The Carolina Hurricanes are bringing back forward Jesper Fast on a two-year, $4.8 million contract.
The team said Saturday that the contract also includes a modified no-trade clause. He would have been an unrestricted free agent.
“Jesper is an extremely hard worker on both ends of the ice, and his consistency has played a key role in our success over the past three seasons,” said Don Waddell, Carolina’s president and general manager. “He is the kind of person and player that every team is looking for, and we are thrilled to have him back in our locker room.”
Also Saturday, the Hurricanes signed goaltender Antti Raanta to a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension.
Fast, 31, recorded 10 goals and 19 assists in 80 games with Carolina in 2022-23, and added nine points (six goals, three assists) in 15 games during the postseason. Two of those playoff goals were game-winners.
Fast signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent in October 2020 and has 82 points (30 goals, 52 assists) in 208 games in Carolina. He leads Hurricanes forwards with 99 blocked shots since his signing.
He previously played seven seasons with the New York Rangers, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL Draft. He has 229 career points (85 goals, 144 assists) in 630 career games.
Raanta, 34, appeared in 27 games for the Hurricanes last season and posted a 19-3-3 record with a 2.23 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and foiur shutouts. He set a franchise mark for the longest point streak by a goaltender with a 12-0-1 record over 13 decisions from Dec. 17, 2022 to March 3, 2023.
In two seasons with Carolina (2021-23), Raanta has a 34-8-7 record, 2.34 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and six shutouts.
Entering his 11th season, Raanta has played with the Chicago Blackhawks (2013-17), Arizona Coyotes (2017-21) and Hurricanes.
–Field Level Media