Carson Soucy is putting in some pre-Training Camp work with his new teammates, while starting to feel more at home in Vancouver. Soucy’s participating in the informal team skates this week, getting reps and touches in with two weeks to go before Training Camp starts.
Members of the Canucks wasted no time after Labour Day Weekend getting on the ice for an informal skate at UBC on Tuesday morning. Roughly 30 players from Abbotsford and Vancouver came out and ran through some drills and 3-on-3 hockey and did some work together in the weight room.
For Soucy, Vancouver is the perfect landing spot – an opportunity for him to take another step as a player while learning from coaches he holds in high esteem.
“I like who they have on their staff, and they showed confidence in me over brief conversations. That’s kind of what you’re looking for, someone to show confidence and give you an opportunity,” Soucy said.
Through these informal skates he’s getting to know his teammates better and says he’s willing to fill any role to help the team win and welcomes more responsibility with open arms. Last season with Seattle he averaged just over 16 minutes in 78 games.
“Ultimately, just try to have a good camp, kind of play wherever I fit in the lineup to help this team,” he said, adding he’s doing whatever he can to get off to a strong start this season.
Being able to bend the ears of Adam Foote and Sergei Gonchar was a big pull for Soucy in coming to Vancouver and he’s preparing to soak up as much knowledge as he can during Training Camp.
“Year by year you learn so much. I don’t think you ever stop learning in this game, especially when you’ve got the talented D coaches we have and even the head coach too. I think you can always learn; I think the mental is obviously a huge part of this game and that’s where we can keep growing.”
He and his wife got to Vancouver early to find a place to live and get settled before Training Camp and their newborns arrive. Soucy, a Viking, Alberta native, says it’s great being in the Pacific Northwest, just a quick trip for friends and family to visit and vice versa.
“Me and my wife have two kids on the way so it’s nice the family can come out and it’s a short flight,” he said.
“That was the biggest thing we came here early for was to find a place, get to know the neighborhood, and then it’s just kind of finding my way around Vancouver. It’s going pretty good, I can find my way to the rink and back and a couple other spots.”
With more of his new teammates filtering in over the next couple of weeks, he’s been accumulating recommendations on places to eat or visit.
“The staff was really great, showing me where to live. And Demmer was here early, but he was a little busy, but now that everyone’s here it’s good to see everyone and they’re telling me what the check out, so it’s nice.”
