Henrik Tikkanen

June 2025 – According to NHL.com, Tikkanen is now 6-9. He split the 2024-25 season between the American Hockey League (AHL) and the ECHL. In 30 games played with the Bridgeport Islanders in the AHL, he had a 6-18-3 record with a 4.12 GAA and a .865 SV% %. In the ECHL, he played in seven games with the Worcester Railers, posting a 2-0-4 record with a 2.42 goals against average (GAA) and a .918 save percentage (SV%).

The New York Islanders are set in the net with Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov under contract for the foreseeable future. That will allow Tikkanen ample time to develop and improve.

His ability to cover up pucks and react to shots is what separates him from most goaltenders. He managed to stop a lot of chances off the rush and off quick passes, which require fast reactions and movements from the goaltender, which is impressive for a goaltender of his size. Time will tell if Tikkanen can become a consistent AHL netminder and get consideration at the NHL level if the New York Islanders need to call a goaltender up during the season. Mark Henry

July 2023 – The 6-7 Finnish goaltender appeared in 38 games for Worcester (ECHL) last season. A former seventh-round pick, Tikkanen played well enough to earn a .914 save percentage. With Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov locked up long-term, the chances we see the 22-year-old in the NHL any time soon are slim to none. Thankfully, that means he has a lot of time to develop in the AHL, ECHL, or overseas. James Iacovone

June 2022 – After an eye-opening seven-game 2020-21 stint in Finland’s best hockey league that featured a 1.94 GAA and .921 save percentage, the sky-scraping Finn struggled in the Liiga this season. While he was back with KalPa, he posted 4.95 and .765 marks in two games, although he sparkled in a one-game loan to the Liiga’s Växjö Lakers. Hopefully, a 13-4 mark in Sweden’s second-tier league restored some confidence. Mark Allan

March 2022 – The towering Finn is still tracking as a long-term project. Taken in the seventh round, the 6-8 netminder had a sparkling 1.94 GAA and .921 save percentage last season in seven games with KalPa. However, in two Liiga appearances to start this campaign with the same Finnish team, his numbers regressed to 4.95 and .765, causing a demotion to MoDo of Sweden’s second-tier pro league. Mark Allan

July 2021 – Perhaps because they had just five picks in 2020, and none in the first two rounds, the Isles’ braintrust spent some time deliberating who would be chosen in the final round. The sky-scraping Finn got the nod due to his immense size, agility, and improvement from the previous season. Believing they could get him in the final two rounds, the Islanders submitted his name ahead of time to ensure he’d be eligible for the draft. They looked beyond his unimpressive numbers (.889 and .895 save percentages the previous two campaigns for HIFK’s U20 squad). Eyes were opened this past campaign, however, when he achieved 1.94 and .921 stats in seven outings for KalPa in the Liiga, his country’s top pro circuit. Numbers like that take the sting out of a 6-5-1 record with a 3.25 GAA and .877 save percentage for IPK in the Mestis (Finland’s equivalent of the AHL). The Islanders haven’t signed the 20-year-old yet. Still, their system is not deep with promising young netminders, so a contract offer will likely come sooner rather than later, especially if he continues to thrive in Liiga play. After that, he faces a lengthy acclimation to North America while he refines his technique. Mark Allan