University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Matt Krohn
Minnesota's Thomas Lands First Pro Contract with Tucson
8/13/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Shutdown defenseman played 136 NCAA games
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota men's hockey captain Cal Thomas is set to begin his professional career after signing a one-year contract with the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners on Thursday.
Originally drafted by the Arizona Coyotes, now Utah Mammoth, in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft (171st overall), Thomas went on to make 136 appearances during his four years on campus wearing the Maroon and Gold. A native of Maple Grove, Minn., the stalwart defenseman totaled 30 points on three goals and 27 assists for the Golden Gophers, while blocking 233 career shots. He reached double-digit points once in his tenure with one goal and nine helpers during his sophomore season. Thomas served as a captain in his senior year after holding the role of alternate captain in 2024-25 and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection.
Thomas skated in 31 of the team's 36 games in his final season of 2025-26, recording five points behind one goal and four assists in a role that forced him to play major minutes, nearly 24 minutes per game, at critical times against the opponent's best. He scored his lone goal on the road at Notre Dame on Feb. 14 and matched a career high with a two-assist effort in Minnesota's upset of No. 4 Denver on Nov. 29. Four of the five points he posted during the year came while the team was away from home. Thanks to a team-first mentality, the senior turned in 76 blocked shots during his final collegiate campaign, including a career-best eight at Ohio State in December, to rank fourth in the NCAA in the regular season.
Originally drafted by the Arizona Coyotes, now Utah Mammoth, in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft (171st overall), Thomas went on to make 136 appearances during his four years on campus wearing the Maroon and Gold. A native of Maple Grove, Minn., the stalwart defenseman totaled 30 points on three goals and 27 assists for the Golden Gophers, while blocking 233 career shots. He reached double-digit points once in his tenure with one goal and nine helpers during his sophomore season. Thomas served as a captain in his senior year after holding the role of alternate captain in 2024-25 and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection.
Thomas skated in 31 of the team's 36 games in his final season of 2025-26, recording five points behind one goal and four assists in a role that forced him to play major minutes, nearly 24 minutes per game, at critical times against the opponent's best. He scored his lone goal on the road at Notre Dame on Feb. 14 and matched a career high with a two-assist effort in Minnesota's upset of No. 4 Denver on Nov. 29. Four of the five points he posted during the year came while the team was away from home. Thanks to a team-first mentality, the senior turned in 76 blocked shots during his final collegiate campaign, including a career-best eight at Ohio State in December, to rank fourth in the NCAA in the regular season.
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