The New York Islanders and New York Rangers have connected on a rare trade involving Carson Soucy. After sending a letter about a retool, the Rangers have sent defenseman Soucy to the Islanders for a third-round pick. How did both sides fare in this deal?
Soucy is the first move general manager Chris Drury has made before the 2026 trade deadline, which should be an active time for the Blueshirts. The 31-year-old is on an expiring contract, so he was a prime candidate to be moved. Artemi Panarin is the biggest name they could trade, which could be coming soon. But first, Soucy is heading out the door.
The Rangers and Islanders have rarely made trades, but they made one that helped Mathieu Darche's squad on Monday. Did Darche overpay? Or was Drury too trigger-happy after The Letter?
The Rangers kick off the retool
Even after beating the Boston Bruins on Monday night, the Rangers are committed to the retool. They are stuck in the basement of the Eastern Conference as the only team below .500. While the biggest trades are still to come, actions speak louder than words. It was easy for Drury to say that the retool was beginning, but it's another thing to make the move.
Drury paid a third-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks to land Soucy at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. After 62 games on Broadway, he was moved for another third-round pick. Bolstering the defense was important to their push to the playoff spot last year, and trading away Soucy is important to their retool now.
Drury and the Rangers get an A- for this Soucy deal. This trade will likely be lost in the shuffle of the high-level trades coming for the Rangers, but they got what they paid for the defenseman after plans changed.
The Islanders fill a desperate need, but may have overpaid
On November 18, the Islanders lost Alexander Romanov for 5-6 months with a shoulder injury. Since then, they have tried out a cycle of left-handed defenseman playing next to Scott Mayfield on the third pairing. It has been a brutal experiment, with Adam Boqvist, Cole McWard, Marshall Warren, Travis Mitchell, and Isaiah George all making appearances in that spot. Soucy provides a veteran presence where there has not been one for months.
Ryan Pulock missed just his second game of the season on Monday with an upper-body injury. While he is considered day-to-day, Soucy's arrival can also help replace him. Pulock is right-handed, and Soucy is left-handed, but the depth has not been there replacing Romanov, so they need a body if both are going to be out.
The Islanders gave up a third-round pick for Soucy and already don't have a second-round pick in 2026. This was a high price for Mathieu Darche to pay, dropping this grade to a B+, but it was a move they needed to make. They are holding down the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, unexpectedly. So, adding some veteran depth is a solid bet heading into the stretch run.
What is next for the Islanders, Rangers
The next thing for the Rangers will be the Panarin trade rumors that should be leaking soon. He will likely be the best player available at the deadline, and all of the Stanley Cup contenders should be vying for him. Drury will likely wait until after the Olympic break to make this move.
The Islanders now have to make a decision whether they are buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Anders Lee and JG Pageau are pending free agents, but the Isles are pushing for a playoff spot. Will they sell off one of those players to recoup the picks they have already lost? Or will they keep pushing their chips in to make more moves for a playoff push?
