Overview
- The Blue Jackets signed Carson Soucy to a professional tryout contract, which the team announced Sunday, and the PTO allows him to join training camp and preseason games without giving Columbus exclusive signing rights.
- Soucy is a 32‑year‑old left‑shot known for physical play and shot blocking who split the 2025–26 season between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders with five goals and seven assists in 76 games.
- Columbus sees Soucy as a potential bottom‑pair, penalty‑killing option that could add shot‑blocking and net‑clearing strength to a defense that finished 28th on the penalty kill last season.
- Whether Soucy earns a standard contract will depend on his camp performance and Columbus’ salary‑cap flexibility, with the unresolved Adam Fantilli restricted‑free agent situation and roughly $12.6 million in projected cap space shaping the club’s options.
- Soucy will compete with younger and cheaper internal options such as Jake Christiansen for a roster spot, and any other NHL team can offer him a contract if they are impressed during his tryout.