Thompson excited for All-Star nod, hopes for teammates to join him

Don Granato watched how Rasmus Dahlin gained confidence after participating in his first NHL All-Star Game last year. He sees the same potential for Tage Thompson - a scary thought for a player who already has 30 goals less than halfway through the season.
"Dahlin**

Granato had the privilege of sharing the news with Thompson on Thursday morning, the latest honor in what has been a remarkable season for the 25-year-old center. Thompson described his reaction as pure excitement.
"I don't think there's really any other way to put it," he said. "It's something I think a lot of people work toward and something I've been working toward, and to be able to get rewarded with that is a good feeling."

Thompson ranks second in the NHL with 30 goals and third with 55 points. He has recorded three hat tricks and two six-point games, including the second five-goal performance in Sabres history. The NHL named him Third Star of the Month for December.
"He just takes steps every week it feels like," Dahlin said. "He's getting comfortable in his own game. You guys see what he does every day. The way he scores goals and stuff, he's so big and the skill he has and the confidence he has right now, it's fun to watch. He definitely deserves where he's at right now."
Thompson's current stature is a testament to his hard work through adversity. He was acquired by the Sabres in summer 2018 from the St. Louis Blues, who had drafted him 26th overall two years prior.
Thompson played 65 games in his first season with Buffalo but saw limited ice time. He started the next season in Rochester, played well enough to earn a recall in November, and sustained a season-ending injury in his first game with the Sabres.
As recently as 2021, Thompson spent much of his time working on the taxi squad while a more veteran Sabres team navigated the first half of a COVID-shortened season. Granato took over in March of that year and empowered Thompson with ice time, then doubled down on his belief in the forward by moving him to center prior to the following training camp.
Thompson rewarded his coach's faith with a breakout, 38-goal campaign. He only set his sights higher after signing a seven-year contract extension this past offseason.
All of it seemed worth it upon receiving the news Thursday.
"It's been a tough journey, tough road, and I've definitely faced a lot of adversity along the way," Thompson said. "So, I think it just makes you grateful for where you're at in your career now. It makes you not want to take things like this for granted. So. just something I'm going to be able to enjoy, something that I've worked for. It's going to be a rewarding feeling."
Here are more notes from Friday's practice at KeyBank Center.
1. Thompson expressed hope that Dahlin will join him at the All-Star Game. Dahlin ranks third among NHL defensemen - first in the Eastern Conference - in both points and average ice time.
"I think you look at his season, he's dominant," Thompson said. "The numbers he's putting up and just how he takes over games and the impact he's had. I mean, he plays in every situation for us and he's logging huge minutes. I think his stats and his results show how well he's playing. I think he's obviously very deserving. He went last year and he's playing even better this year."

2. Granato listed Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner along with Dahlin as players who are worthy of an All-Star nod. Tuch and Skinner are both enjoying career years and averaging more than a point per game.
   "That's an exciting to see as an objective to us for an organization to help these guys that we felt are very talented guys reach a higher level within their career," Granato said. "We're seeing that. … Hopefully by the time that game's played we see another Sabre, at least another Sabre in there."
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   3. Which event would Dahlin want to see Thompson participate in at NHL Skills?
   "Everything," Dahlin said. "Hardest shot. Accurate. Dekes. He's got it all."
   4. The Sabres open a four-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, which doubles as the start of a grueling stretch of 13 games in 22 days, including three back-to-back sets.
   "I think it was really good to have two long and hard practices here before it comes up," Dahlin said. "You know it's coming and you've just got to prepare, fill your fridge up and get your bed ready because it will be game, eat, sleep, game, eat, sleep. It's going to be a hard month but a challenge. We've just got to make sure we're hot because then we can ride on the wave a little bit."