Tage Thompson was among the millions of hockey fans who tuned into Saturday’s epic showdown between the United States and Canada, a 3-1 win for Team USA that set the stage for a rematch between the two rivals in Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off finale.
“If you’re not a hockey fan, that’ll instantly get you hooked,” Thompson said Tuesday, after the Sabres reconvened for practice at KeyBank Center.
“I was sitting there wishing I was there a little bit. It was probably an unreal atmosphere and I think everyone’s excited for the rematch on Thursday.”
Thompson is tied for ninth in the NHL with 26 goals this season. He ranks second among U.S-born players with 102 goals since the start of the 2022-23 season, behind Auston Matthews. Those credentials made Thompson a popular choice for Team USA in media projections leading up to the 4 Nations roster reveal in early December.
The fact that Thompson was left off the roster has not deterred him from supporting Team USA, which he has twice represented at IIHF World Championships as well as in a gold-medal World Juniors run in 2017. In fact, it’s motivated him even more to make the roster going forward.
Three Sabres players ultimately got the call to participate at 4 Nations, the first best-on-best international competition in men’s hockey since the 2016 World Cup: Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden), Henri Jokiharju (Finland), and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Finland).
For Thompson and the several other Sabres players who could be in conversations to make international rosters – some of whom are from countries that were not involved in 4 Nations, such as German forward JJ Peterka – the focus now turns to the future.
The NHL is returning to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030. The league will host the World Cup of Hockey as its own best-on-best event in 2028, with the expectation of more to follow.
“I think not being selected to 4 Nations gives you a little bit of that hunger, a little bit of a chip on your shoulder to try and prove something going forward,” Thompson said. “But I think those things will take care of themselves as long as you’re doing the right things to help your team here, which is the main focus.
“I feel like if I’m doing those things – playing a full 200-foot, trying to help our team win on a nightly basis – I think those things go a long way and the rest kind of falls into place.”
Here’s more from Tuesday’s practice.
