The Buffalo Sabres have plenty of noise around them right now, but Tage Thompson has cut through it with a stretch that looks every bit like a player who has found his best lane. The biggest difference has come with Thompson on the wing, where Lindy Ruff has kept him for long stretches and where his production has taken off.
That shift paid off in a big way during Buffalo’s three-game West Coast swing. Thompson opened the trip with an assist in a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, then exploded for a natural hat trick and two assists in a 7-6 win over the Anaheim Ducks. He wrapped it up with two goals in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
It was the kind of week that showed everything Thompson can bring. The shot is still the headline, but he also leaned into the one-on-one skill that makes him such a unique player in the league. Through 14 games, he has 10 goals and seven assists, and his 10 goals lead the team.
Just as important, the production has not come in isolated bursts. Thompson has recorded a point in 10 of 14 games and already has five multi-point outings. That kind of steady impact is exactly what Buffalo needs from one of its most dangerous scorers.
Zach Benson has fit right into the mix, too. There were questions about bumping him off his line and placing him beside Thompson, but the early returns have been strong. Benson posted six points over the three California games and scored his first non-empty-net goal of the season against Anaheim.
The numbers at five-on-five back up the eye test. With Benson on the ice this season, the Sabres control 66 percent of the shot attempts and have outscored opponents 15-5. That kind of two-way impact makes him a natural partner for Buffalo’s most dynamic offensive threat.
The trick now is figuring out what to do with the rest of the line. Benson and Thompson look like a pairing worth keeping intact, and the third spot can be filled in different ways. The bigger issue is what Thompson’s move away from center exposes behind him.
Buffalo’s center depth remains a concern. Josh Norris has not given the Sabres the lift they need, and that has become hard to ignore.
Jiri Kulich could handle the role when he returns, while Peyton Krebs can fill in for stretches. Noah Ostlund and Jack Quinn have found chemistry together, which makes keeping them paired up a sensible option.
For the moment, Krebs is likely to hold that center spot until Kulich slides back in. Thompson has always been effective down the middle, but with fewer responsibilities on the wing, he has shown he can overwhelm teams there. If Buffalo can solve the center issue elsewhere, it may end up helping both the Sabres and Thompson in the long run.
And right now, Thompson’s play is a major reason Buffalo has climbed. The Sabres are only two points behind the third spot in the Atlantic Division, with the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers all looming in a crowded Eastern Conference race.
There is a long way to go, but Thompson is tracking toward a season that could top his career-best marks from 2022-23, when he finished with 47 goals, 47 assists, and 94 points. He is currently on a .714 goals per game pace and a 1.214 points per game pace, both above the .602 goals per game and 1.205 points per game he posted in that breakout year. However you slice it, Thompson has been rolling to start the season.
In Other News...
Sabres Crease Could Change Fast With One Return Closing In
Alex Lyon is back on the ice with the Sabres and moving closer to clearance after an upper-body injury, a welcome development for a team that has been juggling its crease with a two-goalie rotation. Buffalo would like to get back to a three-goalie setup once Lyon is ready, which would give the staff more flexibility as it sorts through the early-season grind.
The goalie situation is only part of a busy injury picture around the roster. Jiri Kulich has returned from concussion protocol, while Conor Timmins and Justin Danforth have resumed practice, but Zach Bensons status remains uncertain and Konsta Helenius is now week-to-week with an upper-body injury. For a Sabres team trying to stabilize its lineup, Lyons return could come at just the right time, even if the next step is still waiting on final clearance. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Are Finally Showing The Identity Fans Have Waited For
A road trip that started with questions ended with Buffalo looking a lot more like the team its fans have been waiting to see. The Sabres capped a three-game winning streak with a 3-2 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena, and the performance had the kind of ingredients that have been missing too often this season: timely scoring, a steadier power play and a goalie who made the necessary stops.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 27 shots for his fourth win, while Tage Thompson supplied two goals and continued to drive the offense when it mattered most. The bigger takeaway for Buffalo is not just the result, but the way it came together away from home, with the special teams showing real progress and the group starting to play with a clearer identity. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres New Jersey Has A Buffalo Detail Fans Will Appreciate
The Sabres new Hometown Remix jersey is built around Buffalos City of Light identity, and the design leans hard into local pride with electrified swords and a bold Buffalo logo. The reveal clearly landed with fans, too, as about 100 people lined up at the Sabres Store to buy it, turning the launch into more than just another uniform unveiling.
The team plans to wear the sweater eight times during the 2026-27 NHL season, giving it a regular place in the rotation rather than treating it like a one-off alternate. Seven of those appearances will come at home, with the lone road date adding a little extra intrigue to a jersey that already feels tailored to Buffalos history and the fans who embrace it. [Read more 🡒]