Swedish forward re-signs with Rangers, gets a new three-year deal.
The New York Rangers announced Wednesday afternoon that they’ve re-signed restricted free-agent forward Jesper Fast to a salary-cap friendly three-year deal.
Fast skated in 68 games for the Rangers in the 2016-17 season, scoring six goals and 15 assists for 21 points. Fast was selected by the Rangers in the sixth round, 157th overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
A sixth-round selection (157th overall) by the Rangers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the 25-year-old has scored 65 points (22 G, 43 A) over parts of four NHL seasons, all with the Blueshirts.
Fast has become a dependable, valuable player – especially on the penalty kill and in close games – for head coach Alain Vigneault to lean on.
For the second consecutive year, Fast was named the recipient of the Rangers’ Players’ Player Award, which is given annually and voted upon by the players only.
In early June the New York Daily News reported that Fast underwent left hip surgery and would be out of action for the next five months.
The Rangers now need to focus on signing RFA Mika Zibanejad.