Hurricanes' Fast retires after missing season with neck injury
Published
Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast has announced his retirement from hockey after 11 seasons on Monday.
Fast, 33, missed the entire 2024-25 campaign after undergoing neck surgery prior to the season. He was injured during the Hurricanes’ 2024 playoff run.
"I never took for granted the privilege of playing in the best league in the world," Fast said in a statement. "I am grateful for all of the teammates, coaches, staff and fans from the New York 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 Nässjö HC and HV71, organizations that played a vital role in my development into an NHL player.”
Fast's best season came during the 2021-22 campaign where he recorded 14 goals and 34 points in 82 games with the Hurricanes and received votes for the Lady Byng Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player and Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward.
He recorded six goals and 19 points in 73 games during the 2023-24 campaign and added six goals and nine points in 15 playoff games before getting hurt.
Drafted 157th overall by the Rangers in 2010, Fast has 91 goals and 248 points in 703 career games split between the Rangers and Hurricanes.