Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough's new boyfriend feels like "a pretty lucky guy."

The 'Safe Haven' actress, who split from Ryan Seacrest last March after three years together, recently started dating Canadian ice-hockey star Brooks Laich after they were introduced by their mutual friend, actor Teddy Sears, in December, and he admits he is completely smitten with the blonde beauty.

The 30-year-old athlete told Washington D.C. radio station 106.7 The Fan on Wednesday (19.02.14) that Teddy, who worked with Julianne on her upcoming film 'Curve' thought they would be the perfect match.

He said: "On set, apparently, he (Teddy) was talking with Julianne, and said he had recently just got married--just got back from his honeymoon--and then asked her if she'd been seeing anyone, and she said no or whatever, and I guess he was watching our hockey game at the time. He always watches the game on Game Center on his iPad. I guess he just showed her the iPad and said, 'Well I've got a guy for you,' or something. I guess that was sort of how it started."

Brooks finally met Julianne a few months later.

He said: "He kept mentioning her name and mentioning her name, eventually we connected. Happy we did. In December, Teddy and Melissa [Teddy Sears' wife] came back for a little wedding reception of theirs, back in D.C. here, and Jules came out with them and I got to meet her at that point."

Asked about their romance, he added: "I don't want to get into a whole lot of it; I'm kind of shy on my personal life. But she's a cool, cool gal. She's just a sweetheart, very loving, very giving. She puts so much great out into the world. I'm a pretty lucky guy."

Meanwhile, a source close to the former 'Dancing with the Stars' professional, 25, told E! News that she is equally taken with her new boyfriend.

The insider said: "He's a very nice guy. She really likes him."