There’s just one Vancouver Canucks prospect outside the American League system who continues to play hockey in mid-May.

That player is 2024 seventh-rounder, Basile Sansonnens.

Skating on loan with the Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL), the 18-year-old defender has enjoyed an extended playoff push, including a trip to the QMJHL finals.

Despite a hard-fought effort, Rimouski was eliminated on Monday afternoon, falling to the Moncton Wildcats in six games.

The defensive-minded stalwart played in 23 games during his team’s four-round run, contributing a goal, five points, four penalty minutes, and an even plus/minus. He patrolled the team’s second line pairing during the run.

Despite being eliminated from league play, Sannsonnens’s season will continue with Rimouski. As this year’s host for the 2025 Memorial Cup, the Océanic were awarded an automatic spot as the tournament’s fourth team.

As a result of the auto-berth, Moncton had punched a berth into the tournament, regardless of the outcome of the league’s finals.

Now, he’ll gear up for the four-team tournament, which kicks off on Friday afternoon. All games can be viewed at TSN/TSN.ca.

Here is Rimouski’s full schedule:

May 23 – vs. Medicine Hat — 4:00 pm PT
May 25 – vs. London — 3:00 pm PT
May 28 – vs. Moncton — 4:00 pm PT

The 6-foot-4, 205 pound defender was drafted 221st overall by the Canucks in 2024. Just days following his NHL draft, Rimouski selected him 31st overall in the CHL import draft, where he played out his draft-plus-one season.

In his rookie season, he posted one goal, 12 points, 14 penalty minutes and a plus-21 across 54 regular-season games. He played a solid defensive role for an Océanic team that finished second in the entire QMJHL.

Considered on loan, Sansonnens is expected to return to Switzerland this summer, where his playing rights are held by Lausanne HC of the National League (Switzerland). That’s unless another loan agreement comes to fruition before the 2025-26 season.