Jesper Fast retired from the NHL on Monday.
The 33-year-old forward did not play for the Carolina Hurricanes this season after having neck surgery Aug. 6, 2024. He was injured in Carolina’s 2023-24 regular-season finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 16, 2024, a 6-3 loss at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.
Fast was to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He had 248 points (91 goals, 157 assists) in 703 regular-season games over 11 seasons with the New York Rangers and Hurricanes, and 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 80 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“I never took for granted the privilege of playing in the best league in the world,” Fast said. “I am grateful for all of the teammates, coaches, staff and fans from the Rangers and Hurricanes who made my time in the NHL so special, and for my family for everything they did to help me achieve and live my dream. I’d also like to thank Nassjo HC and HV71, organizations that played a vital role in my development into an NHL player.”
Selected by the Rangers in the sixth round (No. 157) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Fast signed a three-year, $6 million contract ($2 million average annual value) with the Hurricanes on Oct. 10, 2020. He signed a two-year, $4.8 million contract ($2.4 million AAV) to stay with Carolina on July 1, 2023, after scoring a team-high six playoff goals during a run to the Eastern Conference Final, a four-game loss to the Florida Panthers.
Fast scored his first NHL goal in the Rangers’ 5-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 29, 2014. After finishing with six goals and 14 points in 58 games, he scored two goals in Game 3 of the conference final against the Tampa Bay Lightning to become the first Rangers rookie with a multigoal playoff game since Brandon Dubinsky in Game 3 of the 2008 conference quarterfinals against the New Jersey Devils and the first to score at least two goals in a road playoff game since Mike Ridley in Game 1 of the 1986 Patrick Division Semifinals against the Flyers.
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