Prospect Info: Tage Thompson (2016 Draft - 26 Overall)

[jbron]

When Thompson was evaluated before the draft most draft experts had a few valid concerns.
-- Lack of scoring on 5 on 5, as most of his goals were on the PP.
---Not overall physical for his height.

All seemed to like and make note of his positive
--- defensive play
--- work ethic.

The consensus was that he would go late first to mid second round. With Thompson he was viewed as a tall thin player with raw talent.

Obviously, he has developed at a faster rate than most predicted, which could prove to be a valuable asset for the Blues. Based on past history because Tage played such stellar defense could have been the main reason why the Blues selected him. Right now his shooting ability and his hockey IQ, in addition to his defensive play, could propel him into a top 6 role in the NHL. Lets hope he continues to
develop.

After the draft I wasn't in favor of the pick. I saw a prospect that I just
didn't think would grow into his body height. That can be a very tricky evaluation as for the most part you want a prospect that will grow physically so their game can improve. Scoring most of his goals as a freshman at UConn on the power play was also a red flag. Today, as a Blues fan I am glad they have Thompson as a prospect. Like others,
at this point it sure looks like I made a mistake with Thompson.

What makes the draft so interesting is that evaluations of these young prospects is not an exact science. Coaching, injuries, work ethic, family issues, environment, etc all can propel or derail a prospects path to professional hockey. Whether your a professional scout or an avid fan thankfully we have this board to share opinions and information as we all try to evaluate prospects that fit an organization.

 

[tsujimoto74]

He's looked great at the WJC so far. Seems like his shot/shot selection could use a bit of work (hasn't done a great job getting pucks through traffic or on net from farther out), but boy does he have a set of hands. Gonna be exciting to watch how he develops.

 

[mazmin]

Tage is having a very solid tournament. I really like this prospect. I was hoping the Jets would draft him with their second first round pick last year. It's not easy to find talk players who can shoot, pass and think like him. Once he matures a bit physically and adds more power to his skating than he could have a great career.

 

[phxblue]

I wonder how much Parayko's rookie season influenced the Tage Thompson pick.

What I mean by that is, we just hit the ultimate home run with a player who had a late growth spurt, took a while to develop into his body, but had the raw skills -- that developed into a stud.

Tage has a very similar background.

 

[Ranksu]

We're long way with Tage, but new shiny toy is always welcome.

 

[DatDude44]

Tage Thompson

I'm tired of all the gloomy negative threads lol. Let's discuss Tage. I can tell you i'm wayyyy too excited to get this 6'5 goal scoring machine with slick hands in our lineup. i feel like if he makes the team next year he's instantly our next best finisher behind tarasenko.

Anybody else as excited as I am? Also anybody else want to have a POSITIVE THREAD? LOL

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I'm tired of all the gloomy negative threads lol. Let's discuss Tage. I can tell you i'm wayyyy too excited to get this 6'5 goal scoring machine with slick hands in our lineup. i feel like if he makes the team next year he's instantly our next best finisher behind tarasenko.

Anybody else as excited as I am? Also anybody else want to have a POSITIVE THREAD? LOL

I'm puzzled why there are some who think he'll make the Blues next year. I think hoping for a transition to the AHL is the best we could hope for. Does anyone know Tage's attitude about the college game?

 

[Oberyn]

Unless Thompson magically improves over the offseason i don't see him making the Blues next season. There's still lots of holes in his game. I'd like to see him spend another year in college but the AHL is also a fine destination next season as well.

 

[STL fan in MN]

If TT turns pro, I'd be surprised if he made the Blues out of camp. He probably needs a goody year in the AHL first. And that's if he turns pro this summer. I'd say chances are good he turns pro but certainly no guarantee he doesn't return for his Jr season.

 

[Majorityof1]

I'm tired of all the gloomy negative threads lol. Let's discuss Tage. I can tell you i'm wayyyy too excited to get this 6'5 goal scoring machine with slick hands in our lineup. i feel like if he makes the team next year he's instantly our next best finisher behind tarasenko.

Anybody else as excited as I am? Also anybody else want to have a POSITIVE THREAD? LOL

If you want a positive thread, the best bet would not be to say a raw college prospect who has been polarizing in the past is going to be our second best finisher. I won't go too negative, but just say that its a bit early to make those kind of statements. College/junior success doesn't always translate into pro-success and even less often that it does so immediately.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

If you want a positive thread, the best bet would not be to say a raw college prospect who has been polarizing in the past is going to be our second best finisher. I won't go too negative, but just say that its a bit early to make those kind of statements. College/junior success doesn't always translate into pro-success and even less often that it does so immediately.

Finishing has never been Thompson's problem. The dude knows how to put the biscuit in the basket. It's all the other parts of his game that are relative unknowns.

He's big, but he's a gentle giant. He needs to learn how to use his size forcefully to punish backcheckers, clear the crease / make noise in front of the net, and win board battles (especially if he's going to stay on the wing). Berube, who had quite the mean streak as a player, would be good for him here.

He can score, but like I mentioned in the prospects thread, he hasn't had an assist in over 9 weeks, which is (maybe) cause for concern. Playing on a team where only one other forward - at best - is NHL caliber could factor into that. Playing in Chicago/KC would put him with our prospects, more than one of whom at least has the chance to play in the big leagues one day, and allow him to develop in our (pro) system.

But the kid's got skill, there should be no doubt about that. People often forget about this aspect of his game because he is so big, but he has very good speed, and he knows how and when to go to the front of the net (what he does once he's there, especially on set plays like our system likes to set up, is up for debate). I'm not sure if there is anyone at all in our system of prospects right now that can shoot the puck like Thompson does, with apologies to Barbashev and Blais who are probably 2-3 on that list. And that alone should be encouraging. There's no guarantee that he turns out better than Jaskin, but I'm encouraged by the skills he does have, and we'll just have to wait and see how the rest comes along. He's a coach's kid, and that typically bodes well as far as work ethic goes.

If nothing else, just stick him at the right faceoff dot on the PP and have him rip one-timers.

 

[BlackCrowes]

Hey- Bruins fan and UConn ST holder and Alumni, coming in peace. The previous poster's assessment of Tage is pretty spot on. He's big, and is just starting to us his physicality this season from what I've seen. He's got good wheels, and has very good hands. I wouldn't worry about the assists, as stated UConn is trying to compete with other Hockey East teams for recruits and as a result we don't really have any other high end prospects at forward other than Letunov. So because of that the UConn offense is more focused on others getting the puck to Tage, not the other way around. Bottom line this kid has a extremely good shot, but in my opinion would certainly benefit from starting in the AHL That's not a cut against him, rather that I think he'd benefit from a season down there. I'll tell you this, I'm going to enjoy watching the rest of his season in CT and if comes back great, if he goes Pro I'll wish him well and root for him (except when they play the Bruins!). Good luck guys!

 

[542365]

I like the type of player that I think he's going to become. He's not there yet, and he won't be next year either, but I see him as a winger in the JVR possibly Wayne Simmonds(minus the toughness of Simmonds) mold. Big body with some great hands and a shot to match. His shot is NHL quality already. He could score some goals right now with that shot, but the rest of his game is not there. Hopefully we actually utilize his one-timer on the PP when we actually get to that point. It's too big of a weapon to ignore. I really hope he goes pro this summer. Getting to play alongside some AHL stars like Agostino and Megan(and possibly Barbashev if he's still there) would be a great experience for him. He finally wouldn't have to be "the guy". He could get opportunities away from the other team's top checking line and all of the attention that comes from being basically the only goal scorer on his team.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

How's TT defensively?

 

[2 Minute Minor]

The best way to bust Tage would be to rush him into the NHL.

He had a rapid growth spurt, and he's been getting more comfortable in his own body. But I don't see how he could deal successfully with grown men at this point. He needs to add muscle to his frame now, and round out his game more. I'm not really sure whether AHL or college would be a better place for him next year. But I don't see how he'd get enough minutes in the NHL to justify losing that opportunity.

In the spirit of a positive thread, I will say that I'm very excited for his future. Its nice to see the Blues make a move to draft a guy, then see the rest of the hockey world start to take notice of him as a rising star. That pick looks better today than it did at the time it was made.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

The best way to bust Tage would be to rush him into the NHL.

He had a rapid growth spurt, and he's been getting more comfortable in his own body. But I don't see how he could deal successfully with grown men at this point. He needs to add muscle to his frame now, and round out his game more. I'm not really sure whether AHL or college would be a better place for him next year. But I don't see how he'd get enough minutes in the NHL to justify losing that opportunity.

In the spirit of a positive thread, I will say that I'm very excited for his future. Its nice to see the Blues make a move to draft a guy, then see the rest of the hockey world start to take notice of him as a rising star. That pick looks better today than it did at the time it was made.

I agree with this, he's at least this and next season away from the NHL. We can't rush him if we want him to hit his potential.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Hey- Bruins fan and UConn ST holder and Alumni, coming in peace. The previous poster's assessment of Tage is pretty spot on. He's big, and is just starting to us his physicality this season from what I've seen. He's got good wheels, and has very good hands. I wouldn't worry about the assists, as stated UConn is trying to compete with other Hockey East teams for recruits and as a result we don't really have any other high end prospects at forward other than Letunov. So because of that the UConn offense is more focused on others getting the puck to Tage, not the other way around. Bottom line this kid has a extremely good shot, but in my opinion would certainly benefit from starting in the AHL That's not a cut against him, rather that I think he'd benefit from a season down there. I'll tell you this, I'm going to enjoy watching the rest of his season in CT and if comes back great, if he goes Pro I'll wish him well and root for him (except when they play the Bruins!). Good luck guys!

Thanks for joining the discussion! Good to hear from somebody that's had an eye on him.

The best way to bust Tage would be to rush him into the NHL.

He had a rapid growth spurt, and he's been getting more comfortable in his own body. But I don't see how he could deal successfully with grown men at this point. He needs to add muscle to his frame now, and round out his game more. I'm not really sure whether AHL or college would be a better place for him next year. But I don't see how he'd get enough minutes in the NHL to justify losing that opportunity.

In the spirit of a positive thread, I will say that I'm very excited for his future. Its nice to see the Blues make a move to draft a guy, then see the rest of the hockey world start to take notice of him as a rising star. That pick looks better today than it did at the time it was made.

I agree with this, he's at least this and next season away from the NHL. We can't rush him if we want him to hit his potential.

Absolutely. I don't think the argument is "is he ready for the NHL," I think it's "is his development better served at UConn or in the AHL?" My perspective is that with the quality of our AHL team right now, and the quality of the coaching there, if Tage can have a Fabbri-esque summer to get ready for the pro game, he'll be ready for the AHL this fall, and he'll develop better there than he would continuing to play in college. Yes, in college he'd have more time in the weight room, and fewer games, and he'd have to continue fighting through the opposition, being the focus of the other team's gameplan nearly every game. But eventually he's going to have to learn to play on a team in a pro system. He's already had 2 years of being "the guy," I think it's time to move on, round out his big boy game, and get ready for the NHL in 2018-19. If he stays, I don't think it will stunt his development at all, but I do think it will add a year onto his path to the NHL, which in the long-run maybe isn't such a bad thing

 

[Oberyn]

What's the hockey IQ on him like? I've always feared in the back of my mind that he'll just end up as another Chris Stewart. Big, strong, great skills, but far too soft along the boards and isn't very good at reading the play. Hopefully that's not the case with Thompson.

 

[phxblue]

Hey- Bruins fan and UConn ST holder and Alumni, coming in peace. The previous poster's assessment of Tage is pretty spot on. He's big, and is just starting to us his physicality this season from what I've seen. He's got good wheels, and has very good hands. I wouldn't worry about the assists, as stated UConn is trying to compete with other Hockey East teams for recruits and as a result we don't really have any other high end prospects at forward other than Letunov. So because of that the UConn offense is more focused on others getting the puck to Tage, not the other way around. Bottom line this kid has a extremely good shot, but in my opinion would certainly benefit from starting in the AHL That's not a cut against him, rather that I think he'd benefit from a season down there. I'll tell you this, I'm going to enjoy watching the rest of his season in CT and if comes back great, if he goes Pro I'll wish him well and root for him (except when they play the Bruins!). Good luck guys!

Thanks for joining us and chiming in. I always appreciate firsthand analysis on prospects.

Oh, and thank you too Morty. That was a good writeup. Get's me excited about our future.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I'm tired of all the gloomy negative threads lol. Let's discuss Tage. I can tell you i'm wayyyy too excited to get this 6'5 goal scoring machine with slick hands in our lineup. i feel like if he makes the team next year he's instantly our next best finisher behind tarasenko.

Anybody else as excited as I am? Also anybody else want to have a POSITIVE THREAD? LOL

Holy over-excitment batman. I've come around on Thompson and have liked his progress, but let's pump the brakes shall we? He's still got some significant progress to make before we're talking about him making an impact at the NHL level. Should he turn pro, he should start in the AHL. No need to rush the kid.

 

[Majorityof1]

Finishing has never been Thompson's problem. The dude knows how to put the biscuit in the basket. It's all the other parts of his game that are relative unknowns.

He's big, but he's a gentle giant. He needs to learn how to use his size forcefully to punish backcheckers, clear the crease / make noise in front of the net, and win board battles (especially if he's going to stay on the wing). Berube, who had quite the mean streak as a player, would be good for him here.

He can score, but like I mentioned in the prospects thread, he hasn't had an assist in over 9 weeks, which is (maybe) cause for concern. Playing on a team where only one other forward - at best - is NHL caliber could factor into that. Playing in Chicago/KC would put him with our prospects, more than one of whom at least has the chance to play in the big leagues one day, and allow him to develop in our (pro) system.

But the kid's got skill, there should be no doubt about that. People often forget about this aspect of his game because he is so big, but he has very good speed, and he knows how and when to go to the front of the net (what he does once he's there, especially on set plays like our system likes to set up, is up for debate). I'm not sure if there is anyone at all in our system of prospects right now that can shoot the puck like Thompson does, with apologies to Barbashev and Blais who are probably 2-3 on that list. And that alone should be encouraging. There's no guarantee that he turns out better than Jaskin, but I'm encouraged by the skills he does have, and we'll just have to wait and see how the rest comes along. He's a coach's kid, and that typically bodes well as far as work ethic goes.

If nothing else, just stick him at the right faceoff dot on the PP and have him rip one-timers.

I don't disagree with any of this. Nor was I saying he would never be a good finisher in the NHL. But a large part of being a good finisher is being able to get into position to finish. Can he get his shot off in traffic? Can he create space for himself? Can he create opportunities for himself against tougher competition? He has the size and speed to be able to do so as he develops. But will he be ready to do so next year? That is asking a lot. Rattie was a great finisher at the lower levels, but not at all in the pros. Tage has a much better skill set than Rattie, not arguing that all (faster, bigger, stronger, better shot). But he has to prove his ability to create space for himself at higher levels before we anoint him a better finisher than Schwartz, Steen and Fabbri.

In the vein of positivity, I have been heartened by what I have watched of him since he was drafted. He has shown me some aspects of his game that alleviated some of my concerns when we drafted him. He has also made some positive strides. I view him as one of our better prospects now. But as others have stated, there is no reason to rush him. And there is definitely no reason to anoint him the next coming at this point. He still has question marks. Let's let him work on those and develop before making claims about where he stands vis a vis our pro roster.....ok, not entirely positive but as close as this cynic can get to being positive.

 

[BlackCrowes]

What's the hockey IQ on him like? I've always feared in the back of my mind that he'll just end up as another Chris Stewart. Big, strong, great skills, but far too soft along the boards and isn't very good at reading the play. Hopefully that's not the case with Thompson.

My opinion, pretty strong hockey IQ. Rarely out of position and in the offensive zone is always hunting the puck, putting pressure on the D with his speed and wingspan.

One more thing I forgot to add, last game I was at (UVM last Friday night) he was playing Center. I thought it was odd since he was usually playing RW to Letunov. Since I had my distracted 9 year old with me I wasn't able to really key in on how he did as center, so I hope to see him there again on Saturday against Merrimack.

 

[DatDude44]

just to clear things up i didn't mean he's ready or absolutely on the team next year. I just wanted to make the point that he'd already be our 2nd best finisher IMO. I know he's not ready and most likely won't make the team next year. but I think the offensive instincts, hands and release are NHL level. Still needs to grow into his body and i honestly don't have an accurate judgement on his play in his own zone because i haven't watched him since the WJC and then any videos i've found on him at uconn are all just highlights.

But man the potential is big on this kid. I wasn't huge on him going into the draft either but so far his development has been a pleasant surprise and when he is ready to make the jump. I think having a 6'5 winger that can bury the puck as a secondary scoring option could be huge down the road

 

[The Note in MI]

Will it take hold? Not a bad nickname other than length.

 

[Majorityof1]

Will it take hold? Not a bad nickname other than length.

I use nicknames for brevity in typing on this board. Tank, senko, or vladdy are shorter than Tarasenko. JBO is shorter than Bouwmeester. Petro or Pie < Pietrangelo. I never call Schwartz Schwartzy or steen steener cause its extra letters not less. Based on how frequently I see nicknames, I would say that's true for the vast majority of us. So I doubt either sticks on this board. The players also don't really use that type of nickname much. They generally stick with name/fragment of name+letter or two. Steener, Schwartzy, Reavo, Shatty, Hutts, etc. Those type of nicknames are more one-time use by the media. Vladdy was called Vlad-the-impaler for a bit when he broke into the league. Didn't really stick. Tank persists to this day even though he hates it.