Buffalo Sabres: Tage Thompson showing remarkable early returns
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him rewarded with a seven-year contract extension.
In 2021-22, Tage Thompson led the Buffalo Sabres in scoring with 68 goals and 38 points. But many felt that it didn’t warrant the massive, seven-year contract extension that he signed last summer.
Tage started off the 2022-23 season slowly, as did linemate Jeff Skinner. But if October 2022 showed us an indication, it is that Tage is poised to enjoy an even better year if he continues playing at this high-octane level, having scored 12 points (six goals) in nine games.
Do the math, and that’s 109 points across an 82-game season. And while it’s farfetched to see a player make the leap from 68 points to 109 points, Thompson is also playing for a Buffalo Sabres team that is one season more experienced.
Which was the entire point general manager Kevyn Adams opted instead to re-sign the center as opposed to spending money in free agency. And following an 8-3 win over the Yzerman-built Detroit Red Wings, who did everything Adams didn’t, who can blame him? At least at this point in the season.
Tage Thompson is shining for the Buffalo Sabres
Thompson, 25, is hardly into his prime, and he has displayed time and again since he started showing strides late in the 2020-21 season that he is capable of putting up All-Star-caliber performances with two hat tricks in nine games.
But Tage isn’t just scoring goals; he also has six assists on the young season that shows us he is more than willing and able to pass the puck around to give his Sabres teammates the best possible looks when they are attacking the net in the offensive zone.
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In tonight’s game against the Red Wings, Tage accounted for six goals. Three of his own, and helpers for Jack Quinn, Jeff Skinner, and Rasmus Dahlin. If Tage keeps up these outstanding performances, expect him to represent the Buffalo Sabres at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game.
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(Statistics provided by NHL.com)