Player Discussion Tage Thompson 1

[dire wolf]

Real talk: no one has ever appreciated what Tyler Myers is/was. Ruff saw tall and thought Chara. What he was was Brian Campbell Big&Tall.

Myers was no Soupy. Losing Campbell is one of the most underrated aspects of this organization’s downfall. We haven’t had intelligent breakouts and consistently fast and reliable transitions since he’s gone. Dahlin will be the new Soupman - but better.

 

[dire wolf]

Is this a broad assumption directed at me that my thinking reps in a proven developmental league damns him to never return or writes him off entirely?

His body of work has been particularly unimpressive. If a player groomed from within was as unimpressive, he would have been sent down much like Bailey and Baptiste were at times last year when they didn't bring anything of value.

True, but Bap never looked this invisible/frail

 

[Chainshot]

If the Sabres feel like he's benefiting from his time off the ice in some way, what reason do we have to disagree? Not to sound like "Sabres management can never be wrong because they have jobs" but honestly, why assume we know better than the people working directly with Tage on a daily basis? Development is as much mental as it is physical.

The proof will be in the pudding. And since I'm hard-pressed to think of players who have been kept around the big club who continued to develop at a quality pace, I'll fall back on that sparse development history to illuminate my own concerns that in a vacuum he be given the opportunity to both practice and play that is often so crucial to young players, albeit at the minor pro level.

 

[Jim Bob]

If we don't trust our strength and conditioning staff in the minors then we have other problems.

And the Amerks do have both a S&C coach and an assistant S&C coach. It's not like there should be an issue there.

 

[wnysupport]

Dahlin did an AMA on reddit very recently where he said that he lives with Mittelatadt and Thompson....it’s the only reason I can think of he’s still in the NHL, lol (Thompson that is)

 

[ZZamboni]

Dahlin did an AMA on reddit very recently where he said that he lives with Mittelatadt and Thompson....it’s the only reason I can think of he’s still in the NHL, lol (Thompson that is)

That’s weird. I reminder hearing his mother was supposed to live with him his first full year in the states. Guess things changed.

 

[sabremike]

That’s weird. I reminder hearing his mother was supposed to live with him his first full year in the states. Guess things changed.

I'm trying to figure out why those 3 would be living on their own and not with a vet? That was literally the only smart progressive idea Brian Burke ever came up with as a GM and it's SOP around the league. Unless they are all living with his mom???

 

[Reddawg]

Dahlin did an AMA on reddit very recently where he said that he lives with Mittelatadt and Thompson....it’s the only reason I can think of he’s still in the NHL, lol (Thompson that is)

Just read the AMA and WOW, sarcasm and deadpan are completely lost on the Swedish youth.

 

[WYFR]

That’s weird. I reminder hearing his mother was supposed to live with him his first full year in the states. Guess things changed.

Mrs. Dahlin is the "rookie mom" and watching all the youngin's?

 

[tsujimoto74]

That’s weird. I reminder hearing his mother was supposed to live with him his first full year in the states. Guess things changed.

I don't think Dahlin lives with either, but he's roomed with both (maybe one at rookie camp and the other at the full camp?).

 

[Dreakon13]

Just read the AMA and WOW, sarcasm and deadpan are completely lost on the Swedish youth.

I'm sure most pro athletes don't spend nearly as much time as we do on internet forums like this or even social media in general, where the sarcasm is so heavy and abundant.

 

[Reddawg]

I'm sure most pro athletes don't spend nearly as much time as we do on internet forums like this or even social media in general, where the sarcasm is so heavy and abundant.

Still, I think most pro athletes would understand the "fell from heaven" metaphor.

 

[wnysupport]

That’s weird. I reminder hearing his mother was supposed to live with him his first full year in the states. Guess things changed.

Yeah not sure, but he did mention it a few times.

 

[wnysupport]

I don't think Dahlin lives with either, but he's roomed with both (maybe one at rookie camp and the other at the full camp?).

Here is the AMA:


..and the quote:
ghostofadolphinAIK - HA32 points·9 days ago
With whom on the team do you spend the most time outside of hockey?

Fanatics_Official84 points·8 days ago
I live with Casey Mittelstadt and Tage Thompson. We're hanging out a lot, but we're always so tired, so we play a lot of video games.
Our favorite thing to do is watch movies together. It's so relaxing.

 

[Jim Bob]

Still, I think most pro athletes would understand the "fell from heaven" metaphor.

It could be a language barrier thing.

 

[Buffaloed]

There's a timely article by John Vogl in The Athletic. You'll need a subscription to read the entire article.
Sabres plan to develop Tage Thompson with coaching (and...

Here's a few quotes

From Housley:
“We continue to develop his game". “There’s a lot of things that people don’t see. It’s like on the day of the games where he can be really specific doing one-on-one drills or puck-protection drills, all those little things. I really like his development in that area, looking at video and trying to get better each day.
“I understand that playing is the most important. He’s going to get an opportunity here.”

From Thompson:
“It’s not a rush, you know? I’m still young. I’m making sure that I’m building a strong foundation to make sure that I can have a long, long career in the NHL and hopefully Buffalo. It’s not a race. It’s a process, and I’ve just got to be patient and trust the process and trust that the coaches know what’s best for me.
“If I just trust them and trust the process, I think everything will turn out.” (insert sarcastic comment here)
“We have good talks. We go over video and stuff on things I need to work on, just being consistent. The coaching staff’s great with helping. They want me to have success. They want me to be here for a long time.
“Even when you’re out of the lineup, they still have that confidence and trust in you. They’re willing to work with you. It’s not like they’ve given up on you or anything.”
“The constant communication, it shows that they care. And No. 2, there’s no question on what I need to do when I get back in the lineup, you know what I mean? So it’s all out there in the open, and now it’s just up to me.”
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure I stay here.”

Vogl's take:

The process normally involves minor-league time if a young player can’t crack the NHL lineup. The Sabres are scratching two healthy forwards per night, making Thompson’s idling even more strange. They have the bodies to overcome a demotion.

My take: it's a situation where sending Thompson to Rochester will result in more criticism of the return on the ROR trade. Botterill does not like that scenario and is hoping for a hometown miracle. Every morning at the Sabres prayer breakfast, they conclude the prayer with, dear Lord please develop Tage Thompson because we sure as hell can't.

 

[Reddawg]

I'm sure it helps that he still gets paid his NHL salary as long as he's on the roster. Plane rides, nice hotels and an NHL paycheck sounds a lot better than bus rides and $70k a year. I wouldn't argue with their path if I was him, not by a long shot.

 

[joshjull]

Send the kid down. If Botts is worried about the view on his return for ROR. Then he should put this kid in the best situation to succeed. Sitting him in the NHL instead of him playing for one of the best AHL teams with a great offense is not that.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

If Botts was worried about being criticized for the RoR trade why not bring Pilut up while sending Tage down?

 

[sabremike]

This situation is so insane and ludicrous that it's something I only thought could ever happen with the Islanders under Garth Snow (which was the gold standard for an NHL organization being a total insane asylum).

 

[Buttons85]

Tage should have been sent down during this 3-day break. He's not doing any developing in the press box, and he's not helping the team on the ice. The only reason I can think Botts is keeping him up is that he's uncomfortable screwing with the Amerks this early and/or bringing up another young gun. Although it pains me to say it, I'd put money on Tage going down when Wilson returns and not a moment earlier.

 

[debaser66]

If he just stays in the NHL because they can't move him out of Dahlins place I can see now why Pilut and Olofsson are still in the AHL.
Its a conservatives moving business.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Lmao get Botterill the f*** out of here if he’s that worried about optics. And I’ve generally liked his offseason.

Thompson is the 5th best forward prospect in the organization. Treat him like it.

 

[SundherDome]

Tage should have been sent down during this 3-day break. He's not doing any developing in the press box, and he's not helping the team on the ice. The only reason I can think Botts is keeping him up is that he's uncomfortable screwing with the Amerks this early and/or bringing up another young gun. Although it pains me to say it, I'd put money on Tage going down when Wilson returns and not a moment earlier.

I agree with this. If they want to develop him here for a short stint then fine, when Wilson comes back he should go down and show his development against equal competition.

 

[HaNotsri]

If you want to develop your skills there are some simple rules:
1. Applying what you are trying to learn in the actual environment (playing games)
2. Getting quality feedback on improvement
3. Try to keep it to one or as few things as possible.

There are 100 things Thompson needs to change and he needs to be in an environment that allows him to do so - one thing at a time. In AHL he could get away with some bad habits while ”learning on the job”. In the NHL he’s minced meat.

He needs to play a lot, he needs coaching and he needs the opportunity to take small steps.
This is the equalient of teaching someone how to fight off sharks in theory (smack them on the nose) and then throwing them into the shark pool. And then discovering: ”hey, he can’t even swim”

Leadership in Buffalo are undermining themselves with this.