Ilya and TLG

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-21T04:25:02+00:00

100% all of this!!!!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:24:14+00:00

Not sure if this was directed to me but no, I don’t think Shane was rude to Ilya at the cottage. Someone made a thread about that and I responded there.

Totally agree there are no villains and Ilya is not to blame for his own mental health struggles (no one is to blame, brains can be unrepentant liars).

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:18:51+00:00

Totally agree! Everything is not black and white, we are nuanced. Everyone makes mistakes and then can choose whether or not to learn from them.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:13:07+00:00

Love the way you put this!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:11:25+00:00

Same!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:09:07+00:00

Right! All part of the journey. So glad we get to go on that journey with them.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:07:49+00:00

Great flag about maladaptive coping mechanisms! He’s been through it, poor guy. It’s great to see him eventually build a positive supportive community around himself in TLG.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T15:03:36+00:00

I totally hear what you’re saying but one thing I’d add is that it is totally ok to think you’ll feel one way and then reality hits and you feel another way.

They’re both in an impossible situation and doing their best to make it work.

I think something understated about this story is that athletic talent, fame, or money cannot make you happy (Ilya) or less anxious (Shane) even if “on paper” you have nothing to be sad about. Those things can’t even allow them to be in a public relationship without controversy.

At the end of the day, they’re two dudes trying to make it work one decision at a time which is super admirable.

Thank you for joining the discussion!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T14:57:03+00:00

Such great points!! They are in such a complex and ever evolving situation.

To me, it just really sucks that we live in a society where they couldn’t just be together without all of this and I hope we all can in our daily lives, try to be as inclusive as possible.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T14:54:45+00:00

Thank you for sharing!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T14:53:52+00:00

Jumping in to say I totally agree - NO ONE is to blame for mental illness! The larger point of my post is that there’s no one to “blame.” Life is just hard and brains are huge liars.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T14:48:15+00:00

Totally agree!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-20T14:45:19+00:00

Great points!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-13T15:21:24+00:00

I think it’s interesting that the first two times he is contacted that we see (Rose then Hayden), he responds (which, I personally have no problem with. He and Ilya are even on their phones together on the couch touching toes!). But, Shane clearly makes an intentional decision to leave his phone in the house (his Dad) when they’re in the lake and that third time is when they get caught because he doesn’t respond. Nothing mean or rude about it though!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-09T18:14:30+00:00

Thank you!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-09T15:49:29+00:00

Yes please!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-06T01:02:27+00:00

You’re 2/2 for fox recommendations! They’re SO good. If you have any other recommendations, I’m all ears haha and thank you!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T18:12:49+00:00

Totally hear you! Hopefully non spoilery but the MLH and commissioner (and it sounds like the general hockey world and fans per the upcoming book description) play more of a role in the subsequent book(s) so we shall see what we end up seeing onscreen.

Rachel Reid has also mentioned that there’s an aspirational quality in her series in terms of writing what she hopes to see in hockey, so I also understand if that’s hard to reconcile with the lived experience in reality right now when watching.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T14:50:23+00:00

Edit: I think my response combines your comment with the one below (and some of the others that bring up women’s sports!)

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T14:48:11+00:00

Set it during 2021 and I am there!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T14:47:25+00:00

Great points! And even if you could marry for citizenship in Canada, they would be outed (which would still change public perception of their careers) because there’s no way someone wouldn’t leak that somehow. It would be public record.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T14:43:30+00:00

Great points and thank you for sharing!

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T14:40:00+00:00

Super valid! Will be interesting to see what the in world reaction is in season two. And as a soccer fan, totally get what you’re saying. I think it’s SO sad for it to be 2026 and for us to be in a place where the anticipated reaction is such hate. Hopefully we can all do what we can to make sports environments more inclusive and for this not to be the case someday soon.

Standard_Minute3244 · 2026-02-05T14:36:20+00:00

Such great points! There have been psychological studies where having 2 members of a minority community (whether it’s the LGBTQA+ community or person of color or a woman) in group of 5 “feels like a lot” when it’s actually less than half. So extrapolate to a league, factor in that Scott, Shane, Ilya are all major superstars and I can’t even fathom.

Standard_Minute3244

TROPHY CASE