The Columbus Blue Jackets are trying to lock up defenseman Carson Soucy, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, after giving the 32-year-old a long look in camp on a professional tryout agreement since September 13.
Columbus has until now been operating with just 21 players on its roster, which leaves two open spots under the 23-man limit even though NHL rosters were due by 5 p.m. ET today. That opening matters, especially with the Blue Jackets needing more help on the blue line.
Soucy has made a solid push for a spot during camp, and the need for another veteran defenseman only became more pressing after Dante Fabbro went down in last Monday’s preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings. Fabbro was placed on injured reserve Friday and is expected to miss at least a month.
Columbus has labeled the injury as upper-body, while Daily Faceoff reports it’s a fractured hand. Damon Severson, who had shoulder surgery in April, has been medically cleared, but his status for Thursday’s opener against the Buffalo Sabres is still up in the air.
Soucy reached unrestricted free agency this summer after finishing a three-year deal with a $3.25MM cap hit that he originally signed with the Vancouver Canucks. He started last season with the New York Rangers before being traded to the New York Islanders on January 26 for a 2026 third-round pick. Between the two teams, he posted five goals, 12 points, a minus-six rating, 91 blocks and 105 hits in 76 games.
A fifth-round pick, 137th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in 2013, Soucy has now played 441 NHL games with Minnesota, Seattle, Vancouver and both New York clubs. His game is built on size, defense and shot-blocking, which lines up neatly with what Columbus needs while its right side is short-handed.
In Other News...
Matthew Knies Changes Everything About Columbus Next Roster Decision
The trade chatter around Matthew Knies has finally stopped, and for Columbus that alone changes the tone of the moment. Knies moved from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Blue Jackets in a six-player deal, with his name and Kirill Marchenko at the center of a swap that has already altered both rosters. Knies said he felt relief once the rumors were done, and now the focus shifts to what Columbus does next with a player who arrived as part of a major reshuffling.
On Torontos side, new general manager John Chayka offered a small window into how the deal came together, saying Marchenko was the only player seriously considered in exchange for Knies under his watch. The Maple Leafs are still hoping Marchenko can be available for their season opener while immigration issues are sorted out, which leaves the move with one lingering layer of uncertainty even after the headline trade itself is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Just Landed A Maple Leafs Piece Fans Will Debate
Matthew Knies is heading into a fresh start with the Blue Jackets after being sent over in a multi-player deal with the Maple Leafs, a move that immediately gives Columbus another name for fans to sort through. Knies sounded relieved and excited about the change, while also speaking warmly about his time in Toronto and the relationships he built there, which only adds to the sense that this was a significant shake-up on both sides.
For Columbus, the trade brings in a player with clear upside and a new opportunity to carve out a role in a different market, even as the details of the full exchange continue to shape how both fan bases judge it. The swap also changes the look of the roster around him in a meaningful way, making this one of those deals that will be debated not just for what it does now, but for what it says about where the Blue Jackets are trying to go next. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Just Made A Core-Shaking Kirill Marchenko Decision
A major reshuffling hit the Blue Jackets when Columbus moved winger Kirill Marchenko to Toronto in a trade that immediately changes the look of both teams. Marchenko is headed north with a verbal agreement already in place on a six-year extension, a sign the Maple Leafs see him as more than a short-term fix and as a significant part of what they want to build.
For Columbus, the deal is about much more than subtracting a winger who mattered to the roster. The return brings a mix of established NHL pieces, lineup depth and future value, giving the Blue Jackets a package that could reshape their depth chart and their longer-term plans all at once. Whether the trade ultimately pays off will depend on how those incoming pieces fit, but for now the move marks one of the more consequential decisions this core has faced. [Read more 🡒]