Presenting a case to the officials, leading the drills in practice and vocally kicking the locker room garbage can to spur on teammates come to mind when you think of a hockey team captain.
For Minnesota Gophers senior defenseman Cal Thomas, none of those images seem to fit. And yet, his unique style of leadership has the Maple Grove product wearing a ‘C’ on his sweater for the second consecutive season. The way he conducts his business is perfect for the Gophers’ needs, per coach Bob Motzko.
“Communication can be talk, but it can also be your energy level and how you get dirty. You jump in the mud and play,” Motzko said. “He jumps in the mud every day and is not afraid to play. That sends a message. So leadership comes in all forms. Sometimes that’s the best way, too.”
Gophers defenseman Cal Thomas celebrates scoring his lone goal of the 2024-25 season at home against Notre Dame on Jan. 17, 2025. (Brad Rempel / Gopher Athletics)
Thomas, 22, heads into his final season of college hockey after what was his most challenging campaign, physically and mentally.
While the Gophers eked out a share of the Big Ten regular season title and advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, Thomas missed 13 games with ankle injuries. Amid the ailments, which included separate injuries to both ankles at different points in the season, he posted a goal and eight assists in 27 games.
“It’s really just hard mentally. You play through injuries, everybody’s playing through injuries. But coming back and then injuring the other ankle right after, that was kind of the hard part for me,” Thomas said. “You learn a lot through those experiences, though, and I think it makes you tougher in the long run.”
Learning from elders
Drafted by the Utah Mammoth in 2021 when they were still known as the Arizona Coyotes, Thomas has attended NHL development camps in Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
His game is one of relentless attention to defensive details. It comes from his work on the ice at Maple Grove High School and with Sioux Falls in the USHL.
But college hockey was an immediate educational experience when he joined a superbly talented U blue line crew as a freshman in 2022 and got to watch and learn from current NHLers like Anaheim’s Jackson Lacombe, Buffalo’s Ryan Johnson and Brock Faber of the Wild. Along with their obvious talent, Thomas learned from watching that trio’s daily routines.
“They were pros while they were here, and you got to see that every day. Be the first one here, and they’re taking care of their body and on the ice after every practice,” Thomas said. “Ryan Johnson ran himself through the same drills, and he was the best skater on the ice before. He did them every single day. And then he was the last one in the showers, and then he goes upstairs and he goes and shoots pucks for an hour. It was unbelievable to watch all those guys and their preparation.”
Now skating with the Wild in training camp, Mike Koster played alongside Thomas on the Gophers’ blue line for three seasons and was a co-captain last season. He said it has been fun to see Thomas emerge from the shadows of older defensive partners and grow into a leadership role.
“He’s one of those guys where, when he does talk, everyone listens,” Koster said. “I know him as more of a talker, because I sat next to him for three years. He’s the best guy ever, and it’s kind of one of those things where when you come in, you get accustomed to the room and stuff and feel welcome. It was kind of nice that I saw him come out of the shell first.”
Last season’s injuries were surely one factor in the ultimate results for a Gophers team that finished 25-11-4 and hung another conference title banner, but won just two of its final six games and went one-and-done in the national tournament.
Well accustomed to the bumps and bruises that come with playing defense at a high level, Thomas can look back with some humor at one of the ankle injuries, which was due to a clumsy play.
“You know your body’s gonna take a beating, and as it was, I fell into the wall on my own. So I can’t really blame anybody else but myself for that one,” he said. “You come back stronger.”
Motzko rarely comments on his team’s schedule, but admits the Gophers face a gauntlet from the opening faceoff on Oct. 3, with series versus Michigan Tech, Boston College, North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth, followed by a Big Ten opener at Wisconsin all before the Halloween decorations come down.
Having a defensive stalwart like Thomas playing at 100% is expected to be key for Minnesota.
“He’s healthy. What he battled with last year, he was hobbling on one leg almost the whole year last year,” Motzko said. “You can see he feels free again. He’s got the handcuffs off.”
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