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Throughout an injury-riddled 2023-24 season, Carson Soucy never lost sight of the silver lining he was chasing.
Soucy’s fifth NHL season, and first with the Vancouver Canucks, began on the sidelines after missing the first two games in the schedule due to a leg injury sustained during preseason action.
The defenceman then fractured his knuckle after taking a shot to the hand on Jan. 20, which subsequently sent him back to the sidelines for 17 games – after earlier in the season missing another 23 games with a left foot injury from blocking a shot on Nov. 12.
“The physical side of the first injury was tougher than the second injury, but the second injury was tougher mentally because I could skate right away but was still a long way from coming back,” he offered NHLPA.com on his two lengthier absences.
Soucy would play a grand total of 40 regular season games with the Canucks after signing a three-year contract with the team on July 1.
Despite the frustrations of being in and out of the lineup on multiple occasions, the blueliner was buoyed by one recurring thought throughout the injuries.
“I would say anytime being in the playoffs is special,” said Soucy.
“No matter how the season was, the playoffs are a new one with the same goal in mind.”
Soucy logged 17:37 of ice time in Vancouver’s 4-2 Game 1 win over the Nashville Predators in their First Round series.
It was a typical simple but effective outing for the Alberta native – solid in his own end, clearing defenders out from in front of the net and getting the puck onto the sticks of his forwards.
“A positive playoff shift could go either way defensively or offensively,” offered the 29-year-old.
“Obviously, offensively, getting a shot or point or even a plus is good. Where on defence, it would be maybe a hit, breaking up a play or having a clean breakout.”
They have been hallmarks of his game before and after he made the jump to the NHL.
Drafted in the fifth round, 137th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in 2013, Soucy played two seasons with the Wild before he was taken by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
He played two campaigns with Seattle before coming to the Canucks as a free agent last summer.
A former standout softball player for Team Canada, playing at the 2012 International Softball Federation’s world junior men’s fastpitch championship in Argentina and winning the U21 Men’s Canadian fastpitch championship in his hometown, is feeling right at home on a Vancouver squad that won 50 games and finished first in the Pacific Division.
Soucy is hoping the best is yet to come for a franchise in search of its first Stanley Cup championship.
“This team has always had good depth and found ways to win,” he noted.
Soucy has some new additions to his personal cheering section this postseason.
Last September, he and his wife, Shyla, welcomed twin daughters named Blake and Briar.
Now back in the lineup and healthy, Soucy is relishing his chase for the coveted silver trophy.
The Canucks will look to take a First Round lead as the series shifts to Tennessee for the next two contests.
“Whether we have our best or maybe not our cleanest game, we compete and work to get a win no matter what.”
Just like No. 7.
