Here's our exclusive interview with New York Islanders goaltending prospect Henrik Tikkanen.

Henrik Tikkanen is the most recent goaltender to graze the AHL for the Bridgeport Islanders. 

The 23-year-old Fin is a unique goalie with extreme height, being listed at six-foot-eight and weighing 198 pounds. 

If he makes it to the NHL at some point, he'll surpass the six-foot-seven Ben Bishop and become the tallest goaltender to ever stand between the pipes in league history. 

Tikkanen has had quite a journey.

Starting out growing up in Finland, the netminder has spent time in Sweden and the ECHL before now getting his shot with Bridgeport in the AHL.

The Hockey News had the exclusive opportunity to speak with Tikkanen to hear his story and listen to how he plans to keep improving his game.

Setting the stage, it was the early summer of 2020. The world had been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with everything on hold, including pro sports. 

When it came time for the NHL Draft, which Tikkanen was eligible for, the league decided to do it via Zoom, with no in-person congregation possible. 

Tikkanen wasn't expecting to hear his name called, and as the draft went on and on, the lack of expectation didn't have him feeling anxious. 

So, when Tikkanen was selected by the Islanders in the seventh and final round of the 2020 NHL Draft, he was taken by surprise.

“I wasn't expecting to be drafted,” Tikkanen said. “I had no clue, but when it happened, I was, of course, happy for the opportunity to be drafted, and I was happy that I could make it to a training camp.”

Tikkanen expected to go undrafted, where he would have to potentially sign with a team. The Islanders invited him to camp and after two years playing professionally in Finland and Sweden, had him start his career in North America with the Worcester Railers of the ECHL ahead of the 2022-23 season. 

“I think [Worcester] was a good spot for me, especially last year. It was my first year overseas, so I kind of got used to the game and style of hockey,” Tikkanen said. “You play here. It's different than the game in Europe, so I think that was a really good spot for me to get used to all the new stuff.”

In his first season in North America, Tikkanen went 18-17-3 with a 3.02 GAA and a 9.14 SV%. It was a strong first campaign, where he had to balance a lot more than just stopping the puck, given his new surroundings. 

“I don't think it took too much time because I spent the year before in Sweden, so I was already gone from my home country and I kind of got used to everything pretty quick,” Tikkanen said. “I felt that all the new teammates and friends taught me really well at the beginning and helped me a lot, so I think it was an easy transition.”

During his time in the ECHL this year, Tikkanen posted a 6-5-1 record with a 3.11 GAA and an .896 SV% before getting recalled to Bridgeport when veteran Ken Appleby joined the Islanders with Semyon Varlamov battling a lower-body injury. 

Since the call-up to the AHL, Tikkanen has been enjoying every step of the ride. “It's been great. I was up here a couple of times last year, but I didn't get the chance to play,” Tikkanen said. “When I got it, I was happy and excited about that. I think I'm just enjoying my time here every day, and I'm doing my best, and I hope I can stay here for a while.”

When Varlamov was activated out of Injured Reserve, the organization decided that Tikkanen showed enough to remain with Bridgeport, as Applby was sent to the ECHL instead. 

Tikkannen is currently 4-3-1 with a 2.45 GAA and a .923 SV% so far this season with Bridgeport, outplaying goalie prospect Jakub Skarek, who has struggled to develop over his five years in the organization. 

He notched his fourth win Friday night, stopping 37 of 38 in a 5-1 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds. 

Prior to Tikkanen's arrival in Bridgeport, they were struggling mightily. While his play in goal hasn't changed the direction of their season, he's done what he can to give them a fighting chance. 

Despite getting called up to Bridgeport and getting into games, Tikkanen did not expect to have as large of an immediate impact as he did and is currently doing a great job in pursuing his goal of staying at the AHL level. 

“Maybe not. I just go by day by day,” Tikkanen said. “If I get the chance to play, I want to show that I can play in this league, I can practice well in this league and I can be a good goalie in this league. That's maybe the thing that I just wanted to do when I first got here.”

The goaltender explained what he must do to remain in the American Hockey League. 

“I just need to keep working every day,” Tikkanen said. “You're never perfect. You can always be better, or there are always things that you can do better in your game, and I just need to keep pushing every single day and work harder every day.”

Let's get back to the height of Tikkanen.

Many people look at the goaltender position and think the taller and bigger the goalie is, the better they will be.

But a lot of tall goaltenders struggle with mobility.  

He shared some of the advantages and disadvantages it brings and how he tries to combat them. 

“Of course, because I'm taller, it probably makes me a little bit slower or I have to pay more attention to my moving,” Tikkanen said. “I have to practice that a lot, but also, my height is a positive thing because it helps me make saves. I'm bigger in the net, I cover more of the net, and it is easier to make saves, I would say.”

There was no big growth spurt for Tikkanen. He mentioned that he has always been just a little bigger throughout his life. 

“I think I have always been a little bit taller than everyone else, so I've kind of been used to that my whole life,” Tikkanen said. “I don't think it's happened in a year or two. It has always been like that.”

Growing up, there were two goalies that Tikkanen would often watch. 

“When I was younger I was watching Pekka Rinne a lot and Andrei Vasilevsky,” Tikkanen said. “Now I'm trying to take good things from all the good goalies and just trying to be the best goalie I can be.” 

Rinne is Finnish, so that makes sense, and Vasilevsky is not surprising either, with the Lightning netminder being six-foot-four inches tall.

Many people helped Tikkanen along the way, especially his dad.

“Probably all the coaches that I had. All the goalie coaches have played a big part, and also my dad, who helped me when I was a little kid. We didn't have a goalie coach,” Tikkanen said. “He was always out there with me, and he was shooting and watching videos from YouTube and helping me.”

Tikkanen wants Islanders to know he is committed to improving in goal but also loves playing the game of hockey and likes to have some fun.

“I’m pretty relaxed, and if there is a good song playing during the game, I like to dance to it or have fun with that,” Tikkanen said. “I'm not in the game all the time. I'm also having fun, and I smile a lot, and I think that all the fans can see that too.”

There is one major aspiration on the Finnish goaltender’s mind. “I want to make the NHL.”

Given that Ilya Sorokin is signed through 2031 and Varlamov through 2027, there won't be much of an opportunity at the NHL level. But if Tikkanen can continue to grow his game, he will give himself a tremendous shot at getting an NHL chance if one of those two misses time. 

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