Carson Soucy Turns PTO Into a One-Year Deal With the Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially turned Carson Soucy's professional tryout into a real paycheck, signing the veteran defenseman to a one-year deal according to Elliotte Friedman.

Earning a contract off a PTO is the NHL equivalent of surviving a reality show elimination round. Soucy showed up to camp in mid-September with no guarantees and managed to convince the front office he is exactly the kind of blue-line insurance they need.

"Reported by Elliotte Friedman via Daily Faceoff."

The veteran brings a very specific brand of defensive depth to Columbus. He is sitting on 99 career points with a plus-54 rating, which is exactly the kind of unflashy, stay-at-home production that keeps a team from bleeding goals on a random Tuesday in November.

You just have to hope he stays on the ice. Soucy’s transaction history over the last few years reads like a medical textbook, featuring everything from upper-body injuries and hand fractures to random illnesses and a suspension.

For anyone looking at the betting markets, this is the kind of depth signing that quietly stabilizes a defensive rotation. Columbus is already navigating early injury reports with guys like Boone Jenner and Erik Gudbranson banged up, so adding a veteran body helps keep the shot-on-goal props from getting completely out of hand.

The Blue Jackets are coming off a solid 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings and a 4-0 shutout against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Adding Soucy to the mix gives them another big frame to throw at opposing forwards while they try to build some actual momentum.

We will see if the newly minted contract gets Soucy into the lineup immediately. Columbus hosts the Buffalo Sabres on October 1, giving the veteran his first real chance to prove that the tryout was just a formality.