Buffalo Sabres cornerstone Tage Thompson scored 44 goals last season, including an NHL-high 37 at even strength, to further solidify himself as one of hockey's most dynamic offensive players. Yet, the league-wide recognition has been slow to arrive.
The latest example came Wednesday night when the NHL Network released its ranking of the top 20 centers ahead of the 2025-26 season. Not only did Thompson fail to crack the top 10, he barely even made the list at all, checking in at No. 18.
His surprisingly low placement raises questions about whether the Sabres superstar is underrated, perhaps in a significant way.
Tage's NHL track record
Thompson's transformation from nearly garnering the bust label into a top-tier scorer was a sight to behold.
The 27-year-old American's first four NHL seasons, which included time with the St. Louis Blues before arriving to Buffalo in the Ryan O'Reilly trade, were concerning. He scored just 35 points in 145 games and compiled a minus-40 rating.
His lack of production led to debates about whether the Sabres should even protect Thompson in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Luckily they did because the very next season his production exploded.
The UConn product has recorded 290 points (158 goals and 132 assists) in 303 appearances since the start of the 2021-22 campaign. He's topped 40 goals twice, which includes lighting the lamp a career-high 47 times in 2022-23.
All told, Thompson is now firmly entrenched as one of the NHL's best snipers, which is mostly why his low positional ranking came as such a surprise.
Where the Buffalo forward must improve
The high-end talent atop the NHL Network's center list — Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Aleksander Barkov and Sidney Crosby — showcases why it's the most star-studded position in the league. That's a Hall of Fame caliber group.
It's fair to say Tage doesn't belong in the same category as those studs. At least not yet. If he eventually wants to crack the top 10, or potentially the top five, his defensive game must improve.
Thompson was on the ice for 64 5-on-5 goals last season, which was tied for 23rd among all NHL forwards, per Natural Stat Trick. The Sabres also allowed 54 5-on-5 goals with him on the ice, which tied for the 26th-highest total, though.
The 2016 first-round pick's defensive game has definitely made strides during his time in Buffalo, but it's still a work in progress. Head coach Lindy Ruff even moved him to wing midway through last season to help cover up some of that weakness.
What to expect from Thompson in 2025-26
For now, it's projected Tage will line up on the wing to open the new campaign. That's contingent on Josh Norris, who has a long history of injury issues, staying healthy throughout training camp and the preseason. They'll probably be joined by either Jason Zucker or Zach Benson on the top line.
The Sabres' lineup actually pieces together better with Thompson at center, however. It would allow Alex Tuch to play first-line minutes while also taking some pressure off both Norris and Jiri Kulich, who'd shift into slightly smaller roles.
Regardless, the 6-foot-6 Arizona native should remain one of the NHL's most dangerous players. He's in an exclusive group of stars who can single-handedly take over a game, as he did with a rare five-goal performance against the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.
If Buffalo is going to earn a long-awaited playoff berth, Thompson will probably need to make a serious push toward 50 goals. He's certainly capable, and reaching that type of illustrious milestone would surely help him climb next year's NHL Network list.