Who is Tage Thompson? Concerns over US center’s injury linger after win over Slovakia sets up Winter Olympics gold-medal showdown with Canada; all about his personal life, career, and earnings

The United States defeated Slovakia 6-2 on Friday (February 21, 2026) at Santagiulia Arena to set up the eagerly awaited Olympic men's ice hockey final with Canada on Sunday (February 23, 2026). Americans will aim to win their first gold since 1980. The US was in a commanding position heading into the final period, five goals up through Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Jack Eichel, and a double from Jack Hughes, before Brady Tkachuk scored between a pair ‌of Slovakian consolation ⁠goals.

As the game entered ⁠the final minutes, the Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, got involved in a fight with Slovakia's Erik Cernak and were hit with 10-minute penalties. Brady also received an extra two for roughing.

NHL players returned to the Games following a 12-year absence, and expectations had been high that the North American rivals would reap the benefits and face off in the decider. The U.S. obliged with ease after Canada's tense ⁠3-2 semi-final ‌win over defending champions Finland, and the star-studded sides will meet in Sunday's gold-medal decider at Santagiulia Arena.

Tage Thompson injury scare

During the match, the Americans had their first injury scare of the Olympic tournament. Tage Thompson was not on the bench to start the third period of the bout on Friday night, according to reports. He scored a power-play goal to give the Americans a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period. In the second period, he blocked a hard shot later in the second.

Team USA said Thompson’s exit was for “precautionary reasons,” according to The New York Post. Thompson was making his Olympic debut. He was left off USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off squad. He has recorded three goals in five games.

Thompson did not return for the third period. He apparently suffered a foot injury and was seen walking in the stadium hallways without his skates on, according to The Sporting News. No official announcement regarding his injury or the reason for his absence had been made at the time of filing this report.

Tage Thompson: Personal life, career, and earnings

Born on October 30, 1997, in Phoenix, Arizona, Thompson went to 11 different schools in the United States, graduating from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2014, playing for the United States National Team Development Program, and enrolling at the University of Connecticut for two seasons, according to the NHL official website.

Thompson's father Brent Thompson is a retired defenseman who played 121 NHL games from 1991 to 1997 for the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and Phoenix Coyotes. After Tage Thompson's freshman season at UConn, when he had 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) in 36 games, he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (No. 26) of the 2016 NHL Draft.

He had 32 points (19 goals, 13 assists) as a sophomore and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with St. Louis on March 7, 2017. He played the end of the regular season with Chicago of the American Hockey League and had three points (two goals, one assist) in 10 Calder Cup playoff games.

Thompson, who plays primarily as a center, made his NHL debut in the Blues' regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 4, 2017. According to online platform Spotrac, Thompson signed a 7-year, $49,999,999 contract with the Buffalo Sabres, including a $2,000,000 signing bonus, $49,999,999 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $7,142,857.

In 2025-26, Thompson will earn a base salary of $7,142,857 while carrying a cap hit of $7,142,857, according to the online platform.