TBN: Tage Thompson: He's fit. He's tanned. He's ready to dominate.

[HaNotsri]

While Eakin had a couple of moments last night where he was around dangerous areas with the puck, it seemed like the line performed better with Thompson than Asplund.

I thought Asplund did a lot of good stuff defensively and pressuring the defenders. Asplund will be a useful 4th liner over time.

I'd put Thompson in the mostly harmless category unless he has the puck near the blueline, then he's a negative.

I'm hoping shows enough to be interesting for Seattle but not enough for it to hurt giving him up.

 

[Jim Bob]

I think we gotta give Thompson some time. He seems to look great in limited contact situations like training camp, but has a hard time with NHL game speed. Let him be 13th forward for a bit, get into games and do injury fill ins. It doesn't mean he's a bust, just that he needs more time. He needs to play a simple game. He has "fancy play syndrome" where he thinks he has to toe drag or make a fancy pass rather than just playing a strong, simple game.

That was his issue prior to last year's injury.

Apparently sitting out and watching didn't teach him that lesson.

 

[Buffaloed]

I think Tage speaks for everyone on the team, not just "evolving" forwards.
Truncated schedule will cause Sabres to occasionally rest 'evolving' forwards
PHILADELPHIA – Tage Thompson was winded.
The physical reaction was to be expected in Thompson’s first game action since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in November 2019. Thompson, a 23-year-old winger, averaged 18:24 of ice time across the Sabres’ two games against the Washington Capitals, both of which he began on the team’s top forward line.
“Getting back in game shape, there’s nothing like it,” Thompson said after the morning skate Monday. “I’ll start to get my legs here soon. I was a little winded there the first two games, but I’m starting to get my legs under me.”

 

[sabremike]

I think Tage speaks for everyone on the team, not just "evolving" forwards.
Truncated schedule will cause Sabres to occasionally rest 'evolving' forwards
PHILADELPHIA – Tage Thompson was winded.
The physical reaction was to be expected in Thompson’s first game action since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in November 2019. Thompson, a 23-year-old winger, averaged 18:24 of ice time across the Sabres’ two games against the Washington Capitals, both of which he began on the team’s top forward line.
“Getting back in game shape, there’s nothing like it,” Thompson said after the morning skate Monday. “I’ll start to get my legs here soon. I was a little winded there the first two games, but I’m starting to get my legs under me.”

He was badly dehydrated after the game on Monday:

 

[brian_griffin]

In the game before he was scratched, I will say he was noticeably active / engaged in tying up his man in the defensive zone around the crease below the dots / above the goal line. Not perfect (don't take that as criticism), but pleasantly effective. He has a high velocity shot - clearly near the top of the Sabres roster - but he must be a more complete player to have top-6 impact in the NHL. Many of us will remember Mark Mancari (not comparing them, just pointing out a recent Sabre who had certain primo tools, but an incomplete tool box - and I'm not saying Thompson is an incomplete player; this season will help develop that). I have no issue with scratching him, whether to allow another Sabre some TOI, or to give TT some NHL game looks from the stands.

Agree that Reinhart as the RW1 was more effective, although I favor - at least early in the season - running set pairs and filling in the 3rd forward with "platoon" players, moving them up and down as their individual health/fitness and team health/depth/opponent varies. Thompson should be afforded opportunities up and down that list (along with others).

Hall-Eichel
Staal-Cozens
Eakins-Rieder
Lazar-Sheahan

 

[Buffaloed]

At this stage of his career, Tage is an incomplete player. He's all arms, legs, and neck. When he gets a torso and a head, watch out!

 

[Der Jaeger]

At this stage of his career, Tage is an incomplete player. He's all arms, legs, and neck. When he gets a torso and a head, watch out!

It’s like playing hangman. Ralph just needs a few more letters, and Tage will be complete.

 

[sabremike]

It’s like playing hangman. Ralph just needs a few more letters, and Tage will be complete.

 

[Buffaloed]

Tage's cousin Salvaje a 4th string futbol goalie in the Argentine Primera Division waits for a call from Kevyn Adams.

 

[Matt Ress]

No confidence? Thinking too much? This dude could beast out if he decided to. How much of a leash does Tage get before needs to learn the ways of the 4th liner?

 

[Chainshot]

No confidence? Thinking too much? This dude could beast out if he decided to. How much of a leash does Tage get before needs to learn the ways of the 4th liner?

I like some of what he's done -- finishing some checks, getting pucks deep, pursuit and such. He isn't trying to dangle from a standstill. But I do wonder at what they are asking him to do - on Staal's wing was it retrieval and offense? On Eakin's wing is it checking assignment duty (for which Eakin is not exactly a stellar pivot)?

 

[deVolt]

Tage's last sighting on his way to Rochester.

 

[debaser66]

he has spent enough time in the save havens of the Sabres reservoir.
Its time to gently release him into the wild

 

[joshjull]

No confidence? Thinking too much? This dude could beast out if he decided to. How much of a leash does Tage get before needs to learn the ways of the 4th liner?

I think it would help if he actually played on the 4th line, like Mitts did tonight. It would take a lot of pressure off him.

 

[Matt Ress]

I think it would help if he actually played on the 4th line, like Mitts did tonight. It would take a lot of pressure off him.

You're right. It's pretty obvious the experiment failed. At least for now. Each line seems to have the same direction from RK as apposed to, "grind out the boards and get an O zone faceoff." Which would take off some pressure without having to change his game much.

With some success against weaker opposition, he could then be a candidate to slide up.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Bring in Dave Andreychuk as a special consultant. Pay him $5o K just to talk to this kid daily about how to use his frame and skating to get to net and let the others guys finesse. I'm actually partly serious.

For sure, Andreychuk had loads of talent but he played within his game, going hard to the net, using his reach to make players. He didn't try to dipsy-doodle over the blue line. He was hard on the puck. You know what it got. Hall of Fame and 640 goals.

I'm not saying that's Tage Thompson but 500 game career and 250 goals is not out of range for Thompson but he simply won't pay the price to be an NHLer.

I really thought this was the year TT but clearly it's not. He won't take his game to that next level. Maybe it's just too hard in the NHL to do that versus the AHL?

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I like some of what he's done -- finishing some checks, getting pucks deep, pursuit and such. He isn't trying to dangle from a standstill. But I do wonder at what they are asking him to do - on Staal's wing was it retrieval and offense? On Eakin's wing is it checking assignment duty (for which Eakin is not exactly a stellar pivot)?

They seem to want him to win some puck battles, play more physical? He's more physical than he was, like you noted, but Krueger seems to want more of it based on his pregame or postgame comments when has was asked about him this past week.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Bring in Dave Andreychuk as a special consultant. Pay him $5o K just to talk to this kid daily about how to use his frame and skating to get to net and let the others guys finesse. I'm actually partly serious.

For sure, Andreychuk had loads of talent but he played within his game, going hard to the net, using his reach to make players. He didn't try to dipsy-doodle over the blue line. He was hard on the puck. You know what it got. Hall of Fame and 640 goals.

I'm not saying that's Tage Thompson but 500 game career and 250 goals is not out of range for Thompson but he simply won't pay the price to be an NHLer.

I really thought this was the year TT but clearly it's not. He won't take his game to that next level. Maybe it's just too hard in the NHL to do that versus the AHL?

Bingo. This is the entire issue with Tage. Matches with coach's comments.

Is this something players can learn this late? He's 23, no spring chicken.

 

[HaNotsri]

Is he the most iconic bad player of the double tank era?

 

[Zman5778]

Is he the most iconic bad player of the double tank era?

I'm not sure "iconic" is the right word, but your point is well-taken and probably correct.

 

[Jim Bob]

Is he the most iconic bad player of the double tank era?

Not even close:

 

[Buffaloed]

Tage is a mess

 

[Jim Bob]

Tage is a mess

I thought Tage was a killer?

 

[Buffaloed]

I think it would help if he actually played on the 4th line, like Mitts did tonight. It would take a lot of pressure off him.

He has Joel Armia tendencies.

 

[TehDoak]

He has Joel Armia tendencies.

Joel Armia is OK-ish now. Not a 1st round pick, but I think he's a top 9, 15-20 goal guy.

Just going to take a bit. This is feeling a bit like Grigerenko where the development was just fubar'd from day 1 when he clearly should have went back to Juniors and spent several years in the AHL.