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Lawson Crouse Stepping Up in New Role with Utah Mammoth
Main photo by: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Lawson Crouse Stepping Up in New Role with Utah Mammoth

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Joseph Calabrese  |  Last updated Jan 17, 2026 8:20 AM ET

For much of the season, the Utah Mammoth have found it difficult to produce consistent offence. Their success has largely come from strong defence and solid goaltending, as goal scoring took some time to catch up. Making up for the long-term loss of star centre Logan Cooley has been no easy task, but there have been encouraging signs lately that the offence is beginning to improve. Utah has jumped to a tie for 16th in the NHL with 3.06 goals per game. There’s no question that Dylan Guenther has played a major role, thanks to his team-leading 23 goals. However, another player has rebounded from a slump to make an impact. Lawson Crouse moved to the top line and is producing more often, signaling that he’s ready to bounce back in the second half.

Lawson Crouse Rising to the Challenge in New Role 

After recording just 18 points in 81 games last season, Crouse needed to be better this year. Although he was primarily in a bottom-six role, Crouse certainly didn’t have the same type of year compared to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns. Now, the 28-year-old already has 22 points in 48 games. That is with eight of those points coming in the last 11 games. As a result of his recent improvement, Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny rewarded Crouse by promoting him to the top line, slotting in on the right wing with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. Playing with those two has definitely benefitted Crouse. 

Moving up to the top line has meant more ice time for Crouse. Previously, he would typically log about 15-16 minutes per game, but now he’s skating closer to 18-19 minutes and has even reached the 20-minute mark once. Crouse’s current average time on ice is 16:07. The former 2015 first-round NHL Entry Draft pick has always been more of a straight-lined player. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 214 lbs, Crouse is your prototypical power forward who will dump the puck in and get on the forecheck. He makes $4.3 million for another season, so naturally he’s expected to put up points as well.

Utah Needs Crouse to Keep Playing this Way

Crouse simply needs to stay engaged. He’s put up 78 shots on net this season and ranks second on Utah with 124 hits. That physical edge is what he adds to the Mammoth’s top line. With Keller and Schmaltz driving play through speed and skill, Crouse balances the unit by bringing a more rugged style. 

Once Cooley returns to the lineup, it’s likely that Crouse gets moved back to his usual third line role. But in the meantime, he has seized the opportunity to play bigger minutes. His play could help push Utah over the finish line and into the playoffs. However, the question that remains is if Crouse can continue to be steady for the rest of the season. If he can maintain his defensive reliability while chipping in timely offence, he gives the Mammoth a dependable option regardless of where he slots in the lineup. That kind of consistency is often the difference for teams on the playoff bubble, and Utah will need every bit of it down the stretch. Crouse’s place in the lineup could also depend on if the Mammoth buy or sell prior to the trade deadline. For now, it seems the coaching staff are thrilled with his improved play of late.

Up Next

The Mammoth sit above .500 at 24-20-4 and have 52 points. They’re currently in the first Western Conference wild-card spot. After defeating the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Thursday, Utah will remain home and take on the Seattle Kraken. Having now won five of their last six, the Mammoth will go for their third-straight victory.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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