Simon Johansson received a top honor on Saturday for his performance with Ilves in Finland's Liiga league.
The Stockholm native led all defensemen with 51 points in 58 regular-season games. He added eight points across 13 playoff matches.
Forty-two journalists voted on the award, and 26 placed Johansson at the top of their ballots. He was also named to the league's All-Star team with Joachim Blichfeld and Mikael Ruohomaa.
Johansson previously played for Ilves, Iowa Wild in the AHL, Djurgården and Mora. He will join EHC Kloten in Switzerland on a contract through 2028.
