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Will Borgen, New York Rangers (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)

Rangers’ Will Borgen & Carson Soucy Quietly Playing Well

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Brian Abate | Last updated Nov 15, 2025 8:25 AM ET

The New York Rangers made a lot of changes to their defense with trades last season and then more moves in the offseason. They acquired blueliners Will Borgen and Carson Soucy in midseason trades in 2024-25, and both of them are quietly off to strong starts for New York this season.

Will Borgen’s Play

In 2022-23, Borgen had a strong season with the Seattle Kraken, finishing with three goals and 17 assists in 82 games. He built on that with another strong season in 2023-24, finishing with three goals and 22 assists in 82 games while averaging 17:35 in ice time per game. Though he often played on the third defense pair, he made the most of the ice time he received.

Last season, Borgen struggled with the Kraken and had just one goal and one assist in 33 games. His ice time decreased to 15:12 per game, and he was minus-13, which was the worst on the team at the time. He was then traded to the Rangers in exchange for winger Kaapo Kakko.

After the trade, the Rangers played Borgen on their second pair alongside K’Andre Miller, who had also struggled early in the season. He played well defensively after the trade, and even chipped in offensively, and earned a five-year, $20.5 million extension. He had four goals, nine assists, was plus-9, and averaged 18:18 per game in 51 games with New York.

After trading Miller in the offseason, Borgen is now paired with Soucy on the Rangers’ second pair. He has been physical, used his strength and reach to make defensive plays, and has rarely gotten caught out of position. He is making smart decisions with and without the puck. In addition to his strong play at even strength, he has also become a key penalty killer.

In the Rangers’ 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 12, Borgen stepped up in the offensive zone, held the puck in, and scored on a wrist shot. He has one goal, two assists, and is plus-4 while averaging 18:43 in ice time per game in 18 games.

Carson Soucy’s Play

Like Borgen, Soucy established himself as a strong defensive defenseman, as he began his career with the Minnesota Wild, then spent two seasons with the Kraken. He had two goals and four assists in 40 games with the Vancouver Canucks in 2023-24. He had three goals and seven assists in 59 games with them last season and was then traded to the Rangers just before the trade deadline.

Though Soucy spent a lot of his career as a third-pair defenseman, he ended up spending some time playing with Adam Fox on the Rangers’ top pair last season. He made some uncharacteristic mistakes at even strength, but was strong on the penalty kill. He finished with one goal, two assists, and was plus-2 in 16 games with his new team.

This season, Soucy has played very well with Borgen, and he has been a steady, physical defender. He has used his strength to clear the front of the crease. He missed four games with an upper-body injury but has continued to play well after returning.

In the Rangers’ win over the Lightning on Nov. 12, Soucy knocked down Brandon Hagel with a clean hit, took the puck, and assisted on an Alexis Lafreniere goal. He has one goal, two assists, and is plus-5 while averaging 17:05 per game in 14 games.

The Rangers Need to Continue Defending Well

The Rangers have had a much better defensive structure this season than last season. They have gotten excellent play from their top defense pair in Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, and both Borgen and Soucy are playing very well defensively. After struggling to score earlier in the season, New York has scored six goals and seven goals in their last two games and has won six of their last eight games.

Through 18 games, the Rangers have been a very good defensive team, and Borgen and Soucy both deserve praise for playing a big role in the team’s strong turnaround defensively from last season.