Brad Treliving Has Chance to Land 6-Foot-5 Defenseman For Cheap In Trade
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has the chance to acquire some much needed defensive help on the cheap by targeting Vancouver's Carson Soucy.
Rumors have run rampant recently regarding the Maple Leafs' quest to improve their team ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. Linked to everyone from Brayden Schenn and Brock Nelson to Erik Karlsson and Noah Dobson -- whatever happens it's going to be big.
One name that they can target if they wanted to add to their defensive corps without selling the farm is Vancouver's Carson Soucy. Recently brought up in trade talks, he would be the perfect fit for the Maple Leafs.
So with Toronto needing a player like Soucy -- what would the cost be for Brad Treliving to acquire him?
Let's take a look.
Carson Soucy: A Cheap, Reliable Option For Maple Leafs Defense
Soucy, 30, would add a huge presence on the ice -- figuratively and literally. Standing 6'5, the towering defender would be the perfect compliment to Morgan Rielly.
Elliotte Friedman commented recently as well that Soucy may be on the outs given the new additions the team has made:
He was great last year in the playoffs, I've heard they made him available. What it says to me is the way they looked the other night, there isn't a lot of room for him and you're willing to work with the team and player to see what's better for him.
A solid shutdown defender with some offensive skill, Soucy can give Toronto the stability it needs with Rielly, while adding the size and intimidation factor the team loves.
This season, Soucy has 2 goals and 6 assists while adding 85 blocks and 82 hits -- a huge leap from last season and shows his recklessness is paying off. He would be better than Philippe Myers and Conor Timmins and would complete a well-rounded Top-4 for the Maple Leafs:
McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Soucy
Benoit - Ekman-Larsson
Toronto could use a better partner for Ekman-Larsson but in terms of options, Benoit is the best one they have.
He also has some playoff experience and has played in the spotlight before, so being in Toronto wouldn't be such a mental roadblock.
Soucy is also a fairly cheap option too at only $3.25M for this season and the next, which is a small price to pay to have a solidified Top-4 for the next two years.
It may not be the flashiest option for GM Brad Treliving, and Vancouver is going to make sure they get everything that they can from the Maple Leafs, but it shouldn't take more than a 3rd rounder for him -- potentially a low end defender too.
Given how important it is for Toronto to have defensive insurance, and by Treliving's own admission "can't have enough defensemen" -- they should seriously look to add Carson Soucy to their team
![Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Auston Matthews (34) plays the puck against Team Finland in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/529741.webp "Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Auston Matthews (34) plays the puck against Team Finland in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images")
