Carson Soucy didn’t have to pack much for this move - just a quick hop across the Hudson, and he’s gone from Broadway Blueshirt to Islander blue and orange. The veteran defenseman was traded from the Rangers to the Islanders on Monday night, and he’s already gearing up for a unique welcome: a home-and-home set against his former team, starting Wednesday.
“It’ll definitely feel weird, going up against the Rangers in the next two games,” Soucy admitted. “But ultimately, it’s about coming in here and trying to make a playoff push.”
Soucy hit the ice with his new team for the first time Wednesday morning at UBS Arena, skating alongside another fresh face, forward Ondrej Palat, who arrived via trade from New Jersey just a day later. It’s a quick turnaround, but Soucy’s already picking up on the energy of a team that’s coming off a statement 4-0 win over the Flyers.
“It was great, good energy out there today,” Soucy said after the morning skate. “The guys are coming off a pretty big win the other night. Hopefully we can build off that tonight.”
At 6’4” and 211 pounds, Soucy brings a physical presence that the Islanders have seen up close the last couple of seasons. He’s the kind of defenseman who thrives in the dirty areas - strong in the corners, tough in front of the net, and not afraid to throw his weight around.
His game isn’t flashy, but it’s effective. With 647 career hits and 507 blocked shots, Soucy’s value lies in the gritty, often thankless work that doesn’t always show up on the scoresheet.
He’s also a reliable penalty killer, averaging nearly two minutes of shorthanded ice time per game this season.
Islanders captain Anders Lee knows what it’s like to go up against Soucy - and he’s glad he doesn’t have to anymore.
“He’s a big body, strong in the corners,” Lee said. “Had plenty of encounters with him down there.
He reads the game really well. I think defensively, it was always tough to get around him, tough to create space in front of the net, and that’s going to be a huge asset for us moving forward.”
Mathew Barzal echoed that sentiment, drawing a comparison to Alexander Romanov, who’s out for the season after a November injury. According to Barzal, Soucy brings a similar edge - a physical, no-nonsense style that opponents feel every shift.
“He’s a hard-to-play-against d-man, kind of like Romi,” Barzal said. “He’s just a physical guy out there - not even necessarily just hitting, but cross-checking.
One of those d-men that anytime you're on the ice with them, if you get around them, like you're getting a shot, you're taking a shot. We really need a guy like that, a guy that’ll go after top guys on the other team and make their life hard.”
That kind of presence was high on the Islanders’ wish list ahead of the trade deadline. GM and EVP Mathieu Darche saw Soucy as a key piece in the team’s playoff push - a dependable, experienced blueliner who can log tough minutes and bring a little bite to the back end. He also noticed that Soucy was one of just two Rangers defensemen with a positive plus-minus rating this season, alongside Adam Fox.
“You see a big presence, he can kill penalties, he’s got experience in the NHL,” Darche said. “He's a player that can play physical, and you see he played pretty well for the Rangers.
Plus, I think he's one of the few D's in the pluses over there. So again, we're bringing some experience in the NHL to help us.”
Soucy took rushes in the morning skate with Adam Boqvist and is already getting a feel for Head Coach Patrick Roy’s system. So far, he likes what he sees - both from the bench and the locker room.
“These guys have rallied with Patrick,” Soucy said. “This year especially, they’ve shown great signs of improvement from last year. I know he coaches a well-structured team with good systems.”
Roy, for his part, knows the situation isn’t exactly typical - jumping into a new team and immediately facing your old one in back-to-back rivalry games. But he’s confident Soucy’s professionalism will make for a smooth transition - and he’s glad the veteran doesn’t have to uproot his life in the process.
“Might as well do it right away, let’s not waste time,” Roy said. “He’s a great pro, and I’m sure he’s thankful for the organization, he’s still in New York, so it’s a good situation for him. He’s going to help us, and we’re very glad to have him.”
For the Islanders, the message is clear: the push is on. And with a battle-tested defenseman like Soucy now in the fold, they’ve added the kind of edge that could make all the difference down the stretch.