Hurricanes F Jesper Fast unlikely to play in 2024-25 (neck surgery)

The Carolina Hurricanes said Thursday that forward Jesper Fast underwent neck surgery and is not expected to play in the 2024-25 season.

Fast, 32, had the surgery Aug. 6 after suffering an injury in the final game of the regular season April 16 and missing Carolina's playoff run.

Fast told reporters in May that his neck issue was a re-injury, declining to get into specifics. He was still undergoing evaluations at that time.

Fast has played 11 seasons in the NHL, the past four coming with Carolina. He has 36 goals and 65 assists across 281 games in a Hurricanes sweater, including six goals and 13 assists in 73 appearances in 2023-24.

In 703 career games spent with the New York Rangers (2013-20) and Hurricanes (2020-24), Fast has tallied 248 points (91 goals, 157 assists) with a plus-41 rating.

His best season was in 2021-22, when he played in all 82 games, tallied a career-high 34 points and received votes for both the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (gentlemanly conduct) and the Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward).

--Field Level Media