NY Islanders Agree To One-Year, Two-Way Deal With Goalie

The New York Islanders have signed a familiar face to add goaltender depth to the organization.

Feb 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New York Islanders logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the third period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the goals that the New York Islanders had coming into the 2026 NHL offseason was to shore up the goaltender depth within the organization.

Ilya Sorokin is locked in as the team’s No. 1 goalie and will start a majority of the games for the franchise. However, there are questions about whether Semyon Varlamov will be ready to handle the No. 2 job.

After suffering a gruesome knee injury in Nov. 2024, Varlamov had to undergo two surgeries, which cost him the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign and all of the 2025-26 season, outside of a conditioning assignment with the Bridgeport Islanders in April 2026.

Looking to ensure there is enough depth within the organization, the Islanders announced they have officially brought back Henrik Tikkanen. The two sides have agreed to a one-year, two-way contract after he was extended a qualifying offer earlier this offseason.

Islanders agree to one-year deal with Henrik Tikkanen

Sep 24, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Islanders goalie Henrik Tikkanen (70) skates during the third period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

A seventh-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, No. 214 overall, Tikkanen has spent the last three seasons playing for Bridgeport in the AHL and the last four with the Worcester Railers in the ECHL.

During the 2025-26 season, Tikkanen set a career-high for minutes played, with 1,628, and wins, with 17. He had a 17-9-1 record with a 2.65 goals-against average and .897 save percentage on the year.

His performance was even better with Worcester, where he appeared in eight games and had a record of 5-2-1, including two shutouts. His goals-against average was an excellent 2.03, and he had a save percentage of .929. That was good enough to get him selected for the 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic roster.

Listed at 6-foot-8, Tikkanen is an imposing presence in the net. Throughout his career, he has performed at a higher level in the ECHL with the Railers compared to the AHL with the Islanders.

#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that the club has signed goaltender Henrik Tikkanen to a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract.

Read more: https://t.co/u125wIf16p pic.twitter.com/ML5ieAlIQb

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 17, 2026

Over the last three years with Bridgeport, he has appeared in 77 games with a record of 31-33-6. His goals-against average is an underwhelming 3.06, and he has a save percentage of only .892.

In 73 games with Worcester, he has a 36-30-6 record, including six shutouts. His numbers are much better with a 2.91 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

Tikkanen will likely continue to operate as organizational depth for New York. Along with Sorokin and Varlamov, the team also signed veteran Vitek Vanecek to a one-year deal in free agency as insurance in case Varlamov is not able to contribute to the team on the ice this season.

The Islanders also signed Ryan Fanti to add even more goalie depth to the organization.