The Buffalo Sabres will try to fill their forward depth chart from within once again, this time recalling Tage Thompson from the minor leagues. The team lost Kyle Okposo from last night’s game and already have Vladimir Sobotka, Marcus Johansson and Johan Larsson on the shelf at the moment.
The 22-year old Thompson came to the Sabres from the St. Louis Blues in the Ryan O’Reilly trade and ended up playing 65 games for Buffalo last season. He was frustratingly inconsistent during those games however and with the team’s added depth was sent to the AHL’s Rochester Americans to start the 2019-20 season.
In the minor leagues, Thompson has shown an improved skating ability and bigger overall impact, scoring 12 points in 16 games as one of the team’s most consistent players. He comes to the Sabres amid reports the team is looking for another forward in trade, but could potentially fill that role himself.
Selected 26th overall in 2016, Thompson has a huge frame and can score from all over the offensive zone. In 106 career NHL games he has just 10 goals however, a rate that will have to improve significantly before he is considered the impact player many thought he would become.
With that frame it’s too bad he doesn’t have that edge his pops or “uncle Rocky” had…