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Utah Hockey Club right wing Josh Doan (91) celebrates after scoring during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 22, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The 2024-25 NHL season has not gone the way Lawson Crouse, Jack McBain or Josh Doan anticipated.
Crouse, coming off three consecutive 20-goal seasons, has struggled to put the puck in the net; McBain started the season on a hot streak, but he lost his groove around the Christmas break; Doan had nine points in 11 games last season, so he probably didn’t anticipate having to spend so much time in the minors this year.
But ever since Utah Hockey Club head coach André Tourigny placed them together on a line in early February, they’ve been some of the most important players on the team.
They don’t always impact the score sheet, but when they’re on the ice, they often get their way.
Doan boiled it down to a simple motto: “If you have the puck, we’re coming to get it back — and we’re going to come as a group."
The data backs that statement up. In Monday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, for example, the trio controlled more than half of the game’s shot attempts, expected goals and high-danger scoring chances when they were on the ice.
The same can be said about most of the games they’ve played together this season.
In that same game, they were accountable for 35% of Utah’s hits and 37% of their shots on net. That’s remarkable, considering the fact that they accounted for less than 13% of Utah’s minutes played.
“They both play the game on the right side of the puck at all times,” Doan said of his line mates. “They both work so hard. I think that’s a main element of all of our games, is compete and work hard whenever we’re on the ice.”
The group has solidified itself as Utah’s checking line. Checking lines are primarily responsible for injecting energy into the lineup by forechecking hard, throwing big hits and occasionally dropping the gloves — and they do those things as well as anyone in the league.
“That’s something that, as a group, we take pride in,” Doan said. “It’s something that you add to your game that gives you a better chance to get pucks back because guys are a little more afraid of you coming on the forecheck. Those two are unbelievable at it — I’m just trying to follow their footsteps.”
That playing style has led to confidence, which has started to lead to offensive success. In 20 games together, they’ve combined for eight goals and 21 points.
They also tend to keep the puck out of their own net. Of the 719 different combinations of forwards that have played together this season, this line has the fourth-best even strength goal differential (and the three combinations above them all include both Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz).
“As our identity progresses forward, I think we’re taking steps in the right direction,” Crouse said. “It’s a lot of fun when we play this way, when we have everyone that’s on board, everyone that’s contributing. (It) creates team success and it pushes everyone to be the best they can possibly be.”
Tourigny was glad to hear that his guys are enjoying themselves.
“I have a lot of fun, as well, watching them play, so I’m glad they have fun,” he said.
Crouse credits his renaissance to the reflection he did during the 4 Nations Face-Off break. He took time to review his goals from previous seasons and determined that he needed to shoot more.
It’s been noticeable in every game since then. Rather than playing a dump-and-chase style, he has had the presence of mind to drive to the net (his 6-foot-4, 214-pound frame makes it easy for him to do that).
It sometimes results in goals and it often results in scoring chances.
“We take pride in being physical and pride in going to the net,” Doan said. “At some point, you’re going to bang pucks in the net if you go there.
“We’re going to be physical no matter who’s on the ice. For us, there’s not anyone who’s really untouchable, and I think that’s kind of what’s allowed us to be successful.”
On successful teams, everyone knows their respective roles. Some guys are there to score, others are there to kill penalties and players like Crouse, Doan and McBain are there to keep the energy levels high.
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