The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed veteran defenseman Carson Soucy to a one-year contract worth $1.15 million, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced. The 32-year-old blueliner earned the contract after attending the team’s 2026 training camp on a professional tryout opportunity, stepping into the organization as management looks to reinforce the defensive depth ahead of the upcoming regular season.
Soucy brings extensive NHL experience to Ohio, having logged 441 career regular-season contests across eight campaigns with five different franchises. Over that span, he has accumulated 32 goals and 67 assists for 99 points, accompanied by 282 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus-54 plus/minus rating while averaging 16:42 of ice time. His physical style of play is reflected in 681 hits and 532 blocked shots. In addition to his regular-season workload, the 6’4″ defender has appeared in 38 Stanley Cup Playoffs games, contributing two goals and five assists for seven points.
“Carson has had an excellent camp and has earned this opportunity, and we are very pleased to add him to our group,” Waddell said in the club’s announcement. “He has good size and strength and will give us another steady, veteran presence on the blueline.”
Career Path and Defensive Contributions
Standing at 6-4, 211 pounds, Soucy began his professional career after completing four collegiate seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth from 2013 to 2017. Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the fifth round, 137th overall, at the 2013 NHL Draft, he initially skated in 136 American Hockey League games with the Iowa Wild from 2016 to 2019 before establishing himself at the NHL level.
Following his tenure in Minnesota, the Seattle Kraken selected him in the 2021 Expansion Draft. During Seattle’s inaugural 2021-22 season, Soucy set career highs in goals and points with 10 tallies and 11 assists for 21 points across 64 appearances. The following year, he established a personal best with 143 hits in 78 outings.
He subsequently signed a three-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks in the summer of 2023. Midway through his second season in Vancouver, he was traded to the New York Rangers. He split the 2024-25 campaign between the Canucks and Rangers, collecting four goals, nine assists, and a career-high 106 blocked shots in 75 games. During the 2025-26 season, he featured in 76 contests split between the Rangers and the New York Islanders, recording five goals and seven assists for 12 points.
According to reporting from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the contract agreement emerged as the Blue Jackets navigate early-season defensive adjustments following injuries to Damon Severson and Dante Fabbro, which places Soucy in a position to compete for regular minutes among the club’s top six defensemen.
Opening Night Schedule
The Blue Jackets are scheduled to open the 2026-27 regular season on Thursday, October 1, hosting the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage will be broadcast on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, featuring Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, alongside online streaming at BlueJackets.com.
