Tage Thompson scored the game-winning overtime goal as Team USA defeated Switzerland to win the 2025 IIHF World Championship gold medal in May. The superstar forward arrived to Buffalo Sabres training camp eager to build off that memorable moment.
Thompson, a two-time 40-goal scorer in the NHL, admitted trying to make the United States roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics was a significant motivating factor heading into the 2025-26 season.
Now, the 28-year-old Arizona native is watching that dream slowly fade away as another Sabres season collapses before Christmas. His lack of contributions, especially in recent games, is a major reason Buffalo has slid to last place in the Eastern Conference.
Thompson has recorded a modest 12 points (six goals and six assists) in 16 games. His minus-seven rating is the third-worst mark on the team and his 45.6 expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at 5-on-5 ranks 14th among 18 Sabres forwards, per Natural Stat Trick.
"You're getting chances, it means you're doing things right," Thompson recently told reporters. "I think now it's just we got to capitalize (on) them. And … my job is to score goals. I feel like I've had chances and haven't capitalized on a lot of them that I've had. So, got to find ways to bear down and find the back of the net."
The 2023 All-Star needs to start lighting the lamp at a rapid rate if he wants to overcome stiff competition for a place on the American squad heading to Italy in February.
Tage Thompson's compete level and production must both improve for the Buffalo Sabres in order to make the Team USA roster
Everybody thought goaltending was the Sabres' biggest concern coming into the season. Incumbent starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was hurt, backup Alex Lyon didn't have an extensive track record as a No. 1 goalie and waiver-wire pickup Colten Ellis was an unknown.
As it turns out, Buffalo's play in net has been the club's only major bright spot. The Blue and Gold's three netminders have combined to post a .906 save percentage, which ranks seventh in the NHL, in large part due to Lyon's terrific play (.912 SV% in 11 starts).
Instead, it's been the Sabres' marquee players who've failed to carry their fair share of the burden.
Thompson, whose unique combination of size (6'6''), speed and hands made him one of the league's toughest players to defend in recent years, has looked slow over the season's first month. At times, he's appeared downright disinterested with a worrisome lack of compete.
There's no time for empty shifts in a short tournament like the Olympics. A single goal against can change the Americans' entire trajectory, or eliminate them from the event if it's a knockout round.
To Tage's credit, he was a standout during the World Championships earlier in the year. Counting the championship-winning goal, he finished with nine points (six goals and three assists) in 10 games to go along with a plus-seven rating.
An argument can be made the Sabres' losing environment sinks all ships. Countless players have left Buffalo during the franchise's active 14-year playoff drought and immediately stole the spotlight elsewhere, led by the Vegas Golden Knights' Jack Eichel and Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart.
Yet, even when things aren't going great on a team-wide basis — the Blue and Gold's 14 points (5-7-4 record) are tied for the NHL's second fewest — a player can always control his own compete level.
That was rarely an issue over Thompson first seven years in Buffalo, so it's hard to know exactly why it's popping up now. Perhaps the endless losing is having an impact on him or maybe he's starting to press knowing the Olympic roster decisions are on the horizon.
Regardless, the typically dynamic winger isn't driving play anywhere close to his usual rate and that needs to change in the immediate future as trade rumors begin to swirl.
At his best, Thompson absolutely deserves a spot on the Team USA roster. He's capable of creating offense out of nothing, as he did on that game-winning goal against Switzerland six months ago, and he brings lineup flexibility since he can play center or wing.
His performance for most of this season hasn't come anywhere close to his usual standard, however, and the key U.S. decision-makers have surely taken notice.