UCONN Professional Athletes

Tage Thompson Is Closing In on Something Special

UConn's most prominent NHL export is writing his name into Buffalo Sabres lore — and doing it with style.

Tage Thompson headlined the week for UConn alumni across the league, turning in a goal and an assist in a 5-3 Sabres win over the Florida Panthers on Monday, Oct. 13. The performance was the kind of efficient, high-impact night Thompson has made his calling card in Buffalo — finding the back of the net and setting up teammates before capping it with a top-corner snipe that served as the insurance marker. For a defending Panthers squad that went all the way to win a Stanley Cup just two seasons ago, Thompson made them look ordinary.

The production is no fluke. According to Heavy Sports, Thompson is now on the verge of a franchise milestone with the Sabres — a remarkable arc for a player who began his NHL life as a St. Louis Blue, posting a modest three goals in 41 games before Buffalo gave him a second chapter. He stayed through the lean years and was there for the Sabres' celebrated return to the playoffs. Now he's positioned to etch his name into the record books.

Thompson didn't stop there. He added an assist in a tight 5-4 win over the Maple Leafs on Thursday before contributing a goal — albeit in a 4-3 loss — against the Canadiens on Saturday. The Saturday result stings in the standings, but Thompson's individual consistency through the week was unmistakable: three games with points across five nights, against three different opponents.

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Around the League

Marc Gatcomb (Golden Knights, C) suited up in all four Vegas games during the week — against the Kings, Wild, Predators, and Flames — as the Knights posted a mixed 2-2 record over the stretch. Gatcomb's stat line didn't light up the box score, but racking up minutes on a Stanley Cup-caliber roster remains no small thing for the former Husky.

Matthew Wood (Predators, RW) had a quieter stretch, appearing in both Nashville games. He was a +1 in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Sharks — a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing night in Nashville — after going -2 in Wednesday's blowout loss to Vegas.

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The Bottom Line

For UConn fans, the story of the week is unmistakably Thompson. He has transformed from a complementary piece on a bad Blues team into one of the most dangerous centers in the Eastern Conference — and potentially the most accomplished Sabre of his generation when all is said and done. History is in reach. Keep watching.

Two UConn alumni made their presence felt in the opening week of the 2026-27 NHL season — Tage Thompson continuing to prove he's one of the league's elite forwards, and Marc Gatcomb delivering a moment that Golden Knights fans will remember.

Tage Thompson: Points, Wins, and a Bargain-Bin Contract

Thompson had a productive week for the Buffalo Sabres, racking up multi-point performances and playing a key role in two victories.

Against the Chicago Blackhawks, the former Husky posted a goal and an assist, leading Buffalo to a 4-3 win in what was the Sabres' first victory of the young season. Then, in a 3-2 overtime comeback against the Minnesota Wild, Thompson delivered again — scoring in the third period to help erase a two-goal deficit and set the stage for Owen Power's OT winner. He added another goal Saturday against Utah, keeping his scoring pace firmly elite. Through the early stretch, Thompson has looked every bit the player the Sabres built around.

Off the ice, the financial story around Thompson is equally compelling. A new analysis found that 141 NHL players are currently paid more than Thompson under his existing deal — a striking figure for a center who ranks among the league's most dangerous goal scorers. By any reasonable market measure, Buffalo is getting Thompson at a steep discount. That contract efficiency could prove crucial as the Sabres try to build a contender around him.

Marc Gatcomb: Clutch in Vancouver

While Thompson was racking up points in Buffalo, Gatcomb was making a name for himself on the opposite coast. The Vegas Golden Knights center scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period of a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks — but the timing of it is what stands out.

Gatcomb netted the game-winner just 34 seconds after Vancouver tied the score, swinging the momentum right back to Vegas before the Canucks could exhale. The Golden Knights held on in the third, with Adin Hill slamming the door to preserve the win. Head coach Ryan Craig specifically cited the team's composure — a quality Gatcomb's quick-strike response embodied perfectly.

It was the kind of goal that defines early impressions: high-stakes, immediate, and decisive.

The Bigger Picture

Through the first week of the season, UConn's NHL contingent is off to a strong start. Thompson remains the centerpiece — a franchise player playing like one, earning far less than his market value suggests he should. Gatcomb, in a complementary role with Vegas, showed he can deliver when the game is on the line.

No notable stats were recorded this week for Ryan Tverberg (Maple Leafs), Chase Bradley (Predators), or Matthew Wood, who dressed for Nashville's Saturday loss to Ottawa without recording a point.

For UConn alumni trackers, the early returns are encouraging. The Huskies have two players contributing meaningful minutes on legitimate playoff-caliber rosters — and one of them is quietly one of the best bargains in the entire league.