Sebastian Aho, a defenseman for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, has signed with Växjö Lakers HC in Sweden’s top professional league, the SHL, marking a return home after a long North American career. The 30-year-old is expected to agree to a two-year contract and is likely to finish his career in Sweden.
Aho’s path to this move included five seasons in the NHL and many more in the AHL. He spent most of his professional career in North America despite starting in Sweden, where he developed with Skellefteå AIK and its junior program. Before joining the Penguins, Aho played the last two seasons in the AHL, where he recorded 14 points in each of the two campaigns.
In the NHL, Aho appeared in 190 games and produced 11 goals and 39 assists for 50 points. All of those games came with the New York Islanders, the team that selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He remained with the Islanders from 2017 to 2024 but was unable to secure a long-term NHL role.
Now back in Sweden, Aho will join a Växjö team looking to strengthen its blue line and compete for another league title. The Lakers are aiming to win their first SHL championship since the 2022-23 season, and Aho’s experience at both the NHL and AHL levels could help in that pursuit.
His return also marks a full-circle moment in his career. After years in North America, Aho will again play in his home country, but this time with a different club than the one where he began. For Växjö, the signing adds a veteran defenseman with extensive professional experience and a proven ability to contribute offensively from the back end.
Aho leaves behind a career defined by persistence and movement between leagues, but also by steady production and adaptability. His move to the SHL gives him a chance to continue playing at a high level closer to home, while giving Växjö a seasoned defenseman with international experience as it pursues championship success.
