Hurricanes’ Jesper Fast Undergoes Neck Surgery, Unlikely to Play in 2024-25
Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast will most likely miss the entire 2024-25 season after undergoing neck surgery earlier this month, general manager Eric Tulsky announced Thursday.
Fast injured his neck during the club’s final regular-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in April, leaving after less than seven minutes of ice time. He sat out the remainder of the campaign, including his team’s playoff run through the first two rounds.
The 32-year-old finished his fourth season in Carolina with six goals and 19 points across 73 games, averaging 12:36 minutes per night – his lowest total since 2014-15 (11:48).
After being eliminated by the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the second round, the Hurricanes held their annual end-of-season interviews, where Fast was seen wearing a neck brace while speaking to reporters.
“It’s definitely one of the toughest periods in my career,” Fast told the media in May, including the Associated Press, of being deemed physically unable to perform in the post-season.
While Fast didn’t reveal many details at the time, he described his neck injury as a re-aggravation rather than a new issue.
Since the 6-foot-1 winger isn’t expected to play next season, the Hurricanes will be permitted to add his $2.4-million cap hit to long-term IR, converting that figure into cap space. Even without doing so, the club is roughly $6.4 million under the $88-million maximum limit, per PuckPedia.
The Nassjo, Sweden, native is entering the final season of a two-year, $4.8-million contract signed last summer. He’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
Perhaps Carolina can put its new-found savings to use by hammering out a new contract for Seth Jarvis, who remains unsigned as a restricted free agent without arbitration rights. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported earlier this week that both sides were gaining traction towards reaching a long-term extension.
That financial flexibility will also likely prove valuable later in the season as Tulsky looks to improve his roster at next March’s trade deadline.
With Fast on the mend, the Hurricanes must fill out a top-nine forward group that brought in newcomers William Carrier and Jack Roslovic via free agency this summer. They could also receive a boost from within, as 2023 first-rounder Bradly Nadeau is expected to compete for NHL reps.
Across 11 NHL campaigns, Fast – a sixth-round selection in 2010 – began his career with the New York Rangers, whom he spent seven seasons with from 2013-20. During his tenure, he notched 55 goals and 147 points over 422 games, registering double-digit goals in three of those seven campaigns.
Following the 2019-20 season, the right-handed forward departed in free agency, arriving in Carolina on a three-year deal. After posting modest results in 2020-21, he impressed during the following year, setting career highs in games played (82), goals (14) and points (34).
In the playoffs, Fast has registered eight goals and 13 points across 40 career games with the Hurricanes, including a sensational performance during the 2023 post-season, where he potted six goals and nine points in 15 contests.
Carolina will open the 2024-25 campaign against the new-look Nashville Predators at PNC Arena on Oct. 2nd.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Jenn G. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.