Carson Soucy

Carson Soucy
Carson Soucy
	Soucy with the Seattle Kraken in 2023
Born	July 27, 1994 (age 30); Viking, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team; Former teams	Vancouver Canucks; Minnesota Wild; Seattle Kraken
NHL draft	137th overall, 2013; Minnesota Wild
Playing career	2017–present

Carson Soucy (born July 27, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Minnesota Wild, 137th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Junior

Growing up in Alberta, Soucy competed at the Triple-A midget level until he was 18 before being cut from the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL).^[1] Following this, he played one season of junior A hockey with the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and assisted in their 2013 AJHL North Division regular season and playoff titles. During this time, he also competed in softball and was an outfielder during the 2012 Junior Men's Softball World Championship for Canada national junior team.^[2] Upon returning from the softball tournament, Soucy suffered a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) and missed numerous games to recover.^[3]

After experiencing a six-inch (15 cm) growth spurt, which drew attention from American NCAA Division I schools,^[1] Soucy chose to play collegiate ice hockey with the Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC).^[4] Leading up to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Soucy was ranked 137th overall among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.^[5] He was eventually drafted 137th overall by the Minnesota Wild.^[1] His cousin Parker MacKay joined Soucy in Minnesota for two seasons.^[6]

Professional

On April 11, 2017, at the conclusion of his four-year collegiate career, Soucy was signed to a two-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. He was subsequently re-assigned to the Wild's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Iowa Wild, for the remainder of the 2016–17 season.^[7] Soucy was subsequently invited to the Minnesota Wild's development camp, where he was praised by Wild's director of player development Brad Bombardir for his play during the camp who said: "Carson Soucy just continues to improve and get better every development camp, and this was his fifth development camp. He continues to be one of the most improved, year in and year out, so I was happy with him."^[8] After attending the Wild's training camp, Soucy began the 2017–18 season with the Iowa Wild.^[9] After playing 67 games in the AHL, accumulating 15 points and a team-leading plus-12 rating,^[10] Soucy was recalled to the NHL on April 2, 2018, following an injury to Ryan Suter.^[11] He made his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers that night, registering three shots and two hits in 15:26 of time on ice. He became the fifth player to make his NHL debut with the Wild that season before being re-assigned to Iowa on April 6.^[12]

The following season Soucy failed to impress at the Wild's training camp and spent the entirety of the 2018–19 season in the AHL.^[13] When he returned to training camp for the 2019–20 season, he impressed Boudreau, who said: "This year, we didn't know what to expect. And he came in and he was aggressive, and he moved the puck well, and he defended well. So it was all good."^[14] During this season, Soucy suffered an upper-body injury and was expected to miss 2–4 weeks to recover.^[15] On October 5, 2020, Soucy signed a three-year, $8.25 million contract extension to remain with the Wild.^[16]

On July 21, 2021, Soucy was selected from the Wild at the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft by the Seattle Kraken.^[17]

After two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, Soucy left the club as a free agent and was signed to a three-year, $9.75 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2023.^[18]

Personal life

Soucy was born in Viking, Alberta, on July 27, 1994,^[19] to mother Debbie. Soucy grew up in Irma, Alberta.^[20] His father Mike Soucy has played softball.^[21] Soucy's older brother Tyson also played ice hockey, last playing for the Elk Point Elks of the SaskAlta Senior Hockey League.^[22]

Soucy and his wife Shyla have twin daughters.^[23]

Career statistics

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010–11	Lloydminster Bobcats	AMHL	34	3	8	11	20	2	0	0	0	2
2011–12	Lloydminster Bobcats	AMHL	30	9	20	29	100	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Spruce Grove Saints	AJHL	7	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Spruce Grove Saints	AJHL	35	5	10	15	71	16	1	1	2	30
2013–14	University of Minnesota Duluth	NCHC	34	0	6	6	60	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	University of Minnesota Duluth	NCHC	40	6	8	14	40	—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	University of Minnesota Duluth	NCHC	38	3	9	12	61	—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	University of Minnesota Duluth	NCHC	35	3	12	15	55	—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Iowa Wild	AHL	3	0	0	0	2	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Iowa Wild	AHL	67	1	14	15	55	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Minnesota Wild	NHL	3	0	0	0	2	4	0	0	0	0
2018–19	Iowa Wild	AHL	66	5	15	20	71	11	0	2	2	6
2019–20	Minnesota Wild	NHL	55	7	7	14	18	4	0	0	0	0
2020–21	Minnesota Wild	NHL	50	1	16	17	51	4	0	0	0	2
2021–22	Seattle Kraken	NHL	64	10	11	21	47	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	Seattle Kraken	NHL	78	3	13	16	68	14	1	1	2	12
2023–24	Vancouver Canucks	NHL	40	2	4	6	12	12	1	4	5	6
NHL totals			290	23	51	74	198	38	2	5	7	20

References

^ ^a ^b ^c McLellan, Sarah (December 17, 2019). "On the plus side: Wild defenseman Carson Soucy has been a revelation this season". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "UMD Recruit Soucy Chosen by Minnesota Wild in NHL Draft". umdbulldogs.com. June 30, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Roberts, Chris (December 18, 2012). "Saints Soucy, Morris hoping to carry on Spruce Grove tradition". hockeysfuture.com. Hockeys Future. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Highly touted defenseman chooses UMD". Duluth News Tribune. February 10, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "CSS Midterm 2013 North American Skater Rankings". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Parker MacKay". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Wild Agrees to Terms with Defenseman Carson Soucy". nhl.com. National Hockey League. April 10, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Myers, Dan (July 13, 2017). "Wild's 2017 Development Camp Comes to Productive Conclusion". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Mizutani, Dan (September 29, 2017). "Wild assign Carson Soucy, release veteran Ryan Malone from NHL tryout". Twin Cities Press. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Wild recalls Soucy from Iowa". nhl.com. National Hockey League. April 1, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Myers, Dan (April 2, 2018). "From the Rink: Soucy to make NHL debut against 'hometown' team". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Minnesota Wild reassigns Soucy to Iowa". nhl.com. March 7, 2021. April 6, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Myers, Dan (October 13, 2020). "In Minnesota, Soucy has found 'a place to call home'". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Blount, Rachel (October 2, 2019). "Carson Soucy makes the Wild as seventh defenseman". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Kunin, Soucy each out for Wild with upper-body injury". nhl.com. National Hockey League. February 23, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Wild re-signs defenseman Carson Soucy to a three-year contract". nhl.com. National Hockey League. October 5, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ "Seattle Kraken make their picks". Seattle Kraken. July 22, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
^ "Canucks agree to terms with Carson Soucy". Vancouver Canucks. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
^ "Carson Soucy". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Doyle, Mike (August 5, 2013). "Q & A With Carson Soucy". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Reynolds, Christopher (June 11, 2014). "Small-town Alberta a hotbed for softball talent". Whitehorse Daily Star. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Tyson Soucy". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
^ Laskaris, Adam (September 17, 2023). "Canucks defenceman Soucy becomes father to twins". DailyHive. Retrieved May 10, 2024 – via dailyhive.com.