Buffalo Sabres cornerstone Tage Thompson is one of the NHL's most dangerous offensive players thanks to his nearly unparalleled combination of size, speed and scoring touch. Now he's getting the chance to put that explosive skill set on display at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Thompson's Team USA teammates have been left in awe at times, including after the 2023 All-Star ripped a perfectly placed slap shot from the top of the circles for a goal in the Americans' 5-1 victory over Germany to close out the tournament's group stage.
"You see his bomb," Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin told Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com. "Like, no one else scores from out there."
Thompson maximized his ice time by scoring twice during pool play as the U.S. earned the No. 2 overall seed. New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan, who's leading Team USA at the Games, has often leaned on his Blueshirts players J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck in defensive situations, which has taken some shifts away from the Sabres superstar.
Nevertheless, the 28-year-old Arizona native still has an opportunity to steal the spotlight as the United States begins the knockout rounds Wednesday against Sweden, which features Buffalo teammate Rasmus Dahlin as part of its star-studded defensive corps.
Tage Thompson learning valuable high-pressure lessons ahead of Buffalo Sabres stretch run
The Sabres are going to face a bunch of pressure-packed situations over their final 25 contests of the regular season if they're going to finally end the franchise's 14-year playoff drought.
Thompson has yet to skate in the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he's gained a lot of big-game experience with Team USA. He scored the game-winning overtime goal to lead the U.S. to gold in the 2025 IIHF World Championship last summer and now he's getting to play on the biggest international stage of them all at the Milano Cortina Games.
The 2016 first-round draft pick is relishing the chance to rise to the occasion.
"This is what you live for, those games that mean something, big challenge, when there's a lot on the line," Thompson told Cotsonika. "I think that's why we all play the game, is to play in those important games and to be a difference-maker."
Only a select group of NHL players better fit that difference-maker label than Thompson, who's also captured gold medals with the Americans at the 2015 U-18 World Championship and 2017 World Juniors.
His ability to create individual offense could turn the tide for the Americans in what are typically tightly contested, low-mistake elimination games.
Regardless of how the Olympic tournament finishes for Team USA, Thompson will return to Buffalo having gained a lot of priceless experience.
That'll be important in numerous ways for the Sabres, but perhaps none more so than his role as a leader in the club's locker room. They're going to face some challenging situations over the next few months, and he'll be expected to help lead the way. The same goes for Dahlin.
Thompson, who's scored 59 points (30 goals and 29 assists) in 57 NHL games this season, has shown a propensity for stepping up when it matters most for the U.S.
The Sabres will hope that's true as their postseason chase comes down to the wire.