New York Islanders Sign Two Players To Entry-Level Contracts

The New York Islanders have signed goaltender Henrik Tikkanen and forward Alex Jefferies to two-year entry-level contracts. Tikkanen is coming off a solid season all around and ended in a heartbreaking manner, missing out on the Kelly Cup Playoffs on the final day of the regular season.

Tikkanen was the seventh-round and 214th overall draft pick by the New York Islanders in 2020, and he’s seen time with both the Worcester Railers and Bridgeport Islanders. The Finnish goalie spent the first three months of 2024 with the Bridgeport Islanders, appearing in 16 games and going 7-5-2 with a 2.17 GAA and .927 SV%.

In 20 games for the Worcester Railers this season, he went 11-7-1 while having a 3.22 goals-against average and a 0.892 save percentage. In his first season with the Railers, 2022-23, he posted an 18-17-3 record with a 3.02 GAA, .914SV%, and two shutouts.

The New York Islanders also signed forward Alex Jeffries to a two-year entry-level contract. Jeffries was the team’s fourth-round pick, 121st overall, in the 2020 draft.

Jeffries played his collegiate hockey at Merrimack College; in his senior season, he put up 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points in 22 total games. In 2024, he was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award. This award proved that he was the top amateur player in the country. The Framingham, Massachusetts native played a career total of 105 games in college. He posted 97 career points while putting 41 of which to the back of the net and dishing out 56 assists. As a junior Jeffries scored a career high of 14 goals and 27 assists for a total of 41 points. In that same season, he was named to the Hockey East First All-Star Team, and in the 2020-21 season, he was a Hockey East All-Rookie selection.

Jeffries only played a total of 10 games in the AHL, putting up three goals and three assists after signing an ATO with the Bridgeport Islanders.

ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing Inside The Rink

Join Conrad and Chris as the discuss Gavin McKenna making the jump to the NCAA, Pittsburgh and San Jose making additions, and the NHL season to begin on October 7, 2025.
  1. ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing
  2. ITR 46: Offseason Chaos
  3. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening
  4. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again
  5. ITR 43: It's Winning Time

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Austin Albrecht

ECHL: Tulsa Oilers Bring Back Austin Albrecht

The Tulsa Oilers have announced that they have re-signed 6’0″ forward Austin Albrecht for the 2025-26 season. Junior and Collegiate Career Austin Albrecht started his junior career playing with the Wichita Falls Wildcats in the NAHL, where he spent three seasons. In 110 games, Albrecht had 35 goals and 48 assists for 83 points with […]

Read More
Tyler Gratton

ECHL: Utah Grizzlies Add Tyler Gratton

The Utah Grizzlies have announced that they have signed 6’2″ forward Tyler Gratton for the 2025-26 season. Junior and Collegiate Career Tyler Gratton started his junior career playing five games with the US U17 NTDP Team in the 2015-16 season. He then went to the USHL, where he played for the USNTDP Juniors Team, Chicago […]

Read More

ECHL: Allen Americans Re-Sign Defenseman and Forward

The Allen Americans have announced that they have re-signed 6’3″ defenseman Hudson Wilson and 5’11” forward Harrison Blaisdell. Hudson Wilson’s Career Hudson Wilson started his junior career in the CCHL with the Kanata Lasers, where he played in 19 games, registering two goals and six assists with 19 penalty minutes. He then went to the […]

Read More