Former professional hockey player Jesse Kortuem spent years believing that loving the game meant hiding who he was. Although hockey shaped his childhood and early adulthood, fear kept him closeted, eventually pushing him away from the sport entirely.
Recently however, Kortuem came out as gay in a heartfelt Facebook post, crediting the unexpected impact of Heated Rivalry—a hugely popular queer hockey romance series—with helping him realize that honesty and hockey didn’t have to be mutually exclusive.
While Kortuem never played in the NHL, he competed across several leagues and has always had a passion for the sport. Still, fear lingered. Because of that fear, he delayed coming out for years. When Heated Rivalry gained traction, he said it shifted something he could no longer ignore.
"It has been overwhelming in the best way possible," Kortuem told the Daily Dot via Instagram DM. "To be honest, seeing the reach of my story was a bit daunting at first. But I keep coming back to the mission: making hockey a safe and inclusive space for anyone who loves the game."
"If this wide reach means that a young kid in Fargo, North Dakota or a player at the collegiate level feels a little less alone today, then every bit of vulnerability was worth it."
How Heated Rivalry helped reframe hockey culture
"I know many closeted and gay men in the hockey world are being hit hard by Heated Rivalry’s success," Kortuem told Out magazine.
He added, "Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport."
The emotional impact surprised him. Over several weeks, he wrestled with what his honesty might change. "I’ve struggled the last few weeks to put these emotions into words, fearing the impact on team dynamics, etc.," he said. Still, he decided to speak publicly.
"Today, I took the step to finally tell my hockey journey and my story," Kortuem said. "I’m beyond grateful for all the positive comments I’ve received from past teammates and high school teammates."
He posted a lengthy statement on Facebook explaining his coming-out journey. In it, he described the rink as both comfort and concealment. "For me, it is the sound of a place where I felt I had to hide," he wrote, recalling the experiences of his youth on the ice.
Because he grew up as the youngest of four boys in Minnesota, sports shaped his identity early. But he lived with constant tension: Kortuem loved the game, but he feared exposure.
"To my younger self, that identity could never be revealed. I did not think those two worlds could occupy the same person, let alone the same locker room," he wrote.
Later, that fear pushed him away. At 17, he left his high school team. Years afterward, he returned to hockey in New York and Atlanta. While he came out in other areas of life, he stayed closeted on his teams. He changed subjects in locker rooms whenever talk of relationships came up.
Support pours in after coming-out post goes viral
Eventually, a gay hockey tournament in Las Vegas changed things for him. He met other gay players and began rebuilding his relationship with the sport. "This past weekend at Sun Peaks was so much more than just a few hockey games. Standing on that ice, I realized I have finally found my peace," Kortuem wrote.
After his post spread, reactions poured in across platforms. One Instagram user wrote, "Just as Heated Rivalry is touching lives, so will you living as your authentic self."
Others echoed that support. "I see you. And proud of you," one person commented. "Thank you for lending your voice to this movement. You are saving lives here. Our voices are needed for younger players to see they can show up as their full selves and play the game! 🥹♥️🙏🏼🏒🏳️🌈"
On Facebook, a likely former teammate wrote, "So happy for you that you’ve finally found peace! Thank you for sharing something so private, vulnerable and difficult for you."
"Keep being you bud. It takes alot of courage to do what you have done. Keep inspiring people. You only get one life so live it too the fullest," said one final commenter.
Jesse Kortuem did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Instagram DM.
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