After 703 games and 11 NHL seasons, Jesper Fast is hanging up his skates.
“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 Nässjö HC and HV71, organizations that played a vital role in my development into an NHL player.”
Fast, a product of Nassjo, Sweden, registered 91 goals and 248 in his career, spending time with the Hurricanes and New York Rangers. He also skated in 80 post-season contests and helped New York to an Eastern Conference Final appearance in 2015.
Fast’s best individual playoff run came as a member of the Hurricanes in 2023 when he potted six goals, including two overtime winners.
The 33-year-old last played during the 2023-24 season, suiting up for 73 games with Carolina. He missed the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign due to a neck injury suffered in the Hurricanes’ regular-season finale the year prior.
The right-shot forward was named the winner of the Hurricanes’ Steve Chiasson Award in 2021-22, given 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.”
Fast was originally selected by the Rangers in the sixth round of the 2010 draft and made his NHL debut during the 2013-14 season. He twice received down-ballot votes for the Selke Trophy.
