Jakub Škarek
| Jakub Škarek | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Škarek with San Jose Barracuda in 2026 | |||
| Born |
10 November 1999 Jihlava, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 211 lb (96 kg; 15 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| DEL team Former teams |
Straubing Tigers Sparta Praha Dukla Jihlava Lahti Pelicans New York Islanders | ||
| NHL draft |
72nd overall, 2018 New York Islanders | ||
| Playing career | 2016–present | ||
Jakub Škarek (born 10 November 1999) is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender for the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was selected 72nd overall by the New York Islanders in the 2018 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
Škarek originally began his playing career as a forward, however, he switched to goaltender when he was 10 years old because his team's goaltender missed a practice and the team needed a replacement.[1]
Škarek made his professional debut with his youth club, Dukla Jihlava, before making his Czech Extraliga debut on loan with Sparta Praha during the 2016–17 season as an 18-year-old.
Returning to Dukla Jihlava after backstopping the club to promotion to the Czech Extraliga for the 2017–18 season, Škarek made 21 top flight appearances in posting a .913 save percentage.
In order to continue his development, he left Dukla Jihlava for a higher level of competition, joining the Lahti Pelicans of the Finnish Liiga for the 2018–19 season on 2 May 2018.[2]
Škarek's potential was noticed and he was selected in the third round, 72nd overall, by the New York Islanders in the 2018 NHL entry draft. On 4 July 2018, Škarek was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Islanders, with the agreement to continue his contract with the Lahti Pelicans.[3]
On 16 November 2020, the Islanders loaned Škarek to Peliitat Heinola of Finnish Mestis until the commencement of the training camp for the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season.[4][5]
On 9 May 2025, Škarek returned to Finland, signing a one-year contract that included an option for a second year with HIFK.[6] Two months later, he was signed by the San Jose Sharks.[7] In the 2025–26 season, Škarek played exclusively with the Sharks AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, collecting 12 wins through 20 appearances.
As a free agent from the Sharks, Škarek returned to Europe in signing a one-year contract with top tier German club, Straubing Tigers of the DEL, on 16 July 2026.[8]
Personal life
Škarek was born into a family of athletes, with his mother, Eva, competing in basketball and high jump, his father, Josef, competing in football, volleyball, triathlons, and mountain climbing, and his sister, Tereza, throwing javelin. His girlfriend Sarah Barrett is a marathon runner and a retired NFL cheerleader. [9]In addition to his native Czech, Škarek can speak English, as well as some Russian, Slovak, Swedish, and Finnish.[1]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2014–15 | HC Dukla Jihlava | Czech.20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | HC Dukla Jihlava | Czech.20 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 540 | 19 | 3 | 2.11 | .939 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | HC Dukla Jihlava | Czech.1 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 1219 | 46 | 2 | 2.26 | .931 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 248 | 8 | 1 | 1.94 | .941 | ||
| 2016–17 | HC Dukla Jihlava | Czech.20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | .950 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | HC Dukla Jihlava | Czech.1 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 1674 | 59 | 1 | 2.11 | .924 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 306 | 10 | 1 | 1.96 | .916 | ||
| 2016–17 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 245 | 6 | 1 | 1.47 | .946 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | HC Dukla Jihlava | ELH | 21 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 1218 | 49 | 1 | 2.41 | .913 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | HC Stadion Litoměřice | Czech.1 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 600 | 19 | 0 | 1.90 | .942 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Lahti Pelicans | Liiga | 22 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 1312 | 54 | 1 | 2.47 | .906 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Peliitat | Mestis | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 426 | 20 | 0 | 2.86 | .896 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Worcester Railers | ECHL | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 756 | 47 | 0 | 3.73 | .879 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 16 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 863 | 47 | 1 | 3.27 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Peliitat | Mestis | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 243 | 18 | 0 | 4.44 | .833 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 721 | 42 | 0 | 3.50 | .887 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Bridgeport Islanders | AHL | 37 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 2110 | 116 | 1 | 3.30 | .896 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 71 | 3 | 0 | 2.54 | .912 | ||
| 2022–23 | Bridgeport Islanders | AHL | 38 | 15 | 16 | 3 | 2157 | 121 | 2 | 3.37 | .892 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Bridgeport Islanders | AHL | 36 | 7 | 22 | 6 | 2116 | 114 | 0 | 3.23 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Bridgeport Islanders | AHL | 22 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 1159 | 68 | 1 | 3.52 | .884 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | New York Islanders | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 5 | 0 | 3.94 | .872 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2025–26 | San Jose Barracuda | AHL | 20 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1154 | 60 | 1 | 3.12 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| ELH totals | 25 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1,463 | 55 | 2 | 2.25 | .919 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Liiga totals | 22 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 1,312 | 54 | 1 | 2.47 | .906 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 5 | 0 | 3.94 | .872 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Czech Republic | U17 | 7th | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 4 | 0 | 4.67 | .863 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | IH18 |  |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 250 | 8 | 0 | 1.92 | .930 | |
| 2017 | Czech Republic | WJC | 6th | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 10 | 0 | 3.34 | .884 | |
| 2017 | Czech Republic | U18 | 7th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 170 | 15 | 0 | 5.29 | .853 | |
| 2018 | Czech Republic | WJC | 4th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 162 | 14 | 0 | 5.19 | .848 | |
| 2019 | Czech Republic | WJC | 7th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 | .900 | |
| Junior totals | 20 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 962 | 52 | 0 | 3.24 | .875 | ||||
References
- 1 2 Pr, Ahl. "Unmasking Jakub Skarek". theahl.com. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- ↑ "Huippulupaava maalivahti ja mestarijoukkueen maalitykki Tshekeistä Lahteen". pelicans.fi (in Finnish). 2 May 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ↑ "Skarek Agrees To Terms On Entry-level Contract". NHL.com. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ↑ "Jakub Skarek New York Islandersista Peliittoihin – Karri Rämö mukaan maalivahtivalmennukseen". peliitat.fi (in Finnish). 16 November 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ↑ "Isles Day to Day: Skarek Loaned to Heinolan Peliitat". NHL.com. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ↑ "Islanders Goalie Signs In Finland". The Hockey News. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ↑ "Sharks sign goaltender Jakub Skarek". nhl.com. San Jose Sharks. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ "Jakub Skarek joins Straubing Tigers" (in German). Straubing Tigers. 16 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-cheerleader-running-boston-marathon-and-competing-for-miss-connecticut-
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Jakub Škarek profile and statistics at TheAHL.com
- 1999 births
- Living people
- Bridgeport Islanders players
- Bridgeport Sound Tigers players
- Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Finland
- Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
- Czech ice hockey goaltenders
- HC Dukla Jihlava players
- HC Sparta Praha players
- HC Stadion Litoměřice players
- Ice hockey people from Jihlava
- Lahti Pelicans players
- New York Islanders draft picks
- New York Islanders players
- Peliitat Heinola players
- San Jose Barracuda players
- Worcester Railers players
- 21st-century Czech sportsmen