Islanders Goalie Signs In Finland

Czech goaltender Jakub Škarek, 26, has signed a contract with IFK Helsinki, the Liiga club announced on Friday. The deal is for a year plus an option.

“I am really competitive. For me, the most important thing is to help the team win,” said Škarek. “II am very happy to have signed a contract with HIFK. The club has a long history and is a name known throughout the hockey world. I am really excited to join the team.”

After being a third-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2018, Škarek spent almost all of the past six seasons in the Isles organization, mostly in the AHL with the Bridgeport Islanders but he played two NHL games last season.

“Jakub is a very experienced goalie for his age,” said club sports director Janne Pesonen. “His sights are on the NHL and Jakub has already had a taste of that dream. We are happy that he feels that HIFK is the right place for him to take the next step in his career, and he will definitely bring competition to our goaltending department.”

Originally from Jihlava, Czechia and a product of the local Dukla club, this will already be Škarek’s third stop in Finland. After being drafted, he spent the 2018-19 season with the Lahti Pelicans, playing 22 Liiga games and seven in the second-tier Mestis. He returned to Lahti to play four games for Peliitat in 2020-21 while the start of the AHL season was delayed by pandemic-related restrictions.

This past season, IFK Helsinki finished fourth in the Liiga regular season and was eliminated in the quarterfinals – falling behind 3-0, winning three in a row, then losing Game 7 at home to the Lahti Pelicans.

In addition to Škorek, the team has under contract for 2025-26 ex-NHLers Jori Lehterä, Iiro Pakarinen and Petteri Lindbohm, as well as 19-year-old Minnesota Wild prospect Aron Kiviharju. The team will be coached by Olli Jokinen.

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