There are two players who come to mind when you think of the Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson. Dahlin’s been great, but Tage may be the face of the franchise these days, considering his epic output year after year. And yes, I’m counting the 2023-24 season as ‘epic,’ too, since Tage played through injuries that year.
Even amidst another down season for the Blue and Gold, Tage gave fans a reason to tune in, as his play on the ice was better than ever. No, he didn’t set a career best in goals or points, but he also missed a few games once again, thanks to injuries. Still, he didn’t fight through them so much this time around.
Tage finished 2024-25 as a league leader in even-strength goals with 37. He also showed more of a physical edge with 70 hits and contributed another seven goals on the man advantage, if you want some initial stats.
Grade: A-minus - Tage continues to play outstanding hockey, even if his defensive play remains suspect. Still, when the Sabres need a goal, he’s there. If they need someone to carry the team offensively, he’s there. And that’s why he aced the litmus test this season.
A full look at Tage Thompson’s numbers in 2024-25
Tage Thompson played in 76 games in 2024-25, snagging 72 points and 44 goals. He wasn’t as much of a playmaker, logging just 28 assists, but who cares and who’s counting? He scored 44 times; that’s over 0.6 goals per contest; 0.611 to be exact. Had he played in all 82 games, Tage would’ve snagged 50 at that same rate. Don’t believe me? Do the math.
Going into his age-28 season in 2025-26, Tage is well entrenched in his prime, and he’s built a reputation as one of the NHL’s hottest goal scorers. And here’s a number to consider: Starting in 2021-22 and through 2024-25, Tage has scored 39.5 goals per season on average, and it’s a number you can expect to increase.
No, Tage’s defense isn’t the best. Sure, he could stand to provide more helpers and win more face-offs. And yeah, he’s more of a pure scorer and someone who can create a highlight reel montage. That’s all he needs to do if he plans on keeping up his upward trend.
Outlook for 2025-26? What do you think?
Tage’s outlook for 2025-26, or, I should say, way too early outlook for 2025-26, should be more of the same, but keeping up with that physical edge. If he manages to play all 82 games next season, hitting 50 goals isn’t surprising anyone.
100 points? Probably not, but if he can somehow give Alex Tuch, JJ Peterka, and Company a few more helpers, then anything and everything’s on the table. So, I don’t want to put limits on Tage and what he can do if the Sabres have him for an 82-game slate.
Plus, there’s also the fact that the Blue and Gold have a lot of scorers, like Jason Zucker, just to name one. Something they proved this season. That said, Tage can get away with being a highly productive player without putting up Nathan MacKinnon-like numbers.