Cal Thomas

Photo by: Bjorn Franke

Photo by: Matt Krohn

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Thomas Cal, Strobel Charlie, Kurth Connor, Pinoniemi Garrett

Photo by: Kelly Hagenson

Photo by: Eric Miller

Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn

Photo by: Matt Krohn

Position:
Defense
Ht./Wt.:
6-1 / 205
Class:
Senior
Shoot/Catch:
L
Hometown:
Maple Grove, Minn.
High School:
Maple Grove HS
Previous Team:
Sioux Falls (USHL)
NHL Rights:
Utah (2021)

PRONUNCIATION

2024-25 | JUNIOR
Academic All-Big Ten
• Served as an alternate captain for the Gophers and appeared in 27 games in his third season on campus, missing 13 games with injuries
• Totaled nine points for the year behind one goal and eight assists
• Scored his lone goal of the campaign at home versus Notre Dame (Jan. 17) in his first game back after missing more than a month due to injury
• Recorded the second multi-point effort of his career with a pair of assists at Minnesota Duluth (Oct. 18)
• Tallied assists in back-to-back outings against Ohio State (Feb. 21-22)
• Had a point in three of the final four regular season contests
• Ranked fourth on the team by blocking 45 shots, including a season-best five in games at Michigan State (Jan. 25) and at Penn State (Feb. 28)
• Closed the season with a plus-11 rating thanks to a season-high plus-3 on three separate occasions
• Gophers were undefeated at 8-0-0 in games when he tallied a point and were 1-0-0 when he scored a goal
• Earned third letter

2023-24 | SOPHOMORE
Academic All-Big Ten
• Skated in 38 games for the Gophers during his second season of college hockey
• Finished the year with a career-best 10 points behind one goal and nine assists
• Scored his first collegiate goal in a home win over Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 3)
• Reached double-digit points for the first time in his career after picking up an assist against Penn State in the Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals (Mar. 8)
• Recorded a point in consecutive outings three different times, including twice over a three-week stretch versus North Dakota (Oct. 20-21) and Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 3-4)
• Ranked second on the team totaling 68 blocked shots, which was 18th in the NCAA and second in the Big Ten Conference, thanks to a career-high six blocks against Penn State (Mar. 9)
• Closed the campaign with a plus-12 rating, aided by a career-best plus-4 outing against Colorado College (Jan. 8)
• Gophers posted a 6-3-1 record when he recorded a point and won the only game in which he scored a goal
• Earned second letter

2022-23 | FRESHMAN
• One of nine Gophers to appear in all the team's 40 games during his first collegiate campaign
• Recorded six points from his spot on the blue line, all of which were assists during Big Ten Conference play
• Earned his first NCAA point with a helper versus Wisconsin (Dec. 9)
• Registered the first multi-point performance of his career the next night with two assists against the Badgers (Dec. 10)
• Gophers held a 3-1-1 record when he registered a point
• Had five points in an eight-game span from Dec. 9 to Jan. 21
• Posted a plus-seven rating during the year
• Tallied 44 blocked shots, ranking fifth on the team, with a season best of three
• Helped Minnesota to the NCAA's sixth-best goals against per game at 2.3
• Member of a defense corps that combined for 147 points on 30 goals and 117 assists, the most points of any defensive unit at the NCAA Frozen Four
• Made his collegiate debut opening night against Lindenwood (Oct. 1)
• Part of the Gophers runner-up finish at the 2023 NCAA Frozen Four and a Big Ten Conference regular season championship
• Earned first letter

JUNIOR/HIGH SCHOOL
• Appeared in 70 games across two seasons in the USHL playing for the Sioux Falls Stampede (44 games) and the Chicago Steel (26 games)
• Totaled 27 points on five goals and 22 assists from his spot on the blueline in junior hockey
• Named USHL Defenseman of the Week (Mar. 29) thanks to a pair of multi-point performances during a weekend sweep
• Played three seasons of prep hockey at Maple Grove High School totaling 81 games
• Recorded 68 points (17 goals, 51 assists) in his three high school seasons
• Helped the Crimson reach the Minnesota state tournament twice and advanced to the semifinals in 2020-21
• Had his best prep year as a senior in 2020-21 tallying 26 points in 23 appearances

PERSONAL
• Son of Tim and Stephanie Thomas
• Has an older sister, Makena
• Teammate of Garrett Pinoniemi for two years with the Sioux Falls Stampede
• A sixth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes (No. 171 overall) in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft