By Alexis Demopoulos
Goaltender Michael Calabret has the Thunder Hockey Club and the NCDC to thank for helping him get to where he is today. All his hard work and dedication to his craft helped him earn an NCAA Division III commitment to Wesleyan University for the 2025-26 season.
After briefly appearing for the Twin City Thunder under head coach Dan Hodge last season, it was a no-brainer for him to sign on with the newly named Thunder Hockey Club. In 16 appearances this season, Calabret has picked up five wins with a 2.82 GAA in 809 minutes played.
Coach Hodge believed in him from the start and Calabret is extremely proud to be a part of this organization.
“I take pride in representing the logo of THC,” said the Hudson, Ohio, native. “We are a band of brothers as we board together in the same dorm, which makes for a great environment to breed a tight bond. I couldn’t have made it through the depression my injury brought me without the support of my teammates and coaches. Coach Dan has had my back ever since I made my debut for him last season in Maine. It was a no-brainer to sign with him for this season as he gave me a shot to compete for the job in net since Day 1.”
Calabret knows once he gets to the college level, the intensity will pick up but knows he will be prepared thanks to the competitiveness of the NCDC.
“Playing in the New England Division has made it easy for Wesleyan to watch me in person multiple times this season,” said Calabret. “The New England Division is very competitive and you have to make sure you are focused every night because anybody can beat each other on any given day. This ensures that I will be well prepared for the gauntlet of NESCAC hockey next season.”
Calabret began communicating with the Wesleyan coaching staff in November. Even after spraining his MCL shortly after the Jersey Hitmen Showcase, Head Coach Chris Potter expressed a lot of interest in him.
“The coaching staff liked that I stayed composed in the net as my play style is based on depth management and staying ahead of the play by scanning the ice for potential threats,” said Calabret.
Calabret has been interested in Wesleyan for quite some time. He first became interested when he was 17 playing for Mount St. Charles Academy. He was introduced to Coach Potter by Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Famer Steve King, who highly recommended the school to him.
“Mr. King is an exceptional man whose opinion I hold in high regard so when he recommended Wesleyan to me, I began to take a look at what the school and hockey program had to offer,” said Calabret. “My interest in Wesleyan peaked when I learned more about the high level of competition and tradition of academic excellence the NESCAC offers to its athletes.”
Calabret is interested in pursuing something in the Economics, Psychology or Computer Science fields, all of which Wesleyan offers. The school itself wowed him and he knew it would be the right fit for him.
“My school visit was what ultimately led to me beginning to manifest in earning an offer from Wesleyan,” said Calabret. “At first glance, the school buildings contained beautiful, detailed architecture that drew me to further explore what the campus had to offer. I was awestruck by the athletic facilities as they have a traditional barn style rink inside of a top-of-the-line complex containing a weight room with the best technology for all athletes to better themselves.”
Calabret’s injury set him back about six weeks, but his mental skill set has carried him through and now he feels he is playing the best hockey of his life. He is continuously working on becoming the best player he can be.
“I’m continuing to work on being concise with my reads through traffic as stopping tips and shots through screens is a big part of succeeding at the next level,” said Calabret. “It’s important to be an effective puck handler who communicates with his teammates to help them transition quicker on breakouts. Most of all, you can never get bored with the basics. I’m constantly working on my tracking, skating, and positioning because those skills are the foundation of goaltending.”
Calabret plans to finish out this season strong and hopefully help his team make a playoff push.
“My goal is to help my team win as much as possible to make the playoffs,” said Calabret. “Right now, we are in a position where our backs are against the wall and losing is not an option. I look forward to working alongside my teammates and coaches to achieve this goal because we are a family and to go on a run would be something special.”
The NCDC congratulates Michael Calabret, his family, the Thunder Hockey Club and Wesleyan University for his commitment.
