What will ‘Heated Rivalry’ stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams wear to the Met Gala 2026?

In the span of just a few short weeks, “Heated Rivalry” has become a bona fide pop culture phenomenon.

Based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling “Game Changers” books, HBO Max’s queer hockey romance — originally produced by Canada’s Crave streaming service — became a smash hit practically overnight, with stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie going from virtual unknowns to certified Hollywood heartthrobs faster than you can say “hat trick.” Now, they’re gracing fashion magazine covers, making the talk-show rounds and signing with Hollywood’s biggest talent agency.

Williams and Storrie are also practically guaranteed to score invites to May’s Met Gala, following in the footsteps of the “White Lotus” cast, the “Riverdale” gang and the stars of “The Bear.”

After all, the ball’s not just a massive fundraiser for the museum’s Costume Institute; it’s also Vogue’s biggest annual branding exercise, a way for the magazine to assert that it’s still on the cutting edge of culture in the digital age. And to do that in 2026, let’s face it: Their gala needs a little hockey heat on the step-and-repeat.

But who will have the honor of outfitting our beloved puck buddies for their first Met ball? With designers surely clamoring to dress them both, let’s explore the options!

The frontrunner: Thom Browne

Come on, this just makes sense. As the current chairman of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) — an organization with close ties to Vogue — Browne, famed for his impeccable tailoring, is basically the face of American fashion. Oh, and his longtime partner? None other than Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute’s curator in charge and the mastermind behind all of its exhibitions since 2006’s “AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion.”

As such, Browne’s one of the Met Gala’s most prolific dressers; last year, he created looks for nearly a dozen stars, among them Demi Moore, Janelle Monáe, Tramell Tillman, Angel Reese, Zoe Saldaña and Saquon Barkley. (It didn’t hurt that the evening’s dress code was “Tailored for You,” a perfect fit for Browne’s brand DNA.)

The brand also dressed Storrie for a New York Times shoot last month, so there’s history there.

To quote “SNL” nightlife expert Stefon, a Thom Browne x “Heated Rivalry” Met Gala matchup would have everything: Sharp suits! Sporty stripes! Queer representation galore! Simply put, Browne’s the one to beat for this particular job.

The Canadian contenders: Erdem Moralioglu, Jason Wu, Dsquared2

On the other hand, how cool would it be to see a Canuck designer craft something special for the stars of Canada’s hottest export? We could envision either the New York-based Wu or Londoner Moralioglu — both regular presences on the Met Gala carpet — stepping up to the plate.

Another option is Dsquared2’s Dean and Dan Caten, who recently celebrated their 30th year in business with a splashy runway show featuring Doechii, Naomi Campbell and more major names.

Dsquared2’s the brand behind the thigh-high lace-up sandals Rihanna wore as part of her 2017 Met Gala look — and speaking of shoes, the Catens’ current collection conveniently includes a pair of $3,190 high-heeled ice skates.

Sure, it might be tough navigating the treacherous Met museum steps in those bad boys — but if Storrie was able to master a Russian accent in one week flat, he’s probably up for the task.

The dark horse: Rick Owens

OK, so Owens isn’t exactly a Met Gala fixture. He and wife Michèle Lamy have attended the starry ball exactly once (in 2017) and his red carpet contributions are limited to a red fringed number for Rosalía and a pair of white sweatpants (yes, really) for Timothée Chalamet, both in 2021.

But unlike all the other designers we’ve mentioned so far, Owens’ work is actually featured in “Heated Rivalry,” with Storrie wearing a pair of his iconic drop-crotch pants (and nothing else) in Episode 4’s pivotal tuna melt scene.

And when asked about his dream fashion show invite in a recent Harper’s Bazaar interview, Williams immediately name-checked Owens, saying that scoring a seat at one of his notoriously theatrical presentations would be “pretty cool.”

Having Owens dress him for fashion’s biggest night of the year, we dare say, would be even cooler.