Jakub Skarek

July 2023 – 2022-23 was another tough year for the 6-3 Czechia goaltender. NYI re-signed Semyon Varlmov for four more seasons to backup Ilya Sorokin and also drafted Tristan Lennox in the 3rd round of the 2021 NHL Draft. New York qualified Skarek, a pending RFA, so he will remain under contract for at least one more season and report to Bridgeport. James Iacovone 

June 2022 – Assuming UFA goalie Semyon Varlamov will depart as expected, Skarek seems to have a shot at making his NHL debut. While his overall stats with Bridgeport weren’t great (3.30 GAA and .892 save percentage), a 5-0-2 stretch in January included 1.98 and .935 numbers. He was named the AHL goalie of the month. The 22-year-old has one more season on a team-friendly deal. Mark Allan

March 2022 – In his third AHL stint, Skarek has a better record (13-11-4), stats (2.95 and .906) and more starts than NHL veteran Corey Schneider. Those mediocre totals reflect the record of Bridgeport, which is seventh at 21-25-5 in the tough Atlantic Division. An RFA after the 2022-23 campaign, the Czech native is likely to remain in the AHL until then. Mark Allan

July 2021 – Skarek’s numbers were poor on both sides of the Atlantic but it’s hard to say if that was his doing or due to backstopping two poor teams. He was winless in four games on loan to 13-17-1 Peliitat in Finland’s version of the AHL, adding a 3-8-1 AHL mark with 8-14-2 Bridgeport. The 21-year-old can expect to be in the AHL for the remaining two years on his contract. Mark Allan

March 2021 – The good news is that the 6-3 Czech has played in six of Bridgeport’s first eight games in the Covid-postponed AHL schedule. However, the Sound Tigers have an unsightly 2-6 record. That roughly mirrors Skarek’s 1-5 mark, a byproduct of a 3.05 GAA and .901 save percentage. The Isles’ organization remains thin between the pipes. Mark Allan

January 2021 – Since comeback-bound netminder Cory Schneider has a new one-year $700,000 contract as a 34-year-old UFA, Skarek was assigned to Bridgeport. Like other prospects in the organization, he must await the start of the AHL campaign, scheduled for Feb. 5. Fortunately, he got into four games recently on loan to a Finnish squad. Mark Allan

January 2021 – As the only goalie on the Islanders’ four-man taxi squad, the young Czech is one misfortune away for either of the team’s top two puck-stoppers from at least dressing for his first NHL game. If nothing happens to either of those other goalies before the AHL starts its season, Skarek will be bound for Bridgeport. Mark Allan

January 2021 – Skarek was recalled from Heinolan Peliitat after posting unimpressive stats while on loan to that team in Finland’s AHL equivalent. On Team White at Islanders’ training camp with fellow netminder Semyon Varlamov, Skarek is expected to play this season with Bridgeport. He needs to improve on the 4.44 GAA and .833 save percentage he posted in four Scandinavian appearances. Mark Allan

November 2020 – Skarek was loaned to Heinolan Peliitat of Mestis, Finland’s equivalent of the AHL. He posted awful 2019-20 numbers in two minor leagues, though Bridgeport and Worcester were last-place teams, and it was his first time playing in North America. He needs the work, but the 21-year-old had better not get hurt. For a guy who said you can never have enough goalies when he drafted <a href=”https://dobberprospects.com/player/henrik-tikkanen/”>Henrik Tikkanen</a> in the seventh round this year, Lou Lamoriello’s minor-league netminding cupboard is otherwise bare. Mark Allan

July 2020 – Unavailable for the first two days of training camp, Skarek got on the ice for Day Three, which featured scrimmaging for the first time. He’s in Group One with fellow goalie Semyon Varmalov, who shut out Group Two 2-0. Mark Allan

February 2020 – Like fellow Islanders’ netminding prospect Linus Söderström, Skarek is struggling in the minors. With a 3.21 GAA and .889 save percentage with the AHL’s admittedly awful Bridgeport Sound Tigers (19-30-5), the Czech native has even worse numbers (3.95 and .867) with the ECHL’s admittedly awful Worcester Railers (18-33-4). At only 20, the 6-3, 196-pound butterfly practitioner has two more campaigns on his entry-level contract. With better teammates in front of him, he would surely improve his stats. Mark Allan

December 2018 – Skarek continues his rise to fantasy relevancy. The 2018 third round pick currently has a very respectable goals-against-average of 2.02, and save-percentage of .921 playing for the Pelicans of the Finnish Liiga. Skarek is among three goalies invited to the Czech Republic’s preliminary 2019 IIHF World Junior roster selection camp. Jesse Sherman

September 2018 – The New York Islanders signed their 2018 draftee to a three-year, entry-level contract on July 5th. The 18-year-old had a .912 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average last campaign in 21 games playing in the Czech league. Despite poor international numbers, Jakub Skarek was widely considered to be the best goaltender at the draft. After having completed three days at the Islanders rookie camp this week, Skarek will return to Finland joining his new team the Lahti Pelicans of the Liiga on a two-year deal. Skarek’s role models are Sergei Bobrovsky and Andrei Vasilevskiy; he states his dream is to follow their examples and become a starter in the NHL. Jesse Sherman