Oilers Urged To Consider PTO For Hometown Blueliner

It was a tough season last year in two New York stops for veteran defenseman Carson Soucy. Now, as an unrestricted free agent, he isn't receiving a lot of bites in the open market this summer.

Meanwhile, it was revealed this past week that Edmonton Oilers depth defender Alec Regula will miss training camp while rehabbing from an injury. He underwent an undisclosed medical procedure shortly after the season and is still recovering. 

Mike Gould of Daily Faceoff suggests that Soucy's hometown team should be fishing for a blueliner just like Soucy for some depth, at least on a PTO (professional tryout).

The Oilers have thoroughly reworked their defense this offseason, trading Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks while adding Ryan Shea and Shakir Mukhamadullin. But there’s still a lot of uncertainty about the projection of their blue line, especially in the wake of less-than-inspiring seasons from Jake Walman, Ty Emberson, and Spencer Stastney. Might it make sense to take a closer look at a local boy in Soucy? 

Soucy could benefit from a return to Western Canada with an Oilers team that always seems to play its best when the games get intense.

The rugged, stay-at-home defenseman is not shy about using his 6'4", 211-pound frame, regularly delivering over 100 hits per season and blocking 90+ shots. As a depth defenseman, which the Oilers still need, you could do a lot worse. 

Across 441 games in eight years, Soucy has recorded 99 points, a plus/minus rating of +54, 681 hits and 532 blocked shots.

He has been used to moving around plenty in recent seasons, as he was a trade deadline piece in each of the last two years. The 2025-26 season was not his best, however, split between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. He totaled  five goals and 12 points in 76 games and posted a -6 rating. He's played with four teams in the past four seasons. 

But landing just a 90-minute drive from his Viking, Alberta home could rejuvenate the 32-year-old.