Warning: major spoilers for Shoresy season 3 ahead!

Season 3 of Shoresy saw the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs reach the pinnacle of Canadian senior hockey, but it also saw Shoresy himself at the lowest point in his life. The third season of the spinoff of beloved Canadian comedy show Letterkenny packed far more emotional depth into its brief runtime than the previous two seasons. In doing so, it added tremendous depth to its main character while setting up a potential future for the show.

In the new season, the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs host the National Senior Tournament, which qualified them to participate despite being the runner-ups (runners-up?) in their own regional league, the NOSHO. The Bulldogs entered the tournament in rough shape, with everyone except JJ Frankie JJ dealing with some sort of injury. Over the course of the tournament, they suffer more injuries despite continuing to win, but nobody gets more hurt than Shoresy. Mostly as a result of his own instigation, Shoresy suffers a major ankle injury along with two concussions inside a month.

After his second concussion left him unconscious, Nat makes the decision to not allow Shoresy to play in the tournament semi-final for his own safety. That opens up a conversation with his friends and family about his long-term health, ultimately leading to a decision that he would stop playing hockey for good once the tournament ended. Despite not playing, Shoresy “always finds a way to contribute”, and after starting a fight in the stands to inspire the Bulldogs to come from behind and win, Shoresy is suspended by representatives of each team in the tournament.

However, when they learn it will be his last game ever, they allow him to play out of respect. The Bulldogs go down 4-0 after two periods, leading to an emotional pep talk from Shoresy that ignites an incredible comeback, and the Bulldogs ultimately win 5-4. An emotional Shoresy breaks down in tears after the game, and is comforted by Nat. As a hockey player, Shoresy prepares to face a life without hockey, and is presented with multiple options.

What Shoresy’s Final Tease Means

The season ended with a hint at the show’s future

A pre-credits tease cheekily states that “This is the end of Shoresy” before pausing, and eventually adding “Part 1“. It indicates that the show will continue beyond season 3, which isn’t a surprise to those who know the show has already been renewed for season 4. However, the “Part 1” addition implies that there will be some sort of major shift in the ongoing narrative of Shoresy, and with Shoresy no longer able to play hockey, it’s safe to assume future seasons will address his new path.

At the end of the season finale, Shoresy is offered two jobs, both of which had been teased throughout the season. The first is as an analyst for BroDude (the fictional energy drink company in the extended Letterkenny/Shoresy universe), as the host of the show Questionable Calls Anik Archambault (played by model Kim Cloutier) spots his potential to talk hockey in front of a camera. Nat (Tasya Teles), the owner and general manager of the Bulldogs, simultaneously makes him an offer to coach, although she doesn’t specify in what capacity.

Shoresy season 4 will certainly follow the former Bulldog captain as he embarks on the next chapter of his hockey life. Given that both career paths were teased throughout season 3, it would make sense that he dabbles in careers as both a TV analyst and a coach moving forward. The coaching path is interesting considering that the Bulldogs already have a coach in Sanguinet. Season 3 saw Sanguinet and Shoresy clash more than ever before at one point, which could provide a hint at their future relationship as co-coaches.

Why Shoresy Was Forced To Hang Up His Skates Once And For All

The ending was foreshadowed all season

Injuries play a prevalent role in season 3 for the entire Bulldogs team, but it’s especially important in Shoresy’s arc. Two of the most-repeated hockey “rules” in season 3 are “never let ’em see you’re hurting” and “go til you can’t go no more.” Shoresy unfortunately reaches a point where he can’t go any more thanks to two vicious concussions that he suffers in quick succession. After a discussion with members of his large and diverse foster family, Shoresy arrives at the decision that his hockey career is over to preserve his long-term health.

Shoresy seeing his career come to an end due to concussions actually shines a light on one of the most serious issues facing major professional sports in CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). Great strides have been made in understanding the long-term effects of repeated blows to the head, and all professional leagues have placed a far greater emphasis on player safety. Football and hockey in particular are conscious of CTE due to the violent nature of the sports, so seeing Shoresy shine a light on the seriousness of the issue is admirable.

How Shoresy “Always Finds A Way To Contribute”

A major theme throughout season 3

As injured (and old) as Shoresy was in season 3, he was never really able to contribute in a meaningful way when it came to putting points on the board for the Bulldogs as he had in the past. Instead, season 3 highlighted his ability to “always find a way to contribute” to the team’s victory, often through instigating incidents on the ice to fire his team up or inspiring them in the locker room. That came to a head in episode 5, in which Shoresy found a way to contribute despite not playing.

Shoresy (along with his favorite insult targets, the young hockey players Liam and Cory) starts a fight in the stands by throwing beers at a pair of SOO Hunt fans in the middle of the game, which ultimately causes a delay in the game and kills the Hunt’s momentum, allowing the Bulldogs to claw their way to a comeback. He does it again in the championship game, as his passionate speech to his teammates before the third period lights a fire that leads to them scoring five goals in the final period–none of which came from Shoresy himself.

Where Nat And Shoresy’s Relationship Stands

It’s evolved over three seasons

While Shoresy and Nat have gone head-to-head throughout Shoresy, there has always been an underlying mutual respect. That blossomed into something more over the course of season 3. While they still traded barbs as usual, Nat’s genuine concern about Shoresy health elevated their relationship to something bordering on platonic love. There is never any romantic undertone, but Nat outright says that she cares more about him than winning, and comforts him with a hug as he breaks down crying after his final game.

That bit of growth is a great example of why Shoresy is seen by some as a Ted Lasso replacement. While the lightning-fast jokes and repeated bits (“Huh?“) are excellent on their own, the show is never afraid to show its heart. Jared Keeso in particular is able to oscillate between vulgar humor and heartfelt emotion, but season 3 saw Tasya Teles shine as Nat in the same fashion.

Why Jory Jordan And The Seminars/Webinar Are Significant

Shoresy gives back to the community

Child reporter Jory Jordan is a fan-favorite on the show, as his character nearly matches Shoresy himself when it comes to insult humor, but his interviews, along with the seminars (and webinar) that Shoresy hosts are an important part of Shoresy’s character development so far in the show. While Shoresy begrudgingly agrees to host the seminars out of his duty as a hockey player to give back to the community, he makes a genuine impact on the kids he speaks to. Jory Jordan also mentions that any time he has Shoresy on, his viewership increases.

Mostly due to his crass humor and simple, almost child-like tunnel vision when it comes to hockey, Shoresy is able to connect with kids. That could play a major role in his future, whether he pursues a career as a TV analyst or a coach. At the end of season 3, Nat said that she wanted him to coach, but never specified who she wanted him to coach. Season 4 of Shoresy could see him coaching a brand-new Junior Bulldogs team thanks to the growth of interest in hockey in the area thanks to the Bulldogs’ success.

Did Shoresy Make Any Progress With Laura?

The finale features a particularly flirtatious moment

A major highlight of Shoresy has always been Shoresy’s transformation around Laura Mohr (played by Camille Sullivan), the local reporter that he has a massive crush on. As popular as Shoresy’s mom jokes have always been, fans of the show are just as appreciative of Shoresy’s genuinely sweet attempts to charm and ask out Laura. While he has never been able to completely woo her, the end of season 3 sees him potentially make some progress.

He steps up his game and suggests that she wants to sleep with him, and she playfully responds with a similar line. She is clearly charmed by him, even though they have never progressed beyond flirting. With hockey out of the way, Shoresy may finally have time to put the pedal to the metal in his pursuit of Laura.

The Real Meaning Of Shoresy Season 3’s Ending

It highlights perseverance and heart via a love letter to hockey

Ultimately, Shoresy is a love letter to hockey, and season 3 elevated that concept. Jared Keeso is one of the real-life former professional hockey players on Shoresy, and it’s clear that so much love and effort has gone into depicting the traditions of hockey, and more importantly, hockey players. All the various rules and standards that are repeated throughout the show paint a clear image of how tough and competitive hockey players are, but the heartfelt moments show how much deeper the sport goes.

The best example comes right at the end of season 3. After playing five brutal games against opponents from all across Canada, trading insults, hits, and fists the entire way, the teams come together to have dinner. Laura sums it up in her final conversation with Shoresy:

I love that about hockey players. You all spend the week trying to kill each other, but there’s almost never any carryover after the final buzzer. A handshake, and it’s done.

Shoresy season 3 also speaks to the value of perseverance and heart through a hockey lens. The entire team plays injured throughout the entire tournament, except for JJ Frankie JJ, who is simply distracted by his personal life. Shoresy speaks directly to the difficulties that everyone faces in their life, and how important it is to press on if you want to succeed. In his final speech to the team, Shoresy directly addresses Frankie when he asks for a goal, and provides the most inspirational quote from the entire season:

Everybody’s playing through somethin’ here. Ya gotta play through it. Ya gotta battle.

The surprising amount of heart and emotion that was included in Shoresy season 3 are a hallmark of both the spinoff and its parent show, Letterkenny. Shoresy may be vulgar and outright mean at times, but underneath that exterior is an ultimately good person who cares about his team and about doing his absolute best until he physically can’t anymore. That acts as a metaphor for hockey in general; though the sport might be violent, its players are all tough yet genuine people who value each other and the purity of competition.