Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Vancouver Canucks have made defenseman Carson Soucy available via trade after signing the veteran to a three-year contract just two summers ago in free agency. Soucy came over to the Canucks on July 1st, 2023, inking a three-year contract worth $9.75MM. The contract included a full no-trade clause until the end of this season, which will turn into a modified 12-team no-trade clause this summer.
The 30-year-old missed 42 games last year because of injuries and posted just two goals and four assists in 40 regular season games. His playoff numbers were significantly better as he tallied a goal and four assists in 12 playoff games. This season has once again been a struggle for the Irma, Alberta native as he has just eight points in 51 games to go along with a -15 plus/minus.
With Vancouver’s addition of defenseman Marcus Pettersson from Pittsburgh and some improved play from other Canucks defensemen, Soucy has been pushed down the depth charts and has been a healthy scratch as of late.
His contract could prove difficult to move, even without the NTC, which will certainly complicate things. Soucy would be a tough trade even without it due to his play not lining up with his cap hit. Soucy was once considered a solid penalty killer, but this season, that has fallen off a cliff. His underlying numbers have also taken a nose dive as Evolving-Hockey’s (subscription required) all-in-one goals above replacement stat ranks Soucy as the worst defenseman in the NHL (by that metric) and the third worst skater overall, giving him a -9.4. This means he has cost Vancouver 9.4 goals against compared to a replacement-level NHL player.
Given those numbers, it is easy to see why he has fallen down the depth chart and it is likely also why he finds his name in trade rumors as we inch towards the NHL Trade Deadline.
Retooling during the season is nothing short of waving the white flag, It screams, We are clueless, When you add during the course of the season to hopefully go deep into the playoffs, That’s one thing, But when you overturn the roster during the season, You are simply running to the fire alarms, And activating them as quickly as possible. Mark my words! Panic in Vancouver.
Soucy was a stiff in Seattle. GMRF did good to get rid of him
Not sure why they’d do this, unless they’re hellbent on signing M-Pettey without any trial. After being sat out a number of games now, his stock is pretty low; teams would likely try to offer a 4th IF Canucks retained a third, if he’d waive his NTC. Could end up with double buyers remorse. Frankly Soucy is fine 3rd pairing guy who when going can easily sub in on the second pairing. He’s a bit gritty too and when your best players are a flyweight blueliner and a soft swede, you need all the grit you can get.