The Buffalo Sabres surprised many with a respectable late-season run in March and April. And one player surprised NHL pundits with a stellar season.
The Buffalo Sabres had plenty of players who exceeded expectations in 2021-22. But no one on the team exceeded expectations easier than Tage Thompson.
If you look back at any season preview, not a single Sabres guru had a high opinion of Thompson. And why would they?
Between 2018-19 and 2020-21, Thompson appeared in 104 games for the Sabres, logging between 12 and 14 minutes of ice time. He recorded 26 points in that span, including 15 goals and 11 assists.
His defensive game, at best, was spotty. So it was easy to write off guys like Thompson in favor of other early-round picks like Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens. Yet here we are, six months following the season opener, and Thompson sits atop the first line.
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson easily exceeded expectations in 2021-22
In his 74 games, Thompson leads the Sabres in goals scored with 36. He is also tied for second in assists with 27, and is leading the team with 63 points.
Thompson was so good this season, he received consideration to take part in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game, representing the Sabres for the Last Man In voting. It’s easy to call Thompson a snub, considering his performance and sheer improvement this season.
His most distinguishing moments of the year occurred during his hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche on February 19th. He also recorded his first three-point performance earlier in the season on January 22nd versus the Philadelphia Flyers.
The most memorable moment came against the Chicago Blackhawks, when Thompson drilled one of the most improbable game-winning goals in league history. Breaking his stick during the shot, the game-winner sailed left and bounced off the boards, only for Blackhawks goaltender Kevin Lankinen to inadvertently kick the puck into the net.
Thompson’s first multiple-goal game occurred against the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 22nd. An encore performance came four days later with another two-goal game versus the Montreal Canadiens. Overall, Thompson scored multiple goals eight different times in 2021-22.
Expect Tage Thompson’s arrow to keep pointing north heading into next season. And he will threaten to represent the Sabres in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)