The Florida Panthers will play their first game in Utah tonight when they visit the NHL’s newest team. A team, one may notice, is not all that new. Unlike previous expansion teams, the Utah Hockey Club was not slapped together one offseason before making its debut in a matter of weeks.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club left wing Lawson Crouse (67) skates toward the puck, in NHL action between Utah Hockey Club and Vancouver Canucks at the Delta Center, on Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024.

NHL teams are allowed to have up to three players wearing letters on their jerseys in each game. Keller and Crouse are permanent, while the third “A” rotates between a number of other veterans. So far, the group has consisted of Kerfoot, Sergachev, Ian Cole and Nick Schmaltz.

There has been a lot of talk about Lawson Crouse. The Utah Hockey Club forward silenced the noise Thursday in his team’s 5-3 victory over the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome with two goals, including the game-winner in the third period.

Every team needs an energetic player on their team that can provide a spark. The third line for the Utah Hockey Club has particularly struggled all season long and seemed to have no answers for it.

It’s the second recall of the season for the 34-year-old whose first stint with the big club didn’t last too long and was ended when Mermis was initially claimed off the waive