"They do not mess around" - NHL insider praises Buffalo Sabres and reserves special praise for Tage Thompson

The Buffalo Sabres have had an amazing season so far and sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division with 64 points. They're in a fourth-place battle with the Detroit Red Wings and the Florida Panthers, with all three teams having 64 points.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, NHL insider JP Peterson praised the Sabres for their current form and performances in the 2022-23 NHL season. Peterson described the Sabres' attacking style as "fast break up and down" and added that they have many players whose playing style suits this sort of attacking gameplay:

"I tell you what, they are talented, and they can freakin go. They do not mess around. This is like a fast break up and down hockey team."

Peterson also sang praises for young forward Tage Thompson, who is having a career-year with the Blues and is their best player this season. He leads the Sabres with 78 points and 39 goals in 57 games.

He scored his fourth hat-trick of the season in the Buffalo Sabres' 6-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Peterson recalled Tage Thompson's performance from that game and said:

"He's six foot six. He's got such a long reach with that stick; it's so hard to get away get the puck away from him. And he is talented he had a hattrick last night, 39 goals now for Thompson."

Thompson joined the Sabres as part of the Ryan O'Reilly trade at the start of the 2018-19 season when the St. Louis Blues acquired superstar Ryan O'Reilly in exchange for Patrick Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka and Tage Thompson, a conditional 2019 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick.

The Sabres saw a lot of potential in Thompson and signed the forward on a seven-year, $50 million contract extension, AAV of $7.14 million, in August 2022.

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Are Buffalo Sabres serious contenders for Stanley Cup?

The Buffalo Sabres are fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 30-23-4 record. They're battling for fourth place with the Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers. The Sabres are ahead on goal difference but have a huge +16 difference from the fifth-placed Red Wings.

If they do not do well, they will compete for two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. They will be against the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals for the same.

The Penguins and Capitals have had a rough couple of games in the last two weeks to fall behind in the wildcard race. The Red Wings have won seven of their last ten games and are on a two-game winning streak heading into their clash against the Lightning on Saturday (Feb. 25).

The Florida Panthers have not been consistent in their wins. They're in a "win-one-loss-one" cycle in their last eight games. They won against the Anaheim Ducks and then lost to Buffalo Sabres. Their next game against the Lightning should be a win, going by that pattern.