Islanders pending Group VI unrestricted free agent goaltender Jakub Skarek will not return to the NHL next season, having signed a one-year contract with Finland’s HIFK, which includes a second-year option. Skarek, drafted in the third round by the Isles in 2018, struggled in the AHL, posting a .890 save percentage and a 3.34 GAA over six seasons, with only one Calder Cup Playoff appearance. He made his NHL debut late this season but allowed five goals on 39 shots; he now returns to Finland as a backup for former Wild draft pick Niko Hovinen.
