The Tea
Nothing Exploded, Everything Mattered
Week 17 had the particular energy of a group project where everyone suddenly realizes the due date is real. Scores didn't explode, but outcomes mattered. The standings tightened, depth quietly decided things, and several teams learned that "pretty good" is no longer enough.
By Nina Rivera • Staff Writer
The Matchups
DeMan DeSmith DeLegend (103.3) def. Strome Alone (91.3)
This was the cleanest, most disciplined win of the week.
DeMan DeSmith DeLegend didn't chase spikes, they stacked competence. Jared McCann led with 13.3 points, while Alex Tuch (11.7) and Adrian Kempe (11.6) kept the pressure consistent across the scoring categories. It wasn't flashy, but it was relentless.
Strome Alone wasn't absent. Rasmus Dahlin was excellent with 13.2 points, Connor McDavid added 9.1, and Jacob Trouba chipped in 8.1. The problem wasn't effort, it was distribution. Too much weight at the top, not enough underneath.
Verdict: Depth doesn't look exciting, but it wins weeks like this.
Don't Trust Aho (103.8) def. Hughes Your Daddy (91.5)
This matchup never tipped into chaos, but it never loosened either.
Don't Trust Aho won by doing a lot of things at once. Brandon Raddysh led with 12.7 points, Wyatt Johnston followed with 9.2, and Charlie McAvoy added 9.1 from the blue line. Nothing went nuclear, but nothing went quiet.
Hughes Your Daddy had strong moments. Thomas Harley put up 11.0 points, Brock Clarke added 10.4, and Filip Hronek contributed 8.4. The difference came down to timing. Don't Trust Aho's production arrived steadily, Hughes Your Daddy's came in pockets.
Verdict: This was a controlled win, which is somehow more threatening than a blowout.
Smashville Puckheads (87.3) def. McDaddy Issues (77.1)
Not a high-scoring affair, but an important one.
Smashville Puckheads did just enough, early and often. Alexis Lafrenière led with 9.0 points, Filip Forsberg added 8.7, and Brandon Hagel matched Brady Tkachuk at 8.4. It was balanced, steady, and never panicked.
McDaddy Issues didn't collapse, but they stalled. Brady Tkachuk's 8.4 and Zach Hyman's 7.9 kept things respectable, but the supporting cast didn't bridge the gap. Once Smashville pulled ahead, there was no real swing back.
Verdict: Not dramatic, just decisive, and those wins add up.
Honorable Mentions (a.k.a. Games That Still Mattered)
My Little Kraklings (97.1) over The Spoked Bae (65.9): A top team doing top-team things, led by Leon Draisaitl (11.6) and Mitch Marner (9.1).
What's Dunn Is Dunn (112.8) over Teenage Mutant Ninja Hertl (87.2): Big goaltending numbers and a strong Eriksson Ek showing made this one lopsided early.
Papi's Princesses (86.7) over Lachimolala (72.7): Not a playoff swing, but a needed confidence win. Nick Suzuki's 11.0 points led the way, and sometimes that's enough to remind everyone that wins still count, even when they're mostly emotional.
Team of the Week
DeMan DeSmith DeLegend earns it this week. This wasn't about one monster performance. It was about structure. They posted 103.3 points against a capable opponent, with four skaters over 11 points and no dead zones in the lineup. The win was calm, efficient, and exactly what you want in late January. This team didn't chase trends. They trusted their build and executed it.
Coldest Team of the Week
Hughes Your Daddy takes the title this week. Not a disaster, but the wrong kind of quiet. They put up 91.5 points, which normally keeps you competitive. This week, it didn't. Strong individual efforts didn't overlap enough, and the matchup slipped away without ever fully cracking open. Gentle reminder: close losses still count as losses.
Transactions & Trades
Business, Not Feelings
The waiver wire stayed active, but notably composed. DeMan DeSmith DeLegend made a late move, adding Jimmy Snuggerud and cutting Marcus Foligno, a classic "future upside, present patience" decision. Don't Trust Aho quietly swapped Andrew Copp for Kailer Yamamoto, tightening around the edges rather than swinging big.
Translation: No one sat still. That's the story.
Trade Activity
McDaddy Issues ↔ Delaney's Daring Team
McDaddy Issues sends: Roope Hintz
Delaney's Daring Team sends: Brady Tkachuk
Don't Trust Aho ↔ Delaney's Daring Team
Don't Trust Aho sends: Jackson Blake, Mason McTavish
Delaney's Daring Team sends: Nick Schmaltz, Bo Horvat
McDaddy Issues dealt Roope Hintz to Delaney's Daring Team in exchange for Brady Tkachuk, a trade that reshaped multiple lineups and reintroduced real trade energy into the league. Don't Trust Aho also got involved, moving Jackson Blake and Mason McTavish to Delaney's for Nick Schmaltz and Bo Horvat, further redistributing depth across the standings.
This wasn't chaos for chaos's sake. This was adjustment season.
League Landscape After Week 17
Across the league, separation is shrinking. The middle is crowded, the top is uncomfortable, and no one is coasting.
East: Tkachuk Around And Find Out still sets the pace at 14-3, but Don't Trust Aho (13-4), Net Results (12-5), and DeMan DeSmith DeLegend (12-5) are packed close enough to make every matchup feel like a referendum. Smashville Puckheads (11-6) continue to lurk, winning quietly and staying annoying.
West: My Little Kraklings remain out front at 14-3, but the gap isn't relaxing. Candy Canes for Hurricanes (12-5) and McDaddy Issues (11-6) are positioned to capitalize on any slip, while the rest of the division is fighting to stay relevant rather than fall out of view.
This is no longer theoretical playoff talk. These games matter.
Moral of the Week
This is the part of the season where habits show. Teams still making calm, boring decisions tend to survive, while teams chasing fixes usually just chase. League 12 remains tight, competitive, and just chaotic enough to keep everyone checking the scoreboard twice.
Haiku of the Week
Late season pressure
Depth beats hope and vibes again
Standings don't blink first
Current Standings
East Division
Tkachuk Around And Find Out
14-3-0
Don't Trust Aho
13-4-0
Net Results
12-5-0
DeMan DeSmith DeLegend
12-5-0
Smashville Puckheads
11-6-0
The Em-VPs
10-7-0
What's Dunn is Dunn
10-7-0
The Spoked Bae
4-13-0
Delaney's Daring Team
4-13-0
Papi's Princesses
3-14-0
West Division
My Little Kraklings
14-3-0
Candy Canes for Hurricanes
12-5-0
McDaddy Issues
11-6-0
Stay in the Net
8-9-0
Strome Alone
8-9-0
Teenage Mutant Ninja Hertl
8-9-0
Lachimolala
5-12-0
Hughes Your Daddy
4-13-0
Panarin Bread
4-13-0
Nose Face Killah Crew
3-14-0