{"id":481975,"date":"2026-01-17T08:20:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T13:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=481975"},"modified":"2026-01-17T00:27:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T05:27:02","slug":"lawson-crouse-new-role-utah-mammoth-nhl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2026\/01\/17\/lawson-crouse-new-role-utah-mammoth-nhl\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawson Crouse Stepping Up in New Role with Utah Mammoth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For much of the season, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/12\/27\/sean-durzis-return-gives-utah-mammoth-what-they-were-missing\/\" target=\"_self\">Utah Mammoth<\/a> 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/12\/08\/utah-mammoth-young-centre-out-indefinitely-due-to-injury\/\" target=\"_self\">long-term loss<\/a> of star centre <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/c\/coolelo01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Logan Cooley<\/a> 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\u2019s no question that <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/g\/guentdy01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dylan Guenther<\/a> has played a major role, thanks to his team-leading 23 goals. However, another player has rebounded from a slump to make an impact. <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/c\/crousla01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lawson Crouse<\/a> moved to the top line and is producing more often, signaling that he\u2019s ready to bounce back in the second half.<\/p>\n<h2><span>Lawson <\/span><span>Crouse Rising to the Challenge in New Role\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>After recording just 18 points in 81 games last season, Crouse needed to be better this year. Although he was <span>primarily in a bottom-six role, Crouse certainly didn\u2019t 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 <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/k\/kellecl01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clayton Keller<\/a> and <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/s\/schmani01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nick Schmaltz<\/a>. Playing with those two has definitely benefitted Crouse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Lawson Crouse nets one! \ud83d\udd25 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g7zoB9GVZD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/g7zoB9GVZD<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/utahmammoth\/status\/2009827326259818981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:6fb287d2-db76-42a4-b0a3-a74a3ed777cf-0\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-2\" data-scroll-anchor=\"false\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"af2b978c-9328-404f-bcc1-bee0c42e30ab\" dir=\"auto\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words dark markdown-new-styling\">\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"220\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">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\u2019s skating closer to 18-19 minutes and has even reached the 20-minute mark once. Crouse&#8217;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&#8217;4&#8243; and weighing 214 lbs, Crouse is your prototypical power forward who will dump the puck in and get on the forecheck. He makes <a  href=\"https:\/\/puckpedia.com\/player\/lawson-crouse\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$4.3 million<\/a> for another season, so naturally he&#8217;s expected to put up points as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<h3>Utah Needs Crouse to Keep Playing this Way<\/h3>\n<p><span>Crouse simply needs to stay engaged. He\u2019s 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\u2019s top line. With Keller and Schmaltz driving play through speed and skill, Crouse balances the unit by bringing a more rugged style.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Once Cooley returns to the lineup, it&#8217;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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<h3>Up Next<\/h3>\n<p>The Mammoth sit above .500 at 24-20-4 and have 52 points. <span>They&#8217;re currently in the first Western Conference wild-card spot. <\/span>After defeating the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/12\/06\/nhl-rumours-dallas-stars-might-get-aggressive-in-trade-market\/\" target=\"_self\">Dallas Stars<\/a> 2-1 on Thursday, Utah will remain home and take on the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/12\/22\/seattle-kraken-will-be-without-top-defenceman-for-one-month-injury-surgery\/\" target=\"_self\">Seattle Kraken<\/a>. Having now won five of their last six, the Mammoth will go for their third-straight victory.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5373,"featured_media":479869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,4547,4548],"tags":[4203],"class_list":["post-481975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mammoth","category-hockey","category-nhl","tag-lawson-crouse"],"modified_by":"Levi Pike, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5373"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=481975"}],"version-history":[{"count":56,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":482239,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481975\/revisions\/482239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/479869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=481975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=481975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=481975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}