for the team I grew up cheering for. I was born and raised in Ottawa, and this really feels like coming home. In more ways than one, honestly. I already feel so much love and support from the Centaurs organization, and I can’t wait to show them that their support in me is well-placed.”
Tickets for Hollander’s first game are available here.
Shane Hollander Signs Three-Year Contract with the Ottawa Centaurs
The World Hockey Report
By Kathleen Foster
5 July, 2021, 3:48 PM EST
Shane Hollander, former star center for the Montreal Metros, signed a three-year contract worth $20,400,000 with the Ottawa Centaurs this afternoon. Hollander, 30, has spent the entirety of his highly successful career so far with the Metros, who drafted him second overall in the 2009 MLH Entry Draft.
In April, Hollander shared his engagement to fellow MLH star Ilya Rozanov. Believed to be fierce rivals, the hockey stars were revealed to be in a romantic relationship after a FanMail video sent by Montreal Metro Hayden Pike went viral. The video, which showed Hollander and Rozanov sharing an intimate moment, was confirmed to be real by Hollander and Rozanov.
On 15th May, 2021 Rozanov posted an Instagram video in which he announced his upcoming marriage to Hollander taking place later this month. The pair have otherwise kept their relationship private, and declined to comment beyond official statements and social media posts.
In the wake of their coming out, the stars met on opposing teams in the first round of the playoffs with Hollander playing for Montreal and Rozanov for Ottawa. Speculation about the validity of the games in which Hollander and Rozanov played against each other ran rampant after Hollander tripped during the game, which gave Rozanov the opportunity to score the game-winning goal. The Centaurs were later defeated by the New York Admirals in the second round.
In an Instagram post shared to Shane Hollander’s official account, Hollander shared his enthusiasm for joining the Centaurs. Rozanov later shared the post to his own Instagram story.
When asked about the contract, representatives for the Ottawa Centaurs shared:
“We were thrilled when Shane’s team reached out to express his interest in playing for the Centaurs. Not only is Shane one of the best players currently in the league, but he’s also an Ottawa native and believes in the same values of respect, diversity, and integrity that are so important to our organization. We believe he will be a valuable part of the team both on and off the ice.”
The Montreal Metros declined to comment on Hollander’s move.
Shane Hollander Signs with Ottawa Centaurs After Disastrous Playoff Run
The Montreal Inquirer
5 July, 2021
After a humiliating loss at home against the Ottawa Centaurs during the first round of playoffs in May, Shane Hollander has signed a three-year $6.8 million contract with the Centaurs. Hollander became an unrestricted free agent this month and made the decision to not renew his contract with his team of twelve years.
Hollander, who came out as gay in April, is purportedly in a romantic relationship with Ottawa Centaurs captain and his former rival, Ilya Rozanov. The pair have not shared the timeline or details of their relationship with the public, aside from announcing their upcoming wedding later this month.
When the pair met in the first round of the playoffs this year, the star center supposedly tripped, allowing his soon-to-be husband to score the game-winning goal. The seemingly careless mistake from Hollander led many fans and players to call into question his dedication to the game and his team.
The Ottawa Centaurs declined to comment on whether Hollander’s move is related to his relationship with team captain Ilya Rozanov.
Buzzfeed
Why Does Everyone Care About Hockey All of a Sudden?
July 5, 2021
If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t opened any social media site in the last two months, you might be asking yourself: Why does everyone care about hockey all of a sudden?
Well, the short answer is that the MLH’s hottest rivals have become hockey’s hottest...power couple?
The long answer is that in April, Montreal Metro Shane Hollander came out as gay, Ottawa Centaur (former Boston Raider, rip) Ilya Rozanov came out as bisexual, and both of them came out as being in a romantic relationship with each other.
If only that were all, though. The latest news is that not only are Hollander and Rozanov getting married this month, but Shane Hollander has just signed a three year contract to the Ottawa Centaurs—the very team for which his boo is the captain!
For those who still don’t know why this is big news, Hollander and Rozanov have been the league’s biggest stars since they were drafted in 2009. Though the pair faced off in the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2008, their truly legendary rivalry picked up speed when Rozanov was drafted first, to the Boston Raiders, and Hollander was drafted second, to the Montreal Metros. Not only were they anticipated to be two of the best players the league has ever seen, but they were fated to continue the decades-long rivalry between the Metros and the Raiders.
For as long as they’ve been playing hockey, Hollander and Rozanov have been matching each other beat for beat in terms of winning awards and smashing records. One gets drafted first, the other wins Rookie of the Year. One captains a silver medal-winning team at the Olympics, the other wins the Stanley Cup. One has the most goals in a season, the other the most points (that’s goals + assists to you non-hockey fans).
And this whole time, the world believed they hated each other.
Well, more recently they did start a charity together, but everyone was still pretty sure they were frenemies more than anything else. That is, until a video showing Hollander and Rozanov kissing (rather passionately, if we do say so ourselves) went viral. Hayden Pike, another player on the Montreal Metros, recorded the video for a fan on the website FanMail, seemingly without checking to see if any of his fellow players were getting hot and bothered in the background of the shot.
Within hours, the video had been shared hundreds of thousands of times. The video all but forced Hollander and Rozanov to come out, and the internet was not quiet about it.
The MLH, however, seemed to draw as much attention away from the drama as possible. Because here’s the thing: even with hot AF stars like Scott Hunter coming out as gay, hockey is still widely considered to be pretty homophobic.
And, we haven’t even mentioned the fact that Shane Hollander is Canada’s Golden Boy, and Ilya Rozanov has a reputation for being Russia’s Greatest Love Machine. Whether Rozanov seduced the Prince of Hockey or Hollander convinced the MLH’s manwhore to settle down is up for debate, but either way, the story stays fascinating.
But, maybe we’re burying the lead here. The real drama happened when Hollander and Rozanov finally play against each other after coming out. Picture it: it’s the first round of the playoffs, the Ottawa Centaurs are in the playoffs for the first time in forever, the seven-game series is tied at three wins apiece, and game seven just went into overtime. The tension at the boy aquarium is palpable.
Rozanov and Hollander are neck and neck as Rozanov races towards the Metro’s goal, when Shane Hollander, the all-but-perfect hockey legend, trips on the ice. Rozanov scores the game-winning goal, and the Metros have lost their chance at a repeat Stanley Cup win.
Well, rumors ran rampant after the game, claiming Hollander threw the game on purpose so Rozanov could lead the Centaurs to victory. Now if you ask us, we’d rather die than let our SO’s win at Settlers of Catan, let alone an MLH game, but that didn’t stop some people, especially Montreal fans, from assuming.
Now, though, it seems this story will have a happy ending, but probably only for Ottawa fans. We don’t know how badly you have to fumble for the MLH’s two best players of all time to be on the same team together, but surely everyone is going to be mad at Montreal for this for a long time. As for Ottawa, well, did someone say dynasty?
On Twitter
Sophia Sophia | @hollysheroes
“in more ways than one” oh so they’re in love love
Evelyn <3 | @whatthepuck
Ilya is his home I can’t!! Love is dead except for them!!
Connor | @ilyahollander
me? believing in love in the year of our lord 2021? it’s more likely than you think i GUESS.
Mollymoo | @24812481
I’m sick to my stomach, actually
Kait | @shaneRozanov
i can’t believe i get to live at the same time as them 😭
Martha | @hollander81
huge day for the hollanovs put this on the calendar
swords | @hollanovofficial
updated! PSA: check out the (un)official hollanov timeline linked in my bio!
Kathy | @ilyasshane
So was anyone going to tell me there was an impressively well-organized timeline of Shane and Ilya’s relationship, or was I just supposed to find that out for myself on a thread about Shane joining his fiance’s team???
nettie | @ilyaslefttit
ok i know this is out of character for me (growth???) but i actually love that the cens don’t mention ilya and refused to give in to shitty reporters making it all about them being gay. shane is his own player and deserves recognition beyond their relationship!
Sophia Sophia | @hollysheroes
nettie are you ok blink twice if you need help
nettie | @ilyaslefttit
i started going to therapy last week!
Andrew | @hockeyfan2424
Can we leave politics and DEI shit out of hockey? They’re going to ban fighting next, and that’s the best part!
emma | @formermetrosfan
it’s ok andrew we know you have a tiny penis you don’t have to tell us
nettie | @ilyaslefttit
people existing as they are, getting married, playing the sport they love with the people they love, etc isn’t political, it is life! hope this helps!
Mollymoo | @24822481
my blocked list gets longer every day <3
Toad | @lovecens24
ottawa pls treat him well lord knows montreal didn’t
Jake | @metrosfan4lyfe
Damn right we didn’t! We don’t put up with throwing games and cheating!
Mollymoo | @24822481
again, my blocked list gets longer every day <3<3<3<3
emma | @formermetrosfan
it’s ok jake we know you have a tiny penis you don’t have to tell us
nettie | @ilyaslefttit
@Metrosfan4lyfe have you tried therapy instead of building your entire life and sense of self around athletes who don’t know you exist
Sophia Sophia | @hollysheroes
@ilyaslefttit NETTIE i love this for you but are you sure you’re ok???
Mollymoo | @24822481
does “the montreal metros declined to comment” read as delightfully passive aggressive to everyone or is it just me?
emma | @formermetrosfan
montreal wins most homophobic city with most homophobic newspaper yet again? i’m so over this
Connor | @ilyahollander
no because who else read that whole buzzfeed article even though they know all of that already just because they want to hear more about hollanov? just me?
emma | @formermetrosfan
lol you are not alone
Sophia Sophia | @hollysheroes
you’re not insane and neither am i!!!
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
Is now a good time to mention that in 2008 I paid a witch on the internet to make the Ottawa Centaurs the best team in the league? Buzzfeed talking about a dynasty made me think about this.
nettie | @ilyaslefttit
oh my god say more right now or else
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
Ok so frankly, I was dealing with some bad mental health stuff in like, late 2008, and I really truly believed that if at least my hockey team was good I would be happy. 1/4
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
I thought I had totally been scammed at the time because the Cens remained the losingest team in the history of the MLH, but looking back, Shane and Ilya were drafted in 2009. 2/4
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
Coincidence? OR was a timeline set in motion that led to the two of them both playing for Cens? We don’t know when they got together, but we’ve all seen the picture of them at the draft, they had to at least have talked to each other! 3/4
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
So anyway, I’m not taking credit for this because they probably didn’t get together until after Ilya moved to Ottawa, but I do feel a little crazy thinking about it. 4/4
swords | @hollanovofficial
so, they actually probably met in some capacity in 2008 when they played against each other at the World Junior Hockey Championships! when did you buy the spell?
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
Sometime in December?
swords | @hollanovofficial
…i think your etsy witch most definitely made this happen. hollanov would’ve met in late december for the championships!!!!!!
Katarina | @yomarrymezaneboodram
…Holy Shit
On Instagram
[A picture of Shane Hollander, smiling and wearing a red and black Ottawa Centaurs jersey and baseball hat. He stands in a kitchen and holds a brown, curly haired dog in his arms. The dog has an Ottawa Centaurs bandana on, and is looking at the camera with her tongue hanging out.]
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: It’s official! As of today, I am an Ottawa Centaur. I can’t wait to play for my hometown team and continue to give back to the community that raised me.
@ilyarozanov81: most boring post for most exciting news. Я тебя люблю
@yomarrymezaneboodram: Russian Translation: “I love you.”
@formermetrosfan: welp i officially found my new team
@ottawatourism: Welcome home, Holly!
@lovecens24: why is the official instagram of the city of Ottawa trying to make me cry? rude???
@theirinafoundation: Our co-founders playing on the same team! We can’t wait!
@anyahollander-rozanov: Anya spotted!
@24812481: she is the cutest dog in the entire world
@ilyarozanov81: hello. how much money to buy username from you.
@anyahollander-rozanov: OMFG is this real?
@ilyarozanov81: i dm you
@ottawacentaurs: We can’t wait to see you on the ice, Holly!
@hollysheroes: hollanov playing on the same team is going to do terrible things for my sleep schedule
@haydenpike: Going to miss my best friend 😢
@ilyarozanov81: don’t be sad, Pike. you are promoted to 14th best player on the Metros!
@haydenpike: Y’know, I don’t know why I even try anymore
@momyunahollander: I’m so glad I don’t have to choose which of my sons to root for anymore 😊
@Ilyarozanov81: you can still root for me in the scoring race, mom
@hollysheroes: i really can’t deal with ilya rozanov calling yuna hollander mom right now, i have a life to get back to!!!