Islanders’ sign Henrik Tikkanen and Alex Jefferies to two-year, entry-level contracts

Tikkanen was oringally selected No. 214 overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by New York. He spent the 2023-24 regular season with the Islanders’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Bridgeport Islanders and posted a 7-5-2 record with a 2.17 goals-against-average and .927 save percentage through 14 games. The Finnish goaltender also spent time in the ECHL with the Worcester Railers where he compiled a 11-7-1 record with a 3.22 goals-against-average and .892 save percentage in 20 games.

Jefferies spent the 2023-24 regular season with Merrimack College and joined Bridgeport on an amateur tryout contract after completing his season on March 22. Jefferies notched 13 goals and 23 points in 22 games and was nominated for the 2024 Hobey Baker Award. Throughout his NCAA career, the Framingham, Massachusetts product notched 41 goals and 56 assists for 97 points in 105 games for the Warriors, including a career-high 14 goals and 41 points as a junior in 2022-23. He was named to the Hockey East First All-Star Team that season and was a Hockey East All-Rookie selection in 2020-21.

Jefferies made his AHL debut in March and registered three goals and three assists for six points in 10 games with Bridgeport and is expected to have a full-time role next season. He tallied one assist in his AHL debut.

Bridgeport ranks eighth in the Atlantic Division with a 24-34-7 record and two games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season.