[The Athletic] Can Tage Thompson and Quinn Hughes give Team USA a needed boost for Olympic gold?
February 12, 2026
[The Athletic] Can Tage Thompson and Quinn Hughes give Team USA a needed boost for Olympic gold?
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“It’s awesome,” Thompson said after the United States’ final practice before the team’s Olympic debut. “I mean, it’s the best players in the league, best players in the world. Just trying to fit in, do what they tell me, and hopefully help them out. Everyone’s a threat, it’s fun, a ton of skill, and like I said, I’m just trying to do my part and hopefully help contribute some goals.”
One thing that’s coincidental is that Thompson found out he made the Olympic team while the Sabres were in Dallas. The common thinking is that Thompson’s inclusion on the roster is one of the biggest reasons Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson was snubbed. The United States brass felt Thompson was more versatile, from his ability to play center or wing to a third-line role. But he also gives the U.S. a big right shot on the top power-play unit, something coach Mike Sullivan said was important to him when helping choose the roster.
“I got a phone call from Billy Guerin, and I was in Dallas at the time, and it was a pretty surreal phone call,” Thompson said. “Obviously, you’re a little anxious, just waiting to see what’s happening, whether you made it or not, and obviously it was a good phone call, and I shared it with my family right away, and obviously they’re excited and very happy for me as well.
Sullivan expects Thompson to play a big role throughout these Olympics.
“He’s a great goal scorer,” Sullivan said. “He has the ability to make plays. We don’t have a lot of right-handed shots at our forward position. And as a coaching staff, we tend to like the sticks in the right spots. We think that gives us an advantage for the type of power play that we’re trying to run. And Tage is one of those guys that’s a right shot, but he also has the skill set to play the position that we’re asking him to play.”
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“It’s awesome,” Thompson said after the United States’ final practice before the team’s Olympic debut. “I mean, it’s the best players in the league, best players in the world. Just trying to fit in, do what they tell me, and hopefully help them out. Everyone’s a threat, it’s fun, a ton of skill, and like I said, I’m just trying to do my part and hopefully help contribute some goals.”
One thing that’s coincidental is that Thompson found out he made the Olympic team while the Sabres were in Dallas. The common thinking is that Thompson’s inclusion on the roster is one of the biggest reasons Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson was snubbed. The United States brass felt Thompson was more versatile, from his ability to play center or wing to a third-line role. But he also gives the U.S. a big right shot on the top power-play unit, something coach Mike Sullivan said was important to him when helping choose the roster.
“I got a phone call from Billy Guerin, and I was in Dallas at the time, and it was a pretty surreal phone call,” Thompson said. “Obviously, you’re a little anxious, just waiting to see what’s happening, whether you made it or not, and obviously it was a good phone call, and I shared it with my family right away, and obviously they’re excited and very happy for me as well.
Sullivan expects Thompson to play a big role throughout these Olympics.
“He’s a great goal scorer,” Sullivan said. “He has the ability to make plays. We don’t have a lot of right-handed shots at our forward position. And as a coaching staff, we tend to like the sticks in the right spots. We think that gives us an advantage for the type of power play that we’re trying to run. And Tage is one of those guys that’s a right shot, but he also has the skill set to play the position that we’re asking him to play.”