Tage Thompson is a superstar

[sabremike]

So we need a thread for every superstar now? Where are the threads about McDavid being a superstar, Tkachuk being a superstar, Kaprizov being a superstar, etc? Sabres fan desperate for attention I guess.

 

[BFLO]

didnt he fell of a cliff last 30 games of the season?

I wouldn't call it falling off a cliff. He was playing injured towards the back 3rd of the season and was just under ppg. In the Sabres final 30 games Tage played in 26 of those games and scored 25 points.

He had a large wrap on his wrist and had some back problems.

 

[DS7]

Very excited for him if he can repeat last season or even just do 80pts. Sabres got a steal in him, both cap and draft capital wise.

 

[5 Minute Major]

He’s a top-tier player. He’s not a Superstar. Save that title for the McDavid’s of the world.

 

[weaponomega]

Agree

 

[Team_Spirit]

So we need a thread for every superstar now? Where are the threads about McDavid being a superstar, Tkachuk being a superstar, Kaprizov being a superstar, etc? Sabres fan desperate for attention I guess.

The last TNT thread was made late 2022 *Tage Thompson is a star* and it was closed for being too old when I posted his 22-23 top 15 plays.

Meanwhile he had more pts than Crosby, Matthews and Kaprizov but that's not enough to be called superstar according to HF resident terminology experts.

Not a Sabres fan.

 

[PettersonHughes]

Probably the same in all sports:

G.O.A.T. > Trans-Generational > Multi-Generational > Generational > Superstar > Star > Local Star > Quality Player > Average Player > Body

G.O.A.T ..... Greatest of All Time (1)

Trans-Generational ..... Best player of all time who is not the G.O.A.T. (1)

Multi-Generational ..... Best player of at least two generations (< 5)

Generational ..... Best player of his prime (around 10 years) (< 10)

Superstar ..... Well-known to sports fans generally outside of hockey

Star .... Well-known to most hockey fans

Local Star ..... Well-known to fans of a particular team who would hate to lose him

Quality Player ..... Known to fans of a particular team who wouldn't want to lose him, but wouldn't shed too many tears if they did

Average player ... May have some local fans; they come and go over the years

Body ..... Fills out the roster, hardly anybody notices his presence or absence or really even cares

Interesting definitions for some of these; IMO
- "trans-generational" should, as the wording implies, mean that their abilities transcend that era and they'd be dominant anytime (e.g. Jagr's strength and talent, Lidstrom's great play, etc.), so it's more about the longevity of their legacy vs where they stand on the pantheon of greats (agreed with the rest of your "generational" definitions)

- "superstar" is a fascinating one; on the one hand there's some who equate it to high-achievers (Pat Kane due to 3 Cups, and the like) but I agree with your definition of being known outside of hockey (e.g. LeBron, Brady, Messi, Gretzky... Tage clearly isn't at that level).

I think Tage is at, or at worst on the verge of being, a star (strictly because he's only performed at this level for such a short time, and if you ask west-coast teams' fans they might forget who Tage is compared to a Matthews/ Stamkos/ Tkachuk/ Pastrnak). I know Buffalo fans love what he's become but superstar is a stretch IMHO (same with anyone who may call Petey in Vancouver a superstar), but would love to hear any thoughts.

 

[Reality Czech]

The last TNT thread was made late 2022 *Tage Thompson is a star* and it was closed for being too old when I posted his 22-23 top 15 plays.

Meanwhile he had more pts than Crosby, Matthews and Kaprizov but that's not enough to be called superstar according to HF resident terminology experts.

Not a Sabres fan.

There are two Ovie threads on the first page that were created before that one was. Regardless, I fail to see why this thread is necessary and I have nothing against Thompson.

 

[LokiDog]

Interesting definitions for some of these; IMO
- "trans-generational" should, as the wording implies, mean that their abilities transcend that era and they'd be dominant anytime (e.g. Jagr's strength and talent, Lidstrom's great play, etc.), so it's more about the longevity of their legacy vs where they stand on the pantheon of greats (agreed with the rest of your "generational" definitions)

- "superstar" is a fascinating one; on the one hand there's some who equate it to high-achievers (Pat Kane due to 3 Cups, and the like) but I agree with your definition of being known outside of hockey (e.g. LeBron, Brady, Messi, Gretzky... Tage clearly isn't at that level).

I think Tage is at, or at worst on the verge of being, a star (strictly because he's only performed at this level for such a short time, and if you ask west-coast teams' fans they might forget who Tage is compared to a Matthews/ Stamkos/ Tkachuk/ Pastrnak). I know Buffalo fans love what he's become but superstar is a stretch IMHO (same with anyone who may call Petey in Vancouver a superstar), but would love to hear any thoughts.

I thought trans-generational just meant that they aren’t a generational player but identify as one.

 

[Sean Garrity]

Do it in May.

 

[Phrasing]

I thought trans-generational just meant that they aren’t a generational player but identify as one.

I see that you are a member of serf (superstar exclusionary radical fan).

 

[Qward]

Do you guys remember Jonathan Cheechoo?

 

[NyQuil]

Do you guys remember Jonathan Cheechoo?

The guy who didn't have hands even close to as good as Thompson and then had a double hernia surgery after hitting career highs with the best playmaker of his generation?

 

[dirtydanglez]

tage doesnt get the respect he deserves because he came out of nowhere.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

So we need a thread for every superstar now? Where are the threads about McDavid being a superstar, Tkachuk being a superstar, Kaprizov being a superstar, etc? Sabres fan desperate for attention I guess.

Don't worry about this.

Officially. Don't worry about this.

 

[hawksrule]

I admittedly didn’t see much of him this past year. Has his skating improved, or is he a rare exception who is able to succeed despite it?

 

[Ezekial]

That video made me so happy that Hagg and Lindstrom are no longer Wings.

 

[NYR94]

HFboards when talking about a prospect who has never played a single NHL game: Can he become the next McDavid?

Hfboards when talking about a player who has averaged just under 50 goals/82 the last two seasons: Eh, let's pump the brakes here.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

People always say it's hard to market hockey players because you never know what they'll be able to do on a given night.

I’ve never heard anyone say that in the past three decades of watching hockey

 

[Sol]

How can you call him a superstar with such a short run?

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Interesting definitions for some of these; IMO
- "trans-generational" should, as the wording implies, mean that their abilities transcend that era and they'd be dominant anytime (e.g. Jagr's strength and talent, Lidstrom's great play, etc.), so it's more about the longevity of their legacy vs where they stand on the pantheon of greats (agreed with the rest of your "generational" definitions)

- "superstar" is a fascinating one; on the one hand there's some who equate it to high-achievers (Pat Kane due to 3 Cups, and the like) but I agree with your definition of being known outside of hockey (e.g. LeBron, Brady, Messi, Gretzky... Tage clearly isn't at that level).

I think Tage is at, or at worst on the verge of being, a star (strictly because he's only performed at this level for such a short time, and if you ask west-coast teams' fans they might forget who Tage is compared to a Matthews/ Stamkos/ Tkachuk/ Pastrnak). I know Buffalo fans love what he's become but superstar is a stretch IMHO (same with anyone who may call Petey in Vancouver a superstar), but would love to hear any thoughts.

Yeah, the whole "generational" thing is very weird to me anyway: Probably better to just call all these players "legendary" and be done with it, e.g., "Mario Lemieux is a legend".

I would say that Tage is a increasingly a star within the league, but I doubt that any significant number of non-hockey fans have any idea who he is (and, not to be a homer, Vegas doesn't have any players more than marginally known outside of hockey). Calling Tage a superstar at this point in his career is silly and I suspect that Tage would himself be embarrassed to hear it.

But it's just words, and worse than that off-season words, so no harm, no foul, nobody really cares anyway.

 

[byrath]

A lot of being a superstar is overall popularity and visibility. Tage might become a superstar, but probably not until he plays a few playoff rounds and gets in a couple commercials or something.

 

[Antropovsky]

mcdavid
mackinnon
draisaitl
matthews
tkachuk
pastrnak
crosby
hughes
rantanen
kucherov
robertson
kaprizov
marner
pettersson
point
barkov
eichel

if Tage qualifies this is too many superstars for my liking tbh. That's just forwards.

Having said that the gap isn't terribly big among a lot of the top ~25 forwards but I feel like there needs to be more of a cutoff or we'd have like 30 superstars counting defensemen and goalies.

Marner lol.... Fails in playoffs, can't break 100 points with Matthews or Tavares. What does he accomplish with Skinner and Tuch?

 

[PaulD]

Not a bad bet to say he is on his way to becoming one

 

[Satanphonehome]

mcdavid
mackinnon
draisaitl
matthews
tkachuk
pastrnak
crosby
hughes
rantanen
kucherov
robertson
kaprizov
marner
pettersson
point
barkov
eichel

if Tage qualifies this is too many superstars for my liking tbh. That's just forwards.

Having said that the gap isn't terribly big among a lot of the top ~25 forwards but I feel like there needs to be more of a cutoff or we'd have like 30 superstars counting defensemen and goalies.

There’s a difference between being a great hockey player and being a star.

The former is about the ability to help you win hockey games, the latter is about the ability to make a building sit up and say holy shit, did you see that?

It is debatable whether Tage is as good as any of the players on that list.

What’s not debatable is that his highlight tape stands up to them all. Just watch.

The man is worth the price of admission.

And that makes him a star.