The New York Rangers traded defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders on Monday for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 31-year-old is in the final year of his contract and brings physical play and penalty-killing experience to a Islanders team bolstered by recent acquisitions. This move aligns with the Rangers' retooling efforts amid a challenging season.
The New York Rangers continued their roster retooling by trading defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders on Monday in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Soucy, 31, has recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) with a plus-4 rating in 46 games this season, averaging 17:13 of ice time. He ranks third on the Rangers in blocked shots (66), is tied for fourth in takeaways (14), and is seventh in hits (71) and short-handed time on ice per game (1:41). Soucy is expected to debut with the Islanders when they host the Rangers at UBS Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, followed by a rematch in New York on Thursday. Speaking after the trade, Soucy noted, 'I kind of knew trades were coming. This one just kind of made sense, just with, obviously, family and stuff. Don't have to opt out. We're going to probably stick around the area we're in right now. So kind of made sense. It's definitely going to be weird, obviously, going up against them in these next two games. But ultimately, it's coming in here to try and make a push.' Soucy is in the final season of a three-year, $9.75 million contract signed with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2023, and acquired by the Rangers from Vancouver on March 6, 2025. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche praised the addition, saying, 'Carson Soucy is a big presence, kills penalties. He's got experience in the NHL. He's a player who can play physical. And you see this year in New York, like he actually played pretty well for the Rangers. He's one of the few Ds in the pluses over there. So again, we're bringing some experience in the NHL to help us.' The trade follows Rangers GM Chris Drury's January 16 announcement of a shift from standing pat, as the team sits last in the Eastern Conference with a 22-25-6 record and 50 points, having gone 3-9-2 in their last 14 games. Soucy was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the fifth round (No. 137) of the 2013 NHL Draft and has 95 points (30 goals, 65 assists) in 411 regular-season games across the Wild, Seattle Kraken, Canucks, and Rangers, plus seven points in 38 playoff games. For the Islanders (28-19-5, third in the Metropolitan Division), Soucy addresses defensive injuries, including Ryan Pulock's upper-body issue and Alexander Romanov's shoulder surgery since November 18, which sidelined him for 5-6 months. This acquisition pairs with Tuesday's trade for forward Ondrej Palat from the New Jersey Devils for forward Maxim Tsyplakov, a third-round pick in 2026, and a sixth-round pick in 2027. Darche emphasized rewarding the team's position: 'I want to reward the players for putting us in this position to get to the playoffs.' With 61 points, the Islanders trail the Pittsburgh Penguins by two and lead the Philadelphia Flyers by four outside the Wild Card. Captain Anders Lee added, 'Darche sees that, and he believes in this group just like we do, and he's doing his best to make our team better.' Head coach Patrick Roy noted the excitement in the locker room and the protection of future assets.
