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Tage Thompson: what’s his future?


dudacek

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Reporter caught up to him in the Buffalo News.

https://buffalonews.com/2020/05/19/buffalo-sabres-rochester-americans-tage-thompson-nhl-ahl-news-2020/
 

He’s been doing heavy lower body workouts and is up to 225 pounds, 20 pounds heavier than he was a year ago. Says he expects to add more over the summer. The shoulder is healing well and he should be at full speed in about a month.

Like it or not, he’s probably our best bet currently to upgrade a middle six RW slot. Can he make an Olofsson-like jump and add 15-25 goals?

He’s 22 now, obviously more powerful, and the early returns last year in Rochester were good. But he also had a long way to go in terms of being mentally and physically equipped to handle the NHL game and has basically lost a year of development.

What are our expectations for Tage this year?

Edited by dudacek
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28 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Reporter caught up to him in the Buffalo News.

https://buffalonews.com/2020/05/19/buffalo-sabres-rochester-americans-tage-thompson-nhl-ahl-news-2020/
 

He’s been doing heavy lower body workouts and is up to 225 pounds, 20 pounds heavier than he was a year ago. Says he expects to add more over the summer. The shoulder is healing well and he should be at full speed in about a month.

Like it or not, he’s probably our best bet currently to upgrade a middle six RW slot. Can he make an Olofsson-like jump and add 15-25 goals?

He’s 22 now, obviously more powerful, and the early returns last year in Rochester were good. But he also had a long way to go in terms of being mentally and physically equipped to handle the NHL game and has basically lost a year of development.

What are our expectations for Tage this year?

When we talk about players making jumps like in the Risto thread I think of a guy like Tage. Tage has yet to play in the league at anywhere near his peak physical condition. He needed to add the weight and strength. Now will that be enough? Idk, there are times where you see what Tage could be and other times where I would rather see Sobotka out there. I think it will be a rough year for him because the speed of the game will take a minute. Can he be a #2 RW? Idk. 

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33 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

When we talk about players making jumps like in the Risto thread I think of a guy like Tage. Tage has yet to play in the league at anywhere near his peak physical condition. He needed to add the weight and strength. Now will that be enough? Idk, there are times where you see what Tage could be and other times where I would rather see Sobotka out there. I think it will be a rough year for him because the speed of the game will take a minute. Can he be a #2 RW? Idk. 

I think he clearly has the physical gifts to be a second-line NHL player. His shot is heavy, his hands are soft, he skates just fine and that reach is world-class. And he is of an age where you expect prospects to take a step.

But one of two things generally trip up youngsters: the inability to win and protect the puck, and the inability to make decisions at NHL speed. Tage sucked at both.

Despite his age, the kid has played less than 180 pro games, and has played less than 250 games anywhere in the past 5 years.

I’ll be surprised if he is ready this fall because he just hasn’t had the repetition he needs to make the adjustments he needs.

Seems like a good kid though. I won’t be writing him off if he’s not here this fall.

 

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47 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

When we talk about players making jumps like in the Risto thread I think of a guy like Tage. Tage has yet to play in the league at anywhere near his peak physical condition. He needed to add the weight and strength. Now will that be enough? Idk, there are times where you see what Tage could be and other times where I would rather see Sobotka out there. I think it will be a rough year for him because the speed of the game will take a minute. Can he be a #2 RW? Idk. 

Wow, we seem to have actually agreed on two or three things lately. There was always anecdotal evidence that big guys took longer to develop.We will see. He’s one of the guys I always figured as one of the potential “surprises” that every franchise needs. 

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I have no clue at all what he is going to be right.

In the past there are some players I have had strong feelings about.  From the first few games I saw Reinhart play, I though he was going to be a consistent 20-25 goal scorer (good to very good player, not superstar though).  Nick Baptiste I was sure would be a good NHL player putting in 20-25 goals per year (I was wrong about him, but I still had a strong feeling about him.).  Tage though?  Nothing. No feeling at all.  He could never make this team at all (like a Baptiste or Bailey) or he can turn into a 30 goal per year guy.  Nothing would surprise me.

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I'll say it:  I am cautiously optimistic about TT and will predict that he becomes the #3 RW by the end of the season and shows enough to make most here optimistic about developing into the #2 RW.  I think he's got the physical tools and the drive to get there.  And I'd be pretty psyched to watch a 3rd line of Mojo-Cozens-TT.

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59 minutes ago, Ogelthorpe said:

If cozens is on team this year it will be mismanagement of another 1st round pick

Actually it isn't. Going back to juniors is not going to push Cozens further. I wish he could go to the AHL but sadly the NHL has one of the dumbest agreements I have ever seen.

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This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

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