Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550/WBEN) - After being left off the roster for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off this past Feburary, the redemption arc for Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson is set to write its latest chapter.
Announced on NBC's "Today Show" on Friday, Thompson is joining Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller and Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones as three players left off that 4 Nations roster for the U.S. that will be part of the team competing for a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
While Thompson's play has been a bit hot and cold this season, the 28-year-old is still on pace to score 42 goals and register 36 assists for 78 points in 82 games played. He is at a higher pace than he was at last season when he produced 72 points (44+28) in 76 games played.
After last season, despite the 4 Nations snub, Thompson still elected to participate in the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark representing the United States. In the tournament, Thompson produced six goals and three assists for nine points in 10 games played.
Where Thompson may have impressed USA Hockey brass in determining who may represent the U.S. in Milan is his clutch performance in the Gold Medal Game. In overtime of a scoreless affair against Switzerland, Thompson managed to fire home the Golden Goal to earn the Americans their first gold medal at the tournament in more than 90 years.
In his international career with the U.S. over the course of three World Championships, Thompson has produced 17 points (8+9) in 28 games played, while helping the Americans to a gold medal and a pair of bronze medals.
Thompson also has some international pedigree at the junior level, helping Team USA to a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship over Canada in Montreal. In that tournament, Thompson managed to score a goal and add four assists for five points in seven games.
Thompson is one of three Sabres players selected to represent the organization at the 2026 Winter Olympics this February, joining captain Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden) and also goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Finland).
Luukkonen was announced to Finland's roster on Friday, and will share the crease with the same group of goalies he played with at the 4 Nations Face-Off: Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators) and Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver Canucks).
While Luukkonen took part with Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, he did not appear in a single game for the Finns, serving only as the third-string goalie.
With the Sabres this season, Luukkonen has played well with a 7-5-1 record, a 2.46 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in 13 games played. Over his last three games during Buffalo's recent 10-game winning streak, Luukkonen is a perfect 3-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage.
The 26-year-old also has some international pedigree to his name, representing Finland twice at the IIHF World Junior Championship, where he's went 5-5 in 11 games played with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
While Luukkonen struggled a bit in goal for the Finns during the 2018 World Juniors in Buffalo, he was stellar in net for the 2019 World Juniors, where he put up a 3-2 record with a 1.80 goals-against average and a .9932 save percentage in five games played. He backstopped the Finns to a gold medal in Vancouver, beating the United States in that year's tournament.
Luukkonen also helped the Finns earn a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF U-18 World Championship just before being drafted by the Sabres in the second round (54th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Another player who received some consideration for Team USA at this years Winter Olympics was winger Alex Tuch, but he was left off the roster.
Jiri Kulich is another player on the bubble for Czechia, but he may not be available for the Olympics due to a blood clot that has sidelined him for a large chunk of the 2025-26 season.
The 2026 Winter Olympics begin Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, with the men's ice hockey tournament beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
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