Jesper Fast moves from Rangers to Carolina Hurricanes
Jesper Fast didn’t get to play very much for the New York Rangers in their 2020 postseason qualifying round against the Carolina Hurricanes in Toronto.
Early in Game 1, Fast was hit hard in the neutral zone by Canes defenseman Brady Skjei, a former Rangers teammate. The forward did not return to the game or the series, won in three straight games by the Canes.
Now, Fast will play for the Hurricanes, signing a three-year contract Saturday, the team announced. The Swede and Skjei will be teammates again, with some things to talk about — if they haven’t already.
Fast’s deal with the Hurricanes will pay him an average of $2 million a year.
“Jesper is an intelligent, versatile player who will fit the mold of how the Carolina Hurricanes play hockey under Rod Brind’Amour,” Canes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a statement.
Fast, 28, gives the Canes a righthanded shooting forward who can help replace the retired Justin Williams, a right wing, in the lineup, He played last season on a Rangers line with Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin.
Fast was a sixth-round pick by the Rangers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft but made his NHL debut in the 2013-14 season and played parts of seven seasons, and 422 regular-season games, with the Rangers.
Fast had 12 goals and 29 points in 69 games for the Rangers in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. Playing right wing much of the season, he averaged 16:36 of ice time a game, was responsible defensively and can kill penalties..
Fast was said to be the most popular player on the Rangers and won the “Players’ Player” award the past five seasons, a team honor given to the best “team player.”
Rangers coach David Quinn told New York reporters in February that Fast might be the most consistent player on the team and that his “honesty to the game” was infectious.
While the Canes added Fast, they will not be re-signing defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who spent the past three seasons with Carolina. An unrestricted free agent, van Riemsdyk signed a one-year, $800,000 contract Saturday with the Washington Capitals.
This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 5:36 PM.
