Islanders Carson Soucy Trade Signals Stanley Cup Push Is On

In a normal world, a trade for a defenseman like Carson Soucy wouldn’t raise that many eyebrows. He’s not the type of player who single-handedly changes a roster, nor is he the type to be a hero on a given night.

But this isn’t a normal world. This is a universe where the New York Islanders are inexplicably in a position to compete for a Stanley Cup — a place that the team and its fans probably didn’t think it would be in at the beginning of the year. So, when the Islanders made the trade for Soucy with the crosstown New York Rangers earlier this week, people turned their heads.

To understand why, it’s important to analyze how the Islanders got here. After a lackluster 2024-25 season saw the franchise miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it was expected that the team would have some growing pains this season. But then Matthew Schaefer showed up, and everything changed.

The 18-year-old phenom defenseman is one of the best players in the league, and if that seems hyperbolic, all it takes is a glance at where the Islanders are in the standings to realize the difference he’s making. Also, the goaltending — led by Ilya Sorokin, a legitimate candidate for the Vezina Trophy — has helped matters quite a bit. All in all, the Islanders sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division behind the also-surprising Pittsburgh Penguins and the ever-potent Carolina Hurricanes.

#Isles Transaction: The New York Islanders have acquired Carson Soucy in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 27, 2026

With all this winning, the front office in New York had two options: stay pat and ride out this wave or improve the roster’s deficiencies in the hopes that any addition would aid the team in attempting to win its first championship since 1983. The Islanders opted to start with the latter.

The Islanders Are Ready to Win Now

All it took for the Islanders to acquire Soucy from the Rangers — who are in the midst of a retool that will see them sell a ton of their assets — was a measly third-round pick. In return, the Islanders improve their blue-line depth, one of the weak spots on the team even with Schaefer in the lineup. This has especially been the case after injuries to players like Alex Romanov and Ryan Pulock severely depleted the Islanders’ defensive core. And while Soucy might not be the most potent defenseman to ever grace the ice of UBS Arena, he’ll still be an able body who can help the Islanders win.

At 31 years old, Soucy has been there and done that throughout his NHL career. He’s spent time with four different franchises, most notably the Seattle Kraken and the Rangers. It was with the former that he had the best seasons of his career from 2021-23. With the Rangers, some of his production has slowed a bit, but he’s still notched three goals and five assists over the course of 46 games this season.

New York Islanders defenseman Carson Soucy — Nov 20, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy (24) in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

But Soucy’s output isn’t necessarily the point. What matters is that the Islanders are trying to win, something their fans have to appreciate. It’s been a while since the Stanley Cup has been on Long Island, and though Soucy himself might not be enough to help lift the Islanders over the edge, he certainly doesn’t hurt. He’ll eat minutes, help kill penalties and provide a veteran presence the team believes will help it win hockey games throughout the rest of the year.

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