An up-and-down year for Sweden’s Åmåls Sportklubb ended with Whitehorse goalie Ian Perrier earning MVP honours.

Yet despite his heroics, the Division 2 hockey team in south Sweden finished one game out of the playoffs this season.

“We got off to a great start this season and actually found ourselves in first place,” Perrier told the Star via email yesterday. “As soon as we did, however, we started to get complacent and weren’t competing at the level we needed to in order to be successful as a team.”

The 25-year-old is currently negotiating with the Swedish club on a potential contract for next season.

The six-foot-two, 190-pound Perrier is the first Yukon goalie to man the crease with a professional team.

The former Mustangs goaltender worked hard to earn his teammates’ trust.

“I was put into situations this year that were outside of my comfort zone and really had to find a way to reach that next level of play,” he noted.

“Taking home the MVP just lets me know that the hard work paid off, and all summer, I’ll be competing against myself in order to be better next season.”

Perrier, the son of Gerry and Laura Perrier, spent three years with the Westfield State University Owls in Massachusetts before heading to Sweden this season.

He said the main difference between the North American and European game is the quicker tempo of play.

“On a bigger ice surface, there is a lot more room for players to move around and create scoring opportunities,” said Perrier.

In a post on his Facebook page, Perrier said the season was “easily the most challenging” he’s faced in his career.

Perrier started all 42 games for Åmåls – a team that he said was the most talented he’s ever played on.

Becoming the first Yukon goalie to play pro is a source of personal pride for Perrier.

“I dared to dream big, and had the heart to chase after something bigger than myself,” he stated.