Ex-Rangers winger Jesper Fast retires after missing entire season with neck injury

Jesper Fast is hanging up his skates.

After missing the entire 2024-25 season due to a neck injury, the Hurricanes winger announced his retirement from the NHL after 11 seasons Monday.

“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.

He also thanked the Swedish development teams that spurred his NHL career.

The 33-year-old sparkplug was drafted by the Rangers in 2010, making the jump stateside in 2013 after four seasons in the Elitserien.

In his first North American game in April, 2013, he scored a goal in the AHL but also suffered a knee injury that ended his season.

He made his NHL debut the following season, getting a call-up after Chris Kreider’s hand injury made room.

Fast skated in 11 regular season games as a taste of the big leagues, adding in three playoff matches.

He quickly became a Rangers mainstay thanks to his speed and wore an “A” as an assistant captain for the 2017-18 season — a title he held until until he signed a three-year, $6 million free agent deal with Carolina in 2020.

Over seven seasons with the Blueshirts, he posted 55 goals and added 92 assists en route to career totals of 703 NHL games over 11 seasons with 91 goals and 248 points.

The final game of the 2023-24 season, however, would also prove to be his last.

An April 16 cross-check from behind via Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson left him with a neck injury, resulting in surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2024-25 campaign.

“Worst-case scenario. Just when the fun is about to start, you’re sitting on the sideline,” Fast told reporters after the Hurricanes’ season ended 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.”