While the New York Islanders enter the final stretch of the season seven points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, their affiliate in Bridgeport sits in a less desirable position with the fewest points in the entire American Hockey League (AHL). While they were able to beat the Springfield Thunderbirds last Sunday (Feb. 25), it was just their eighth regulation win of the season. The AHL club does, however, have several players worth keeping an eye on, as they have shown potential in an otherwise lackluster season. Ruslan Iskhakov, Matt Maggio, and Henrik Tikkanen have all shown NHL ability while playing for Bridgeport this season, and Islanders fans should keep an eye on them over the remainder of the season.
Ruslan Iskhakov
Ruslan Iskhakov is likely the player on the Bridgeport Islanders who has shown the most potential to be a star in the NHL one day. The Russian was selected by the Islanders with the 43rd overall selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, after which he played two years of collegiate hockey at the University of Connecticut. He joined the Bridgeport Islanders at the start of the 2022-23 season following two years in Europe, and he made an immediate impact, putting up 51 points in 69 games for the club and earning his first of two consecutive AHL All-Star selections.
Iskhakov’s impactful play has continued in his second AHL season; he leads the Islanders in just about every meaningful offensive category. He scored his team-leading 14th and 15th goals in Sunday’s game against the Thunderbirds, on top of that he leads the team in points (37), assists (22), shots (123), and game-winning goals (four). Iskhakov passes the eye test too. His quickness and playmaking ability stand out seemingly every time he touches the ice, and he has scored a fair share of highlight-reel goals thus far this season. Perhaps the one thing standing between Bridgeport’s star player and an NHL call-up is his size. At just 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, there is concern that he would adjust poorly to the more physical play in the NHL. Regardless, his contract expires at the end of this season and there will certainly be a number of teams that will come calling.
Henrik Tikkanen
Henrik Tikkanen’s play has been a bright spot in the Islanders’ season thus far that some may not have seen coming. The 23-year-old netminder started 2023-24 playing for the Worcester Railers of the ECHL, and was called up to Bridgeport at the very end of 2023. After an up-and-down first four games of his AHL career, Tikkanen caught fire, allowing two goals or fewer in his next six games, a streak that ended Sunday when he allowed three against the Thunderbirds.
Related: Tikkanen, Maggio Driving Bridgeport Islanders’ Momentum
Still, his goals-against average (GAA) sits at an impressive 2.22 on the season at the AHL level, and his save percentage (SV%) is a spectacular .928 since being called up. Tikkanen stands at 6-foot-8 but shows quickness in the crease that exceeds what one may expect from someone of his size; if his positive play keeps up, he has the potential to be a valuable asset for the Islanders going forward.
Matt Maggio
After being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Matt Maggio burst onto the scene last season, leading the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in points as a member of the Windsor Spitfires. He has made the jump to the professional game nicely; while he has not been all over the stat sheet like he was in his last season in Windsor, he has looked at home playing at the AHL level. He seems to be getting more comfortable with the pro game as the season has gone on too: he has 18 points in 41 games thus far in 2023-24 and 10 of those have come in his last 11 games. His best game of the season came last week, when the Islanders took on the Laval Rocket and Maggio scored two goals, one of which was his first professional overtime winner. The 21-year-old forward still has a ways to go in his development before he can be considered a legitimate option to be called up to the NHL, but he has shown a strong upward trajectory and Islanders fans should be hopeful about his future in the New York area.
Promising Futures
The season in Bridgeport has been a struggle, however, the play of these three players has been a bright spot for Islanders fans. Iskhakov has the potential to make an impact at the NHL level in the near future, as he is a flashy playmaker who turns heads when he is on the ice. Tikkanen’s dominant stretch of play as of late shows that he may have the potential to make an impact in net at the NHL level. Finally, while Maggio is not ready to be called up just yet, he is a player who is trending in the right direction.
