Comparing Former Rangers Jesper Fast & Ryan Callahan

Fast earned more ice time in 2015-16, averaging 14:56 in ice time per game, and finished with 10 goals and 20 assists in 79 games. He would remain a top-nine forward for the remainder of his stint with the Rangers.

Fast once again stepped up for them during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He scored the opening goal in a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of their matchup. He then scored a game-tying shorthanded goal in a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 5 of the series, which they went on to win in six games. In total, he had three goals and three assists in 12 playoff games.

Ahead of the 2017-18 season, Fast was named an alternate captain and he had another strong season with 13 goals, 20 assists (including two shorthanded assists,) 44 blocked shots, and 130 hits in 71 games. The team went through a rebuild, trading away key players Rick Nash, Michael Grabner, J.T. Miller, and captain Ryan McDonagh. Fast remained and continued to lead by example, playing with physicality and blocking lots of shots.

With many of the veterans gone, Fast spent some time in the top six in 2018-19, finishing with eight goals, 12 assists, 47 blocked shots, and 120 hits in 66 games. The team struggled but he played well and excelled on the penalty kill.

The Rangers signed Artemi Panarin ahead of the 2019-20 season and Fast spent some time playing on a line with the star winger. While Panarin provided incredible playmaking and offensive skill, Fast drove to the net and helped out defensively. The gritty Swede finished with 12 goals, 17 assists, 53 blocked shots, and 125 hits in 69 games.

The Rangers made it to the qualifying round of the playoffs (following a pause in the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic) but they were swept in three games by the Hurricanes. That offseason, Fast signed a three-year, $6 million deal with Carolina.

Similarities to Ryan Callahan

Fast has gone on to have four really solid seasons with the Hurricanes and he set career-highs in both goals (14) and points (34) during the 2021-22 season. He has also come through in the postseason with his new team and has eight goals and five assists in 40 playoff games including two overtime goals.

Fast has some similarities to Callahan, who spent eight seasons with the Rangers and was named captain ahead of the 2011-12 season. He was a heart and soul player who blocked shots, played with physicality, and excelled on the penalty kill. He led by example and worked his way up from a fourth-round draft pick in 2004 to become one of the team’s top players.

Callahan finished with 132 goals and 122 assists in 450 games with the Rangers while Fast had 55 goals and 92 assists in 422 games with the Blueshirts. Callahan was an excellent net-front presence on the power play and spent the majority of his time with the team as a top-six forward.