“Injuries suck man” “Hurts more than losing”: NHL fans react as Hurricanes’ Jesper Fast announces his retirement after 11 seasons

Jesper Fast announced his retirement after 11 seasons. He did not play this season due to neck surgery in August. The injury happened during Carolina’s last game of the 2023-24 season against Columbus. Fast was set to become a free agent in July 2025.

Fast played 703 regular-season games with the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes. He scored 91 goals and had 157 assists. In the playoffs, he earned 27 points in 80 games.

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Fans quickly shared their thoughts on X (formerly Twitter).

"injures suck man :/," a fan said.

"God this hurts more than us losing," another fan said.

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"Sucks to see, but at least he was able to get out with his health relatively intact. Neck injuries are the worst," one user commented.

Jesper Fast’s career ended because of his injury and surgery. Fans respect his hard work and dedication over the years. Here are some more reactions from fans on X.

"Wishing him all the best in retirement, we love you Quickie," a fan said.

"F**k that’s so brutal. Miss you Quickie," commented another fan.

"He was a throwback player that you typically do not see anymore. Sucks it had to end this way," a fan tweeted.

Jesper Fast reflected on his NHL journey with gratitude

Jesper Fast thanked teammates, coaches, staff and fans from both the Rangers and the Hurricanes. He also thanked his family for helping him achieve and live his dream.

“I never took for granted the privilege of playing in the best league in the world,” he 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."

Fast gave special thanks to Nassjo HC and HV71. He said:

"I'd also like to thank Nassjo HC and HV71, organizations that played a vital role in my development into an NHL player."

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Jesper Fast started his NHL career with the New York Rangers in 2013-14 after being picked in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL Draft.

He played seven seasons with the Rangers and helped them reach the playoffs five times. In 2020, he signed with the Hurricanes. He played five seasons with Carolina, making the playoffs every year he was there.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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Edited by Krutik Jain