Player Discussion Tage Thompson 2

[La Cosa Nostra]

Since 2021 Tage has 12 less goals in 22 fewer games then Reinhart. No bones about it TT is an elite goal scorer

 

[Ygo88]

He doesn’t make his linemates better. He is 1/1 assists to goals, most top line guys are 1.51/1. He sucks defensively and can’t shut down top opposition. He gives the puck away in the nz way too much and further kills transition with his constant dusting and dangling. He lacks vision for anything other than his shot. Ideally he is a winger. I do not think Kulich is C either for the distribution reasons though he is better on draws and defensively. But Kulich’s pluses, i.e. d, puck retrieval positioning can work with a playmaking wing. TT is an independent contractor.

I don't know... has been better than average defensively the last couple of seasons (not sure if anyone has access to the charts...). He ranks in the top ten in even strength points and his primary points rival Crosby, Eichel, Sheifele, Suzuki et al (not going to hold it against him that he scores more). Is he elite, nah, but he probably is a top line center (face offs are obviously the opportunity).

 

[ValJamesDuex]

 

[debaser66]

Is he ok after the hit?

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Tage Out tonight

 

[Chainshot]

Good thing the league protects their stars.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Good thing the league protects their stars.

Not a star. Hasn’t been to the All Star Game yet , and not good enough to go to the World Cup Worse Version

 

[MOGlLNY]

Tage is gonna score 40 with an abysmal power play. He is a 1C. Maybe not a super high end one, but with a proper PP Tage is a 50 goal scorer. And if you want the fancy numbers:

 

[5 Minute Major]

Tage is gonna score 40 with an abysmal power play. He is a 1C. Maybe not a super high end one, but with a proper PP Tage is a 50 goal scorer. And if you want the fancy numbers:
View attachment 993251

He certainly has talent. If he ever added a little ass to his game, ala Andreychuk, he would be unstoppable.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Was Thompson at center today?

 

[Zman5778]

Was Thompson at center today?

Mostly, yes. He took a ton of draws (2nd most behind McLeod who was amazing in the dot today) and mostly played center....usually inbetween Tuch and Greenway.

He did play wing with McLeod for a couple shifts and I think was on Krebs' wing for a couple of half-shifts.

Of note: he was almost exclusively matched up against Eichel.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Mostly, yes. He took a ton of draws (2nd most behind McLeod who was amazing in the dot today) and mostly played center....usually inbetween Tuch and Greenway.

He did play wing with McLeod for a couple shifts and I think was on Krebs' wing for a couple of half-shifts.

Of note: he was almost exclusively matched up against Eichel.

The last part is why it was 3-2 Vegas with 3min left. He totally lost Jack.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Was Thompson at center today?

good site for reference here as well

Buffalo Sabres Line Combinations

Check out the latest Buffalo Sabres lines for tonight. Complete Sabres line combination, game stats, and season stats updated daily.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[Dubi Doo]

I haven't watched in a while, what everybody's opinion where Tage should play going forward? Top-6C or top-6W? Because we're going to need one more top-6 forward added in the offseason. Would people be comfortable going into next season with Tage/Norris/McLeod down the middle?

 

[truthbluth]

I haven't watched in a while, what everybody's opinion where Tage should play going forward? Top-6C or top-6W? Because we're going to need one more top-6 forward added in the offseason. Would people be comfortable going into next season with Tage/Norris/McLeod down the middle?

I think the best case scenario is playing Tage at C with a winger that can take faceoffs when necessary, plays well off the puck and is a great passer. I hear the Panthers have the perfect guy.

 

[Chainshot]

Mostly, yes. He took a ton of draws (2nd most behind McLeod who was amazing in the dot today) and mostly played center....usually inbetween Tuch and Greenway.

He did play wing with McLeod for a couple shifts and I think was on Krebs' wing for a couple of half-shifts.

Of note: he was almost exclusively matched up against Eichel.

At one point, he tried to remove Eichel's head from Jerk's shoulders behind the Sabres' net too. If he'd been about an inch lower, there would be a thread on the mains about how much of a little Rempe he is.

 

[THUNDERBURST]

I haven't watched in a while, what everybody's opinion where Tage should play going forward? Top-6C or top-6W? Because we're going to need one more top-6 forward added in the offseason. Would people be comfortable going into next season with Tage/Norris/McLeod down the middle?

I think he could be a good winger and would prefer to add a top 6 C. I think there's also a bigger risk if we go with the top 6 C's in Thompson and Norris and that risk is their health. If we can't add a top 6 C, then add a good top 6 W.

 

[slip]

My takes on Thompson over the years have been all over the place. But here’s my final verdict: he’s a leader and part of the solution going forward.

 

[Beerz]

My takes on Thompson over the years have been all over the place. But here’s my final verdict: he’s a leader and part of the solution going forward.

My thoughts on Tage were probably worse than my thoughts on Krebs... he came a long way in my eyes especially as a leader. I don't believe we can win with him as a 1C but he definitely can be a solution going forward.

 

[SharkInABoloTie]

We want 50. Not sure about that pass out of the slot last night, but he gets it right back for the tap in. Still one of my favorites and the move to wing seems to have helped him.

 

[old kummelweck]

My thoughts on Tage were probably worse than my thoughts on Krebs... he came a long way in my eyes especially as a leader. I don't believe we can win with him as a 1C but he definitely can be a solution going forward.

Tage can be streaky. The Sabres lean on him too much for production, or lean too heavily on his line.

 

[Jim Bob]

Alex Tuch shows his value as Buffalo climbs out of last place: Sabres thoughts

For the first time in almost four months, the Sabres have moved up in the Eastern Conference standings.

www.nytimes.com

1. Tage Thompson is now third in the NHL with 39 goals and leads the NHL in five-on-five goals. Those numbers won’t mean much to Thompson when he has to watch the NHL playoffs from home again, but the bounce-back season from Thompson is important for the future of the franchise. The Sabres need star-level talent, and that’s what Thompson is when he’s playing like this.

“We haven’t won since I’ve been here, so there’s a lot more I can do,” Thompson told reporters after the game.

His move to the wing has helped him regain his scoring touch. He’s more often first into the zone as a winger and it’s leading to more chances. The question is whether the Sabres will keep him on the wing, and if they do, what that means for their top-six center spots. Going into the season with Jiri Kulich and Josh Norris as the top two centers on the depth chart is a gamble given Kulich’s youth and Norris’ injury history.

 

[Jim Bob]

Tage can be streaky. The Sabres lean on him too much for production, or lean too heavily on his line.

Every top line goal score like Tage gets counted on and is streaky.

The issue with the Sabres is the lack of scoring depth. This season it has been the 2nd line with McLeod and the third line giving you about as much as you can reasonably expect for them offensively.