We continue to push through our 2026 mid-season Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings here at CanucksArmy.

We’re now off to the races, with two ranked prospects already covered. Today, we bring you a defensive defenceman by nature, who’s already stopping men dead in their tracks in the Swiss League.

If you’re looking for a refresher on our ranking criteria, be sure to check out our Honourable Mentions installment before diving in.

Considered the biggest climber in our mid-season rankings, 2024 seventh-round pick Basile Sansonnens continues to carry an intriguing profile.

This is not a prospect defined by any flash, highlight reels, or gaudy point totals. Or, any point totals, really. Instead, Sansonnens’ rise is rooted in something far more tangible: his ability to be a physical force and to do so effectively against men.

At just 19 years old, Sansonnens is already holding his own in Switzerland’s top professional league and made a noticeable impact at the U20 World Junior Championship amongst his U20 peers. Although there is still a long way to go to develop the necessary two-way game to be an effective professional, playing amongst men at such a young age separates him from most players drafted in his range.

Although he flashed an eye-catching goal to wow viewers at this year’s World Juniors, offence is unlikely to feature at any point in his professional career. But that’s not the expectation with this profile. What matters is that he carries a heavy, pro-ready frame, plays with assertiveness, and shows a willingness to engage physically at every opportunity. And that physicality is already translating.

Shortly after being drafted by the Canucks, Sansonnens was selected 31st overall in the CHL Import Draft and spent the 2024–25 season with the Rimouski Océanic, where he played a regular role for the Memorial Cup hosts. After one season in the Canadian major junior circuit, he returned home to continue his development against men, stepping directly into a third-pairing role with Lausanne and earning penalty-killing minutes.

Following a strong showing at his second World Junior tournament — where he logged top-four minutes for Switzerland — Sansonnens has recently seen time on Lausanne’s top pairing in his return. His partner? Former Vancouver Canucks defender Erik Brännström. That stint was short-lived, but an interesting development. Despite being one of the youngest regulars in the league, he’s now averaging roughly 12 minutes per night.

Sansonnens was physically dominant at the QMJHL level, and now there are moments where he’s stopping grown professionals dead in their tracks in Switzerland. Of course, the Swiss league is a much different beast than North American professional leagues.

He isn’t flawless, as he can occasionally pull himself out of structure in an effort to separate his man from the puck, but more often than not, the result is still positive. The appeal here is straightforward, and there really isn’t much to think about. Nearly all of his impact comes in the defensive zone, and he’s a defensive defenceman through and through.

In addition, he is rangy, mobile, and assertive. His stride is long and powerful, allowing him to close gaps quickly and recover when plays break down.

If there were even a modest ability to consistently move pucks or generate offence, he’d likely be ranked considerably higher. His physical tools already appear AHL-ready. The question is whether the puck skills and the limits in his game can keep up and allow him to be effective. The hope is that decision-making can be refined enough to earn him opportunities in North America, and he can fall back on being a brute in penalty killing and defensive situations.

For now, he remains raw — but intriguingly so.

Ceiling: While still a long shot to become an NHL regular, Sansonnens possesses legitimate shutdown traits. With continued development, he could project as a third-pairing defender who handles penalty-killing duties.

Floor: There is always the reality that he remains in Europe (or ends up returning), carving out a professional career as a shutdown defender in a top league such as the Swiss NL, SHL, or Liiga. For all the physical intrigue comes a very raw ability in his overall two-way game.

ETA: Sansonnens’ physical maturity and mobility give him a chance to accelerate his timeline, but patience remains key. Any NHL consideration is several years away.

That’s our #13 spot. Stay tuned for another installment tomorrow at CanucksArmy.

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