Tage Thompson is heating up, and the rest of the league is taking notice.
The Sabres’ center just wrapped up a blistering four-game stretch that earned him the NHL’s First Star of the Week honors - and it wasn’t even close. Thompson piled up nine points over that span, the most of any player in the league, and reminded everyone exactly why he’s one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the game today.
The highlight came Thursday night in Buffalo’s 5-3 win over the Canadiens, where Thompson delivered a signature performance. He notched his ninth career hat trick and added two assists, hitting the five-point mark for the third time in his career.
It was vintage Tage - a combination of size, skill, and sniper’s touch that few can match. That game also saw him reach a pair of milestones: his 200th career goal and his 22nd game-winner.
Not bad for a night’s work.
But it wasn’t just one explosive outing. Thompson was consistent all week.
He picked up an assist in Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Panthers, followed that with a two-assist effort in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Flyers, and capped the week with another helper in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Wild. Whether he’s finishing plays or setting them up, he’s been the engine driving Buffalo’s offense.
Thompson wasn’t the only one earning league-wide recognition. Nashville’s Roman Josi claimed the Second Star after racking up seven points, including two goals, from the blue line.
Josi’s two-way brilliance continues to be a foundational piece for the Predators. Meanwhile, Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka earned the Third Star, backstopping his team to three wins with a stingy 1.67 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.
Solid, reliable, and clutch - exactly what you want in your netminder.
As for the Sabres, they’ve been navigating some injury turbulence, especially on the blue line. Defenseman Michael Kesselring was held out of Monday’s 2-1 road loss to the Hurricanes after tweaking the high ankle sprain that had already cost him seven games earlier this season. Kesselring had just returned to the lineup in Saturday’s overtime loss to Minnesota and was back on the ice for Sunday’s practice.
Head coach Lindy Ruff gave a bit of reassurance, saying the setback doesn’t appear to be too serious and that Kesselring could be available for Tuesday’s matchup in Nashville. For a team trying to climb the standings and find some consistency, getting healthy bodies back - especially on defense - is critical.
But right now, the story in Buffalo is Thompson. When he’s playing like this, the Sabres are a different team.
He’s not just producing - he’s taking over games. And if he keeps this up, Buffalo might just ride his hot streak into a serious playoff push.