Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson has 57 points in 40 games. Can he hit the 100-point mark and beyond in 2023 or will he cool off?
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson is enjoying a career season in the Queen City. While Tage has cooled off over the past week, so have the Blue and Gold. But he still has 57 points in 40 contests, 31 goals, and 26 assists.
In short, Tage has been one of the NHL’s most dominant players. But have teams figured him and the high-octane Sabres out? It sure seems so, as they scored just five goals in the last three games, and Tage has been virtually a non-factor in the scoring department.
But don’t fear. Tage Thompson won’t just score 100-plus points this season; the Sabres will return to their high-scoring ways sooner than you may think.
Bold Prediction: Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson will score 100
All NHL teams hit dry spells, and that’s all the Sabres are on at the moment. Teams have caught on to what they like to do, so expect to see them pull something out of Don Granato’s bag of surprises as January rolls on.
Ideally, they will try more for those “dirty goals,” something they seem to shy away from. And with his size, reach, and strength, going for the “dirty goal” will play to Tage Thompson.
Expect him to threaten 35 goals by the All-Star Break. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he hit 30 assists, and these are conservative estimates. Overall, you should expect to see Tage hovering between 65 and 70 points when the All-Star Break rolls around, and he will pick up the pace during the second half of the season.
When the Sabres return to becoming the high-octane team that they are, and as the defense and goaltending progresses, that too way play into Tage’s hands. And you will be in store for one epic second half of the season.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
Want your voice heard? Join the Sabre Noise team!