(picture credit: Tage Thompson et Alex Tuch (Source d’image:Getty)
By Nick Lenahan
In the 29 games since Alex Tuch has joined the Buffalo Sabres, Tage Thompson has 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points in 29 games (.97 PPG). In his 30 games before Tuch’s arrival? 18 points in 30 games (.6 PPG). While Tage was already gradually improving since his Sabres debut in 2018, Tuch (and the rejuvenation of Jeff Skinner) have provided an efficient pair of top linemates that seem to find the scoresheet almost every night. But what can we expect next season from the 24-year-old first-round pick from St. Louis? If each member of the Sabres’ top line improves their total PPG next season by just .15 points per game, and all three linemates play 82 games, Skinner would average .81 PPG for an estimated 69 points, Tuch would average .95 PPG and post 78 points, while Thompson would average .93 PPG putting him on pace for a 76 point season in 2022-23. While that type of jump may seem like a stretch, look at Thompson’s production from last season to the current day.
(via https://nhl.icydata.hockey/players/3317/tage-thompson)
2020-21
41 Games Played
8 Goals, 6 Assists, 14 Points
(.34 PPG)
2021-22
59 Games Played
25 Goals, 21 Assists, 46 Points
(.78 PPG)
His increased shot attempts have helped everybody on his line. From taking more high-quality shots due to his linemate’s ability to get him the puck between the circles to providing rebounds and additional scoring chances, this line is by far the most productive that we have seen in recent years. As these three develop more chemistry going into next season, it’s hard to think that an almost-point-per-game average for each is out of the question. As of March 13th, NHL.com placed Buffalo’s top line as the 25th best fantasy line in hockey. Impressive for a line with such limited time together. With 255 minutes played together, the Sabres top line rank 28th in xGoal % among lines that have played a minimum of 200 minutes together. (According to https://moneypuck.com/lines.htm)
With 19 games remaining, if Tage Thompson has 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points, he will end the year with 33 goals and 28 assists for 61 points in 78 games (.78 PPG). If he outperforms his PPG next season by .15, as projected earlier, he would put up an impressive projected 41 goals and 35 assists for 76 points in 82 games (.93 PPG). Obviously, this team has a long way to go, but this top-line has made Sabres hockey entertaining again. With a little bit of optimism and some expected team chemistry, Buffalo may be on its way to finally righting the ship that sailed over a decade ago. If you assume that Skinner (69 points), Tuch (78 points), and Thompson (76 points) combine for 223 points as projected, our top 3 players would be 2 points behind this Sabres top 3 in 2007-08 (https://www.nhl.com/sabres/stats/2007-2008) :
