Buffalo Sabres: Tage ranks 10th on major network’s list of best centers
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres have struggled lately, but center Tage Thompson has been a bright spot all season, ranking as the 10th best center in hockey.
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson’s list of accolades continues to grow. Earlier today, Tage landed at number ten on ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski’s 10 best centers of 2023 rankings.
The rankings criteria involved surveys handed to 10 NHL players, three head coaches, three general managers, and an additional four from hockey operations departments. For each position: center, defenseman, goaltender, each individual surveyed was given a list of between 25 and 35 players presumed to be among the best in the league at each position, and to vote on who they felt should land in the top ten.
This is important to know, since these were not rankings of one or even a few hockey analysts, but from those from within league circles. So for Tage to rank 10th in the league thanks to surveys from his peers is, and should be, a tremendous honor.
Oh, and there was this little tidbit Wyshynski felt the need to include. You may get a laugh out of it:
"“Here’s some incredible irony for Sabres fans: Tage Thompson actually tied for 10th place in total points but won the tiebreaker thanks to having the higher individual placement over the center who tied him.“That center? Buffalo’s old friend Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, who officially placed just outside the top 10.” – via ESPN."
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson voted among the league’s best
While Tage is most likely still a mystery to many hockey fans thanks to the small market that is Buffalo, New York, he is well-deserving of a top ten ranking. Even if the Sabres continue to struggle and ultimately miss the playoffs, it doesn’t matter – Tage should still rank among the NHL’s best.
Johnson would be foolish not to sign with the Buffalo Sabres. light. Hot
Currently, he has 72 points in 55 contests, 36 goals, and 36 assists. He’s also garnering a career-high of ice time at 18:52, and is currently shooting at a career high 16.7%. Overall, his presence has helped transform the Blue and Gold into one of the NHL’s highest-scoring teams throughout most of the season, and it’s a trend that will continue as the young Sabres grow with experience.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
Source: Top 10 NHL centers of 2023: Execs, players vote for best by Greg Wyshynski, ESPN.com
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