Islanders Jakub Skarek Mestis loan could end early

New York Islanders Jakub Skarek’s loan spell with Mestis side Peliitat will certainly end much sooner than he (and the Isles) would have hoped.

In November, New York Islanders goalie prospect Jakub Skarek was sent out on loan to former club Peliitat of the Finnish Mestis League (second division). Skarek, a third-round pick in 2018 had last played for Peliitat back in 2018-19.

Through four games played with Peliitat this season, Skarek has a rough 0-3-1 record while averaging a 4.44 GAA and 0.833SV%. But at least he’s getting playing time, right?

We found out on Tuesday that the

Mestis league will be suspended until the end of the calendar year

. Likely ending Skarek’s loan spell early.

Short Loan

The official Mestis statement indicates that games will be suspended due to the “current corona situation.” Daily cases have risen to all-time highs in Finland with 600 active cases daily.

The release also indicates that games could continue in January. But that could be too late for Skarek.

The NHL and by extension the AHL is hoping to get the 2020-21 season started in the New Year. If that comes to be, training camps will certainly open a few weeks prior to that. Meaning Skarek should be in North America for the opening of camp.

As of writing the New York Islanders only have three goalies officially signed to an NHL contract: Semyon Varlamov, Ilya Sorokin, and Jakub Skarek. Cory Schneider is said to have signed a single-year deal with the Islanders, but that paperwork has yet to be filed with the league registration office.

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Skarek has a role to play in North America this season. This means his loan to Peliitat is going to be much shorter than he would have hoped. Skarek (and the Islanders) would have loved to see him get more than four games played before he heads back over the Atlantic. But that’s 2020 for you, right?