We’ve hit our first ranked prospect of the summer, and as a result of nine new players being added to the mix, he ends up sliding down the board to our 20th spot. If you missed our Honourable Mentions, let us bring you back up to speed with our criteria.

We’ve raised the age range from U23 to U24, but limited players to under 25 NHL games. That would eliminate Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Liam Öhgren up front, as well as defencemen Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, and Elias Pettersson (D).

As for the rankings themselves, that criterion remains the same.

Upside is first and foremost. Where do these players end up if they hit their full potential? Age is also a factor. Players such as Ty Mueller, who’s played a pair of NHL games over the last two years but is teetering on the edge of age eligibility at 23. That alone earns him a spot on our list, but at his age, if he doesn’t develop into a full-time NHLer soon, the writing may be on the wall for his future.

With that in mind, let’s dive into the rankings.

Still just 19 years old until late August, Basile Sansonnens put together what should be considered a successful and impressive 2025-26 season. After spending his post-draft year with the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL, the Swiss-born defenceman returned home and made the jump to professional hockey with Lausanne HC.

Playing against men for the first time, he’s carved out a role on Lausanne’s third pairing, holding his own throughout the season while earning increased responsibility down the stretch. Come playoff time, however, his role diminished. Lausanne leaned on its veteran defence corps, limiting him to extra-defenceman duties. He failed to eclipse the 10-minute mark in any of the team’s seven playoff games, but the bigger picture remains encouraging. After all, he was one of just three U20 defencemen to appear in more than 40 National League games this season and even saw stints on the team’s top pairing alongside former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Erik Brannstrom.

He also remained a fixture on Switzerland’s international stage, representing his country at the World Junior Championship for the second and final time. While Switzerland struggled as a team, Sansonnens once again showcased the steady defensive game that has become his calling card.

The 2024 seventh-round pick isn’t going to wow anyone offensively. He recorded just three assists during the regular season to go with a goal and an assist in five games at the World Juniors. At this point, there’s little evidence to suggest offence will ever become a significant part of his game. Fortunately, that’s not why the Canucks drafted him.

At his core, Sansonnens is an aggressive, defence-first blueliner who thrives in shutdown situations and penalty-killing roles. Whether battling in the corners or clearing the crease, he’s consistently willing to engage physically. He uses his active stick effectively to disrupt passing lanes and separate opponents from the puck. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 205 pounds, he already possesses a pro-ready frame and isn’t afraid to use it. That physicality was overwhelming at the QMJHL level, but perhaps more encouraging is that it’s already translating against professional competition. There were multiple moments this season where he stood up to grown men and won battles that many teenage defencemen aren’t capable of winning.

Of course, his game isn’t without flaws. At times, he can become overaggressive in pursuit of the puck, pulling himself out of structure to finish a hit or to separate an opponent from possession. More often than not, however, his physical tools allow him to recover before those decisions become costly.

The appeal here is relatively straightforward. Sansonnens is a defensive defenceman through and through. Nearly all of his value comes in his own zone, where his size, mobility, and willingness to play physically consistently allow him to break up plays before they become dangerous.

He’s also a better skater than he often gets credit for. His long, powerful stride allows him to close gaps quickly, recover on broken plays and defend with confidence in transition. Those skating tools, combined with his size, provide a solid foundation for continued development.

If there were even a modest offensive element to his game, he’d likely be ranked considerably higher. His physical tools already appear close to AHL-ready. The question is whether his puck skills and overall decision-making can develop enough to allow those physical traits to shine at the North American professional level.

The hope is that, with continued development, he can simplify his game, become a reliable penalty killer and carve out a role as a hard-to-play-against defensive specialist. For now, he remains raw, but undeniably interesting.

Ceiling: While he’s still a long shot to become an NHL regular, Sansonnens possesses legitimate shutdown traits. If his puck management continues to improve, he could eventually develop into a third-pairing defenceman capable of handling heavy penalty-killing minutes.

Floor: Remaining in Europe and never establishing himself in North America is a very real possibility. Despite his physical intrigue, his overall game remains raw, particularly with the puck. After all, he was still a seventh-round pick.

ETA: His physical maturity and mobility give him a chance to move through the professional ranks relatively quickly, but patience remains essential. Any NHL consideration is still likely several years away.

Never miss what matters in the game. From lineup changes to breaking trades and must-read analysis, CanucksArmy delivers the insight serious hockey fans rely on—straight to your inbox. Sign up for the CanucksArmy newsletter here!