{"id":665222,"date":"2026-09-18T06:24:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T06:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/665222\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T06:24:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T06:24:33","slug":"carson-soucys-blue-jackets-roster-push-gets-harder-with-shortened-nhl-preseason-the-hockey-writers-columbus-blue-jackets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/665222\/","title":{"rendered":"Carson Soucy’s Blue Jackets Roster Push Gets Harder With Shortened NHL Preseason – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carson Soucy<\/a> is coming off a down season for his standards. After playing for both New York teams in 2025-26, he chose a PTO with the Blue Jackets<\/a> hoping to bounce back.<\/p>\n

In past seasons, PTO\u2019s would get a handful of games to make their impression. With the new CBA rules in effect<\/a>, that is no longer the case.<\/p>\n

PTO\u2019s Face Tougher Road<\/p>\n

NHL veterans now are only allowed to dress in two preseason games maximum. Teams have only four preseason games total. This is forcing teams to evolve and adjust the way they evaluate their players.<\/p>\n

Players on PTO\u2019s now have a much steeper hill to climb to land a contract. They have to show enough in a smaller sample size to try to knock someone down a peg who likely already has a contract for this season.<\/p>\n

Soucy had some different PTO options available to him. He chose the Blue Jackets because they expressed strong interest in him earlier in the summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey showed interest from July,\u201d Soucy said. I\u2019ve heard good things about the city and where the team is headed, getting stronger these last couple seasons and trying to make that playoff push. I want to come in, try to make a difference and get in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soucy knows the challenges that this shorter preseason presents. He also understands the importance of each opportunity he\u2019ll get.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta come in and make a good impression,\u201d Soucy said. That\u2019s what a PTO is. Come in, compete, make a good first impression and go from there. These skates are obviously important. I had a great summer. It was plenty long enough, so I hit the conditioning right away and got a lot of skates in. These sessions are really important to get back into the physical side and get that hockey shape back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CarsonCarson Soucy understands the challenge in front of him on a PTO with the Blue Jackets. (Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Soucy had some time to reflect on his recent play over the last year. He realized certain parts of his game fell off. Now he has to show the Blue Jackets those are issues of the past. He\u2019s focused on becoming a two-way player again.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely the physical side, closing plays in the neutral zone, hard in the D-zone,\u201d Soucy said of what he can still bring. \u201cOver the last couple years I\u2019ve maybe gone too far into the defensive side. Earlier, I was jumping into the play more. I\u2019m trying to contribute on offense again and bring that back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowness Acknowledges Challenge Soucy Faces<\/p>\n

Rick Bowness, like all other head coaches, have to adjust to the new reality of the shortened preseason. They have to change the way they evaluate their players, even if it means some don\u2019t get a fair chance.<\/p>\n

Bowness expressed a desire to have PTO\u2019s around the league be given extra consideration given the circumstances they are under.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard on them,\u201d Bowness said of PTO\u2019s. \u201cMaybe there\u2019s a special provision we can put in there that if a guy\u2019s on a PTO, you can give him more games than two. It\u2019s in fairness to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to take a real good look at (Soucy.) Are we going to get a real good look at him in two games? We\u2019d rather three or four, honestly. I\u2019m sure he would too. I\u2019d like to see that change a little bit. We brought them in for a reason and we want to have a good evaluation of them. The more we see them in games, the better we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other teams face the same predicament. They won\u2019t be able to evaluate their younger players or their PTO\u2019s in the same manner as before. <\/p>\n

\u201cThose guys deserve a better look,\u201d Bowness said. \u201cBut they\u2019re not going to get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soucy skated with Dante Fabbro in Group 1 of Blue Jackets Training Camp. He is competing with Jake Christiansen and Erik Gudbranson for a potential spot on the third defensive pair. With them under contract, Soucy has two games to show the Blue Jackets he\u2019s worth his own contract.<\/p>\n

PTO\u2019s now face a tougher road than ever before to make an NHL roster. The bottom line? No opportunity or rep is too small. It could be the difference between signing on the dotted line or being left behind.<\/p>\n

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