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Buffalo Sabres Star Tage Thompson Pulled Off Something That Hadn’t Been Accomplished In Nearly Four Decades

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The Buffalo Sabres have been one of the worst teams in the NHL over the last decade. The Sabres have not made the NHL playoffs since the 2010-11 season, and have finished last in their division five times since then.

But this year, things are looking up for Sabres fans. Sure, Buffalo still sits seventh out of eight teams in the Atlantic Division. But the Sabres are stacked to the kills with young talent that has made them one of the NHL’s most watchable teams in the early season.

Former No. 1 overall draft picks Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power look like a future elite defensive pair, while forwards Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson look like potential future All-Stars.

But it was Thompson, specifically, who stole the show on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 25-year-old American had a breakout season a year ago. After not scoring more than eight goals in any of his first three NHL seasons, he bumped up to the Sabes’ first line and had a massive year. Thompson turned in 38 goals and 30 assists, establishing himself as a top-line talent.

This year, he’s taken his game to yet another level.

Tage Thompson Scores Four First-Period Goals, Five Total, In Blowout Of Columbus Blue Jackets

Unlike the Sabres, the Columbus Blue Jackets are trending in a downward direction. Columbus made the playoffs four straight years between 2017-2020. But they’ve missed each of the last two seasons and currently sit in last place in the NHL Eastern Conference.

The Sabres, and Thompson in particular, took advantage of that on Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-7 forward scored five goals, including four in the first period alone, in a 9-4 Buffalo victory. It marked the first time since 1983 that an American has scored five goals in a game.

But the insane numbers don’t stop there. Thompson’s five goals on Thursday were more than the large majority of the league has scored all year.

Thompson now has 21 goals and a jaw-dropping 40 points through just 26 games this season, and the Sabres have a bonafide superstar on their hands.

Things might just finally be looking up in Buffalo.