Just days after being named the CHL's Sportsman of the Year, it was announced Aleksi Heponiemi would not be returning to the Broncos for the 2018-19 WHL season and beyond.

The product of Tampere, Finland will be returning to his homeland on a two-year contract with the Oulun Kärpät of the Finnish Elite League. The Kärpät are situated in the city of Oulu, a six hour drive north of Heponiemi's hometown.

Both Heponiemi and the Kärpät are coming off respective league titles in the 2017-18 season. Matching their new forward's recent WHL Championship, the Kärpät defeated Tappara in six games to claim the top spot. It was Oulun Kärpät's eighth Finnish Elite League title.

As for Heponiemi, the shifty forward wraps up his two-year career as a member of the Broncos with 204 regular season points (56 G, 148 A) in 129 regular season games, to go along with an additional 38 (5 G, 33 A) in 40 playoff contests.