Utah Mammoth’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Lawson Crouse

It was a return-to-form season for Crouse. As mentioned, he tied his career high in goals, but he also was one point shy of his career high in points. He was also a big part of the Mammoth’s special teams and came in clutch multiple times, recording four game-winning goals, which tied his career high from 2021-22. Crouse ended up sixth on the Mammoth in points and fifth in goals. 

A big thing Crouse mentioned that plagued him last season was the mental side of the game. While he still had his ups and downs this season, the forward admitted he improved a lot and is really proud of it.

“I loved how I approached my mental side of it, not dwelling on things that I couldn’t change anymore,” Crouse said. “Ultimately, it was believing that I could be a special player, and having that work ethic and the consistency to realize that if you put in the work, then good things will happen. I can be proud of that.”

Heading into the playoffs, Crouse was one of the few players who had prior postseason experience. It showed as he produced five points across the six games against the Golden Knights. His biggest moment came in Game 3, when he scored two goals, including the game-winner, giving the Mammoth their first-ever home playoff win and a 2-1 series lead.

However, that lead didn’t last as the Golden Knights won the next three games to win the series. Crouse finished tied for the team lead in goals and points. He also went on to receive some Selke votes.

The Future

With John Marino extended, Crouse now has the biggest unknown future for any Mammoth player. He is entering the final season of his contract and will likely demand a raise from his $4.3 million cap hit. Crouse is an important part of the Mammoth’s top six and special teams, along with a player who thrives in big situations, but with Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers on their way, who’s going to drop out of the top six, and will the team be able to satisfy the forward financially and in playing time?

Those are questions that will be answered in the next year. It’s hard to envision Crouse not on the Mammoth, but the same could’ve been said about Anders Lee and the New York Islanders before he departed this summer.

For Crouse, continuing the offensive rate that he’s had for the past four of the five seasons is critical for the 2026-27 season if he wants an even bigger contract than what he’ll probably get at this moment. Again, it’ll be crazy if Crouse stays even near the $4.3 million range if he has a bad 2026-27 campaign, but more points in a contract year will mean more money.

Even with a big bounce-back season, Crouse knows a great season in 2026-27 isn’t guaranteed for him or the Mammoth. Being content with where he’s at isn’t something the forward is interested in. His goal is to get even better.

“Just because you had a great season doesn’t mean another great season’s coming,” Crouse said. “You always have to be willing to be better and find things to be better at. I’m still going to over these next couple of weeks, find things that I can improve on, and set those goals for the summer. I want to continue to trend upwards. I want to do whatever I can to help the team win. For that to happen, I need to be at my best.”

If the forward can produce between 40 and 50 points and 20 to 25 goals, it’ll be another successful season for him. However, if he’s on a line for the whole season that he thrives on, it wouldn’t be surprising if Crouse can hit the 25- to 30-goal mark and 50-point plateau for the first time in his career.

It’s not just offense that Crouse brings to the Mammoth. His leadership is impeccable, and he’s well respected within the locker room. It’s something that could very well make the difference between a win and a loss. On almost every single other team, he would be the captain. For Crouse, it’s just part of his character.

“When I view leadership, for me, it’s not something that I just force,” Crouse said. “For me, it’s just being the person that I am, and everything else kind of follows that. For me, it’s focusing on things like commitment, consistency, hard work, putting the team above myself. Our entire team took huge strides in that this year, and that’s a big reason why we had success.”

Again, the big question this upcoming year for Crouse is whether he will remain with the Mammoth. With him back in form, it’s more than likely an extension will come during the season as the forward remains a big part of the team.

Final Grade

Was there another Mammoth player this season who improved as much as Crouse did from the prior season? Probably not. Going from 18 points to 44 points was a massive improvement for the forward, who showed he is still one of the key guys for this team. His great production in the playoffs was the cherry on top as his line with Crouse and Keller formed a dangerous top line for the Mammoth down the stretch.

Not only has Crouse put himself in position to receive a giant payday before or on July 1 of next summer, but he’s also shown he is a player who doesn’t mince his words. He was someone last season who was the first to admit he didn’t have a good season and that he needed to be better. The forward did just that this season, to a great degree.

Overall, Crouse is getting an A-minus for this season. Last season, he rightfully earned a D, and the question was whether he believed in himself enough to be an effective presence for the Mammoth. He proved he could do that and more this season. Crouse silenced any doubters and critics and helped the Mammoth win a lot of games. Nearing career highs across the board isn’t always easily done, but the forward did it this season thanks to a renewed strong belief in himself.

With an unknown future ahead, the 2026-27 season looks like a promising one for Crouse with the possibilities of setting career highs thanks to an improved and better Mammoth team surrounding him. Simply put, if the Mammoth want to win in the regular season and in the playoffs, they need their best players and leaders at their best. Crouse is one of those players, and when he’s playing at his best, the team is likely playing its best.