40-Goal Scorer Is Losing Patience With His Team and the Leafs Must Take Advantage
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According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman on a recent 32 Thoughts podcast, he revealed frustrations in Buffalo have led to Tage Thompson potentially wanting out.
If you're a fan of the Buffalo Sabres, it hasn't been the best stretch over the last 14 years to say the least. Having not made the playoffs since 2011 and having several stars head out of town due to their ineptitude, 2025 was supposed to be different.
Well, we are five games into the season and the Sabres aren't doing the greatest, although sitting at a 2-3-0 record; it's a lot better than it could be and their recent 3-0 shutout of Florida is a good sign of things to come.
Insider Reports Sabres Star Wants Out If Team Doesn't Improve
Hopefully that stays consistent because if not, then they can potentially say goodbye to one of their top players.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman on a recent 32 Thoughts podcast episode, the Sabres are needing to desperately improve if they want to keep around both captain Rasmus Dahlin and star power forward Tage Thompson:
We basically know that two of their franchise players, Dahlin and Thompson, have indicated that it has to get better this year; the Sabres don't have a long runway for this.
The runway has been shortened year after year and it seems like Terry Pegula and the entire Sabres organization are riding a very thin line when it comes to their superstars.
But if they want out, could their division rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs make a move?
Toronto Needs To Push All-In For Tage Thompson
While Dahlin is a very big longshot given his notorious distaste for the Maple Leafs and explained previously he would prefer to go to any destination than Toronto.
But Thompson is an intriguing player as he both fits the top-six need that the Maple Leafs have, plus he gives them a deadly scoring combination alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.
Thompson, 27, is a two-time 40 goal scorer including a career-high 47 goals in 2022-23, and has registered 148 goals over his last four seasons (not counting 2025-26).
He would certainly bring a boost to their power play as he has 88 career points including 49 goals. Not extremely physical, he does hit and block shots and fits the bill for Toronto as a 6'6, 220-pound monster.
Having Thompson and Matthew Knies as two physical beasts who can use their strength and size to hold onto pucks down low, you can couple that with Auston Matthews' resurgence and suddenly you have a deadly trio.
They can combine for a potential 120+ goals if they get hot enough, and considering the team is desperate to replace Mitch Marner; why not go after Thompson who deserves a chance to win?
One issue that may prevent him from coming over is his $7.2-million deal of which he has four years left. Toronto would need to find a lot of room to bring him in, and can't really risk dishing anyone off unless Buffalo takes retention.
But it would be in Brad Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs' best interest to pursue Tage Thompson because it sounds like his time in Buffalo is nearing an end.
Though with some creativity and luck, he could start a brand new chapter with the blue and white.
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