Jesper Fast , who made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers in 2013-14, retired Monday after 11 seasons in the League.
The popular 33-year-old forward missed this entire past season due to a serious neck injury sustained in the final game of the 2023-24 campaign. Fast was unable to make a comeback with the Carolina Hurricanes , for whom he played his final four NHL seasons. He was due to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
"I never took for granted the privilege of playing in the best league in the world," Fast said in a statement released by the Hurricanes. "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 Nässjö HC and HV71, organizations that played a vital role in my development into an NHL player."
Fast sustained the neck injury when checked from behind by Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson on April 16, 2024. He was unable to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the second round loss to the Rangers in six games, but remained hopeful he could play in 2024-25.
"Worst-case scenario. Just when the fun is about to start, you're sitting on the sideline," Fast explained at breakup day in May 2024. "You just want to help your team and be part of it, so of course it's really tough to be on the side. It was definitely one of the toughest periods in my career."
Fast had neck surgery Aug. 6 , and the Hurricanes stated at the time that they expected him to miss the season, which ended up being the case.
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Though never a star, Fast was highly respected by coaches and teammates alike. He was a hard-working middle-six forward who became one of the premier shutdown forwards in the NHL.
Fast won the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award as the top Rangers rookie at training camp in 2013. He also won the prestigious Players Player Award as the Rangers player "who best exemplifies what it means to be a team player" as voted on by his teammates an unprecedented five consecutive seasons beginning in 2015-16.
With the Hurricanes in 2021-22, he won the Steve Chiasson Award presented to the player "who best exemplifies determination and dedication while proving to be an inspiration to his teammates through his performance and approach to the game."
Nicknamed "Quickie" by then-Rangers coach Alain Vigneault in 2013-14, Fast appeared in 11 regular-season games and three in the postseason, when the Blueshirts reached the Stanley Cup Final and lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games. He was a lineup regular the following season, helping the Rangers win the Presidents' Trophy and reach Game 7 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Final, when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.
Fast signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent before the 2020-21 season, and established NHL career highs with 14 goals and 34 points in 2021-22. In the spring of 2023, Fast helped the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final when he became the fourth player in franchise history to score two overtime goals in the same postseason, including the series-clinching goal in the second round against the New Jersey Devils .
Fast scored six postseason goals in 2023 and had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 80 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Rangers and Hurricanes.
Over 703 regular-season games in the NHL, Fast finished with 248 points (91 goals, 157 assists).
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