January 18, 2005
Tikkanen is now a player-coach for the South Korean team Halla in the new Asia League, hoping the experience will lead him back to the NHL, according to the
Associated Press.
ANALYSIS
Tikkanen last played in the NHL for the Rangers during the 1998-99 season. After a couple of seasons in Europe, he signed with Halla. "I'd like to coach in the NHL someday and this seemed like a good place to get a start," he said. There is one South Korean player in the NHL (Richard Park of the Minnesota Wild) and Tikkanen thinks more will follow. "There's no doubt about it," he said. "There are some very good players here and this league will help to create more good players."