The Iowa Wild's Kaapo Kahkonen has been recognized as the American Hockey League's outstanding goaltender for the 2019-20 season, winning the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award.
This award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league's 31 cities.
Also named a 2019-20 First Team All-Star last week, Kahkonen helped Iowa to the best regular-season record in franchise history by going 25-6-3. His 25 victories and seven shutouts ranked first in the AHL, and his goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.927) were fourth. Kahkonen finished the season on a 10-1-1 run in which he posted a 1.16 goals-against average, .961 save percentage and five shutouts.
A native of Helsinki, Finland, the 23-year-old also made his NHL debut during the season with the Wild and went 3-1-1 with a 2.96 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. Kahkonen, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2014 by the Wild, is 42-20-11. He's the first goalie since Martin Biron (1997-99) to lead the AHL in shutouts in consecutive seasons.
