Henrik Tikkanen

September 2026 –  After backstopping one of the worst teams in AHL history in 2024-25 (6-18-3, 4.12 GAA,  .865 save percentage with Bridgeport), the Islanders sent Tikkanen to the ECHL’s Worcester Railers to  start 2025-26. The reset worked. He went 5-2-1 with a 2.03 goals-against average and a .929 save  percentage, earned ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors, and earned a recall to Bridgeport. His AHL  numbers improved to a 2.65 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 29 games, a significant  jump from the prior season. At 6-9, Tikkanen is one of the tallest goaltenders in professional hockey, and  his ability to cover the net with his frame is his primary asset. The technique still needs refinement, and  his lateral movement can lag behind quicker shooters, but the raw size and calm demeanor under  pressure give him a long runway. New York has Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov locked in at the NHL  level, so there is no rush. Fantasy managers in deep dynasty leagues can hold as a speculative goalie  stash. The ceiling is a solid NHL backup if the technical game catches up to the physical gifts.   Andrew Epps

December 2025 – After a rough 2024-25 season in which Henrik Tikkanen backstopped one of the worst teams in American Hockey League (AHL) history, the New York Islanders decided to have him start the 2025-26 season in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) to reset and rebuild his confidence with the Worcester Railers. In eight starts, he delivered a strong 5-2-1 record with a 2.03 goals-against average (GAA) and a .929 save percentage (SV%). He also recorded two shutouts and earned ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors before his call-up to Bridgeport (AHL). In a small AHL sample, the 6-9 netminder kept the momentum going, posting a 2-0-0 record with a 2.03 GAA and a .925 SV%.

With uncertainty surrounding the Islanders’ goaltending picture at all three levels next season, Tikkanen’s rise could not be better timed. Semyon Varlamov’s return grows less likely, and David Rittich, Marcus Hogberg, and Parker Gahagen are all on expiring contracts. If Tikkanen continues trending upward, he will be in the mix for the starting job in Bridgeport and possibly the backup spot on Long Island.

Tikkanen moves incredibly well for a bigger goaltender, pairing elite puck tracking with clever use of his massive frame to take away shooting angles. He brings calm to the crease in all situations. One of his most significant areas of growth has been the mental side of his game. Last season, a single bad goal often derailed his performance; this year, he rebounds quickly and looks even more focused afterward. While he is still adjusting to the speed and accuracy of top AHL shooters, occasionally getting beaten clean, he’s rapidly climbing the organization’s depth chart and positioning himself as a legitimate long-term option in goal. Kenny Kaminsky

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