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Buffalo Sabres Tage Thompson Rightfully Makes the NHL All-Star Game

By Richard Jelinek

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 09: Tage Thompson #72 of the Buffalo Sabres before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center on December 09, 2022 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 09: Tage Thompson #72 of the Buffalo Sabres before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center on December 09, 2022 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Sabres‘ Tage Thompson has made a big impact on the game of hockey over the past two seasons. The 6-foot-7 and 218-pound Thompson exploded on the scene last season, scoring 38 goals and 30 assists for 68 points in 78 games. At times before, he was looked at because of his size. Now, not only his size but also his talent has led him to be a 2022-23 All-Star for the first time in his career.

Just call him Buffalo Sabres All-Star Tage Thompson

Thompson, a former first-round pick (26th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 2016 NHL Draft, has proven he can play in this league. Size in hockey does matter but, in Thompson’s case, he is showing that players his size can skate really well and produce like a player half of his size. This season, Thompson has played in 41 games, accounting for 31 goals and 27 assists for 58 points and a +14.

While that is impressive, he has 14 power-play goals and five game-winning goals. Buffalo Sabres  Thompson and his 31 goals are third in the NHL, his 58 points are sixth, he is fifth in points per game with 1.43 third in power-play goals and seventh in game-winning goals. What makes his stats more impressive is these are at the halfway point when this could easily be a full season for another forward. His three hat tricks also lead the league.

Thompson was acquired by Buffalo from the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2018, in the trade that saw center Ryan O’Reilly head to the Blues. Right now, the trade looks to be won by Buffalo. In his career, Thompson has 87 goals and 73 assists for 160 points in 263 games. He has been so impressive in a Buffalo sweater that the Sabres signed him to a new extension on August 30, 2022, a 7-year deal worth $50 million.

Thompson is part of a Sabres team that is young, talented, and fun to watch. They compete, skate hard every game,  and make the game fun with their style of play. Thompson and the Buffalo Sabres are going to be around for a while and every year they are going to get better with their young crop of promising stars. Thompson deserves the right to be called an All-Star as he has put in the work and used that work ethic to be where he is today, part of the best young team in the NHL.

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