Sabres Should Keep Thompson at Wing for Foreseeable Future

Much of the talk of late for the Buffalo Sabres has centered around the Connor Hellebuyck saga, though now there are parties interested in Detroit’s beleaguered superstar Dylan Larkin. But while that has been going on, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson has emphatically found his game.

Perhaps the biggest reason for the uptick in production is his move to wing. Head coach Lindy Ruff has had him at center for long stretches, but this is another instance in which a move to the wing has proven to be beneficial.

West Coast Breakthrough

Thompson was the catalyst of a three-game sweep of West Coast foes this past week. He had an assist in a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, followed that up with a natural hat trick and two assists in a thrilling 7-6 win over the Anaheim Ducks, and finished out the road trip by scoring twice in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Thompson not only put his killer shot on full display but flashed the high-end one-on-one ability that has made him such a unicorn among NHLers. In 14 games, he now has 10 goals and seven assists, the former leading the team.

More importantly, Thompson has found a way to be consistent in his contributions this season. He has a point in 10 of 14 games so far, including five multi-point efforts.

Benson Riding Shotgun

There were some concerns about moving Zach Benson off his line and onto a line with Thompson, but those have already paid huge dividends. Benson had six points in the three California games playing alongside Thompson and had his first non-empty-net goal of the season against Anaheim.

Benson is such a hugely impactful player that it makes sense to pair him up with the team’s most dynamic scorer. During his five-on-five minutes this season, the Sabres control 66 percent of the shot attempts and outscore the opposition 15-5.

What may wind up working best for the top line is to keep Benson and Thompson together while finding sporadic fits in that third spot. Thompson and Benson are proving to be so good that they could conceivably play with anyone.

Depth at Center Being Tested

The biggest issue of moving Thompson is that brings the concerning lack of depth at center to light. The most ideal solution would be to see the struggling Josh Norris elevate his game, but that feels like a busted pipe dream at this point.

Jiri Kulich could fill that role when he comes back. Peyton Krebs can fill that role for stretches but there are questions about whether he could be the guy in that spot for a full season. Noah Ostlund and Jack Quinn have clicked, so leaving them together makes sense.

For now, Krebs will probably have the job with Kulich sliding back into that role. Thompson is very good as a center but freed of some of those responsibilities, he has shown he can dominate on the wing. Finding someone else to plug that hole could prove beneficial in the long-term for the Sabres and Thompson.

Sabres Have Surged Thanks in Part Because of Thompson’s Play

The Sabres are going to have their work cut out for them in a stacked Eastern Conference, and Thompson’s play is going to play a big part in how they do. They are currently just two points back of the third spot in the Atlantic Division, and divisional foes such as the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers are tough to handle.

There is still a lot of hockey to be played, but Thompson is on pace to better his career-highs set in the 2022-23 season of 47 goals, 47 assists, and 94 points. He finished at a .602 goals per game and 1.205 points per game clip that season and he’s on a .714 goals per game and 1.214 points per game clip currently. No matter how you look at it, Thompson has been on a tear to start this season.