Netflix Greenlights “Icebreaker” – A Hockey-Romance Series Adaptation

At the Banff World Media Festival, Netflix announced a series adaptation of Hannah Grace’s novel *Icebreaker*. Jinny Howe, Netflix’s head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada, confirmed the order. Amanda Lasher will be showrunner and co-writer; Jade Bartlett will co-write the pilot and co-produce. Unwell Productions, led by Alex Cooper, will produce with Matt Kaplan and Mina/Meena Lefevre.

Deadline Hollywood

*Icebreaker* opens Grace’s Maple Hills trilogy, a college romance that blends figure skating and hockey. The book spent 70 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold about five million copies worldwide. Its greenlight follows recent hockey-romance series such as *Heated Rivalry* and *Off Campus*, extending Netflix’s track record of turning romance novels into global hits.

Hollywood Reporter

Amanda Lasher, former co-executive producer on *Gossip Girl*, is showrunner and co-writer. Jade Bartlett, who debuted with *Miller’s Girl*, co-writes the pilot and co-executes. Alex Cooper leads Unwell Productions, known for *Love Overboard*. Jinny Howe heads Netflix scripted series. Hannah Grace is the author, represented by Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management. Matt Kaplan and Mina/Meena Lefevre also serve as executive producers.

Deadline Hollywood

The novel logged 70 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold about five million copies worldwide.

Variety Magazine

Netflix’s Jinny Howe noted the platform’s success turning romance novels into global hits and called *Icebreaker* the “perfect next chapter” for members. Lasher cited her long-standing love for steamy YA and praised the collaboration. Bartlett described the characters as ambitious, talented and deeply compassionate.

Variety Magazine

Most sources say the romance pits figure-skater Anastasia Allen against hockey player Nate Hawkins; one report instead describes a decade-long relationship between two rival hockey players. The executive producer’s surname appears as “Mina Lefevre” in one article and “Meena Lefevre” in others. No release date or casting details have been released.

Hollywood Reporter

• “Netflix has a long history of turning beloved romance novels into massive global hits. We know our members can’t get enough of these stories, which makes ‘Icebreaker’ the perfect next chapter for us,” — Jinny Howe, Netflix head of scripted series (U.S. & Canada)

Variety Magazine

• “I have been a fan of steamy YA since the 7th grade; reading Judy Blume stealthily hidden behind a text book,” — Amanda Lasher

Variety Magazine

• “It’s been such a joy to play in Hannah Grace’s world of Icebreaker; a story filled with ambitious, talented, and undeniably sexy characters. But the real special sauce is that, above all, they are good, deeply compassionate people. … And we cannot get enough of them.” — Jade Bartlett

Hollywood Reporter

• “By supercharging the hockey sports romance genre, Icebreaker has ignited a passionate fandom and helped redefine the landscape of contemporary romance.” — Jinny Howe, Netflix

Variety Magazine

Unwell Productions has begun script development with Lasher and Bartlett. Netflix has not set a premiere window, but the greenlight hints at a 2027-type rollout.

Deadline Hollywood