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Hurricanes Forward to Miss Entire 2024-25 Season

The Carolina Hurricanes will be without a key veteran forward for the entire 2024-25 season.

Nick Horwat

Sep 29, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jesper Fast (71) controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period during preseason at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 29, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jesper Fast (71) controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period during preseason at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
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The Carolina Hurricanes will be without forward Jesper Fast for the entirety of the 2024-25 season. Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky announced that Fast underwent neck surgery that is expected to keep him out of the lineup for the entire upcoming year.

Fast injured his neck during the last game of the Hurricanes regular season and did not appear in any of their playoff games. The Hurricanes state that Fast underwent his neck surgery on August 6.

The 11-year NHL veteran played 73 games during the 2023-24 season and scored six goals and 13 assists for 19 total points. In 703 career games played, Fast has put up 91 goals and 157 assists for 248 total points.

This surgery and recovery is extremely unfortunate timing for Fast as the 2024-25 season is the final in a two-year contract he signed with the Hurricanes. It’ll be tough for Fast to find a lucrative new contract after an entire year away from the game.

Fast entered the NHL in 2013 after being a sixth-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2010 Draft. He played seven seasons with the Rangers, accumulating 422 games played with the Blue Shirts.

Over his career, Fast has appeared in 80 Stanley Cup Playoff games putting up 27 points (14G-13A).

With Fast likely out for the season, the Hurricanes will have an extra $2.4 million in salary cap space to work with.

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Nick Horwat

NICK HORWAT

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