The Rangers did not have the season they were hoping for when they acquired Carson Soucy. With the team underperforming and looking like a lottery team, they turned their attention to the future. They look to trade some of the expiring contracts and players they did not see as a part of the future. One of the players who fell into this category was Soucy. With him being in the final year of a three-year deal, he was one of the most likely players the Rangers could move. But did Soucy play well enough to get the Rangers a decent return?
Expectations
Going into the year, everyone had Soucy penciled in on the second pairing. He was acquired by the Rangers in March of 2025 as part of the organization's plan to compete in 2025-26. While they traded off a few pieces for future assets, they also got some NHL-ready pieces. The hope was that getting a defenseman like Soucy would sure up their blueline. It will fix the problem they had on defense for years, and help the Rangers be competitive.
There was some optimism that Soucy's game could improve in a Mike Sullivan system. With how much success he has had with defenseman, it was not crazy to think that Soucy could improve. But many expected him to fall somewhere within his career averages. For him to have around four goals and 11 assists for 16 points and stabilize the defense.
Performance
As expected, Soucy was put on the second pairing alongside Will Borgen on opening night. It did not take long for him to make an impact, as in the second game of the season against the Sabres, he notched his first goal of the season. But this did not spark an offensive surge in Soucy, as over the next month and a half, he tallied only a goal and two assists. But he was giving the Blueshirts around 15-20 minutes a night and did not hurt the Rangers on defense.
This style of play continued throughout December. He recorded a goal and an assist during the first two games of the month, then went quiet. He did not record his next point until January 12th, nearly 17 games without a point. He registered his final point as a Ranger on January 14th with an assist against the Senators. 12 days later, the Rangers traded Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a third-round pick. Exactly what they gave up to get Soucy in the first place.
Over his 46 games with the Rangers in 2025-26, he totaled three goals and five assists for eight points. This is better performance than when he was with the Islanders, where he scored two goals and recorded two assists for four points in 30 games. His metrics were ok, as according to Natural Stat Trick, he had a 44.02 CF%, a 43.86 SCF%, and a 46.37 xG%. This was one area where he succeeded more with the Isles, giving them the defense they desperately needed.
Grade: C+
Where do they go from here
Now Soucy's future is a bit up in the air at this point. He is set to become a free agent this summer, and it is unknown if the Islanders will re-sign him. But how he played for the Islanders should earn him plenty of interest from NHL teams. Teams like the Sharks, Oilers, and Avalanche should all have interest in his services. He should be able to land a three-year deal with an average annual value of around $5–$6 million.
But the big question is, will the Rangers be interested in bringing him back? Outside of the top pairing, the Rangers have question marks on their blue line. A player like Soucy would help sure up some of those problems. But with the Rangers entering a re-tool, it is more likely they turn to an in-house option to fill this hole. They are more likely to give that opportunity to a young guy like Scott Morrow or Matthew Robertson. It just doesn't make much sense to bring him back.
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