Tage Thompson was the Buffalo Sabres most productive forward in 2022-23, and that trend could continue in 2023-24 and beyond.
We have reached the Final Four in our Player Outlooks Series, which gives you a glimpse into a realistic projection or two for each Buffalo Sabres player expected to earn a spot in the lineup. Today, we are talking about Tage Thompson, who put up 94 points, 47 goals, and 47 assists in what was a career season.
Besides his remarkable points total, Tage also achieved career highs in shooting percentage (15.9%), average time on ice (18:35), and faceoff win percentage (43.1%) in years where he took 450 or more faceoffs. He also landed a respectable 55 hits and 43 takeaways in the 78 games he appeared in.
So what can we expect from Tage in 2023-24? 100 points? At least 50 goals? While it’s possible, it’s also true, and I’ve been stressing this point often throughout the Player Outlook Series, that he may not score so often because of the Buffalo Sabres improvement in defense and in their second line, even without Jack Quinn.
Tage Thompson will enjoy another elite season with the Buffalo Sabres
This isn’t to say Tage won’t have another great season, and it could be a better year all around in more than just scoring. I’ll project he scores somewhere between 80 and 90 points, so there won’t be too much drop-off, but we also need to remember that Tage can, or should, easily pitch in when it comes to playing defense, he just hasn’t done so yet.
At 6’6, 220 lbs, Tage has the size to get physical with opponents, and his 92 takeaways over the past two seasons show he can use his stick to separate them from the puck. And with a better defense coming to the Blue and Gold this season, Tage should be ready and willing to step up his own defensive game as opposed to the (mainly) all-out offensive approach we saw last season.
Even if he scores fewer points, it doesn’t mean there would be a drop in production, especially if he plays a more well-rounded game. So look for a slight drop-off in points thanks to better defense from him and the team, along with more scoring productivity from the second and third lines.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)