Player Discussion Tage Thompson 2

[joshjull]

I cannot wait until he's been traded for a 4th. Yet another part of a terrible trade.

Wait.... you’re not suggesting we give him away for a 4th are you?

 

[OkimLom]

Just a FYI. Tage played for Gord Dineen this season. Taylor was with us while Granato was recovering.

Honestly forgot about that. Seems like that was 2 seasons ago.

Thanks for the correction

 

[joshjull]

A change in play style better come with this new physique. No more ill-advised toe drags and delayed snap shots, more strong board play and net front presence. He looked decent last training camp so I still hold out hope for him.

Its worth remembering that Tage did engage along the walls and tried going to the net. But he wasn’t very good at it because he was a 6’6” 205lb beanpole who wasn’t strong enough.

Its part of what started the giraffe theme around Tage. That he looked like a baby giraffe trying to walk (tall/lean/all limbs/uncoordinated) as he was getting knocked around.

I don’t know for certain how the muscle gains Tage made will impact his game next season. But I’m pretty excited to find out what a much bigger/stronger version of him (230+lbs) can do in the NHL. I’m expecting it to be much more than the 205lb version. How much more is anyone’s guess.

 

[sabremike]

Its worth remembering that Tage did engage along the walls and tried going to the net. But he wasn’t very good at it because he was a 6’6” 205lb beanpole who wasn’t strong enough.

Its part of what started the giraffe theme around Tage. That he looked like a baby giraffe trying to walk (tall/lean/all limbs/uncoordinated) as he was getting knocked around.

I don’t know for certain how the muscle gains Tage made will impact his game next season. But I’m pretty excited to find out what a much bigger/stronger version of him (230+lbs) can do in the NHL. I’m expecting it to be much more than the 205lb version. How much more is anyone’s guess.

Expect Tage to be far more physical this upcoming season:

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Wait.... you’re not suggesting we give him away for a 4th are you?

I don't see the player everyone else sees. So it is what it is. If he figures it out, then I will gladly admit I'm wrong. He's still plenty young enough. But, there has been a consistent amount injuries and inconsistency in his game. To each their own

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Expect Tage to be far more physical this upcoming season:

If Tage could be like Simmonds was in his prime, that would be fantastic

 

[jc17]

 

[joshjull]

 

[Fezzy126]

I'm a little disappointed that Tage is taking time away from training during an important offseason to be on the masked singer

 

[Gras]

He just played 54 holes of golf in one day.

 

[5 Minute Major]

Just signed for 3 years.

Sabres re-sign Tage Thompson to three-year deal

 

[Buffaloed]

This was the key to keeping Jack happy.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Traded within the next 6 months, book it!

 

[Fjordy]

He will get his chance and I hope to succeed

 

[Der Jaeger]

@sabremike

We expect something epic from you, with this news.

 

[Buffaloed]

@sabremike

We expect something epic from you, with this news.

He better get here soon. I'm getting sick of defending Tage. You'd think he has a Tage Alert on his phone.

 

[sabremike]

That is all.

 

[TehDoak]

Seems a bit high given his lack of production at the NHL level. It's one of those "low risk high reward" move I guess.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Seems a bit high given his lack of production at the NHL level. It's one of those "low risk high reward" move I guess.

It's also a waiver proof contract in that most teams won't want to pick him up with that term knowing he has to remain on their NHL roster if Buffalo tries to slide him to Rochester after training camp

 

[Wisent42]

I'm hopeful. He was praised during last year's camp and had a good start before he was called up and immediately injured. I think a lot of the negativity stems from what we've seen from him in Buffalo, but that was two years ago. Just because we haven't seen the progress doesn't mean it's not there. And with a very long offseason, I'm hoping he has bulked up to be a monster giraffe.

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

At this point I’m convinced SabreMike is a photographer for National Geographic. Even Google doesn’t have access to that much different giraffe content.

 

[joshjull]

I'm hopeful. He was praised during last year's camp and had a good start before he was called up and immediately injured. I think a lot of the negativity stems from what we've seen from him in Buffalo, but that was two years ago. Just because we haven't seen the progress doesn't mean it's not there. And with a very long offseason, I'm hoping he has bulked up to be a monster giraffe.

He was already up to 225 in mid/late May from just doing leg work. He still had 5+ months from then to keep getting stronger.


I’ve said it before but Im very intrigued and excited to see what a 230+lb Tage can do. I don’t really know what to expect. But I imagine he won’t be getting knocked around much along the walls or in front of the net like he did when he weighted 205lbs.

The kid has certainly put the work in to get stronger going from 205 his first year to 215 last year to 225+ for the coming year.

 

[Team Cozens]

I'd rather see him on the roster than Okposo. Otherwise, meh.

We can ride with Kyle as the 13th man this year as we aren’t spending to the cap “apparently”. Much prefer to see what we have in a rebuilt Tage.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

We can ride with Kyle as the 13th man this year as we aren’t spending to the cap “apparently”. Much prefer to see what we have in a rebuilt Tage.

When did I say this, it must have been before he was injured. I still think that Tage either needs to push through this season or move on. He's got the skill, but he needs to put it together or forever be a tease. I like the player he "could be", but not the player he is right now. I still think he gets moved in the next six months.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I still think that Tage either needs to push through this season or move on. He's got the skill, but he needs to put it together or forever be a tease. I like the player he "could be", but not the player he is right now. I still think he gets moved in the next six months.

I don't even understand what drives the comments about this guy -- just because he was a piece in a bad deal for O'Reilly? He got jammed into the Sabres lineup because of that bad deal. Then he went to Rochester and had a major progression. All reports are that he dominated the AHL. He was doing that again this year, was bought up and got injured.

It's pretty clear kid is on the cusp of being a decent NHL player with maybe other factors like injuries (bad) or better workout regime (better) changing his high and low end.

The fact he was a piece of a bad trade shouldn't affect any decisions but it seems to impact impressions of him.