Rangers Assign Forwards Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast to Connecticut

Published on April 3, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


NEW YORK, April 3, 2013 -New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has assigned forwards Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL). Fast was on loan to HV71 of the Swedish Elite League (SEL).

Kreider, 21, has registered two goals and one assist for three points in 17 games this season. He tallied a point in consecutive games, including his first career regular season point with a goal on February 5 at New Jersey and his first career regular season assist on February 7 against the New York Islanders, after missing the previous five games, including four games due to injury. He made his NHL regular season debut in the season opener on January 19 at Boston. Kreider returns to Connecticut, where he has registered five goals and seven assists, along with 57 penalty minutes in 34 games this season.

The 6-3, 230-pounder returns to Connecticut where he has registered 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points, along with 65 penalty minutes in 42 games this season. Kreider was tied for sixth on the team in goals, and ranked third on the Whale with five power play goals at the time of his recall on March 20.

The Boxford, Massachusetts native was originally selected by the Rangers as a first round choice, 19th overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Fast, 21, registered 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points, along with four penalty minutes and a plus-13 rating in 47 games with HV71 this season. He established SEL career-highs in games played, goals, assists, points, and plus-minus rating. Fast tied for the team lead in goals, ranked third on HV71 in points, and sixth in assists. He recorded seven multi-point performances, including a pair of three-point efforts - on December 28 against Linköping and January 10 against Färjestad. He also posted a three-game goal-scoring streak from January 19 to January 25, tallying three goals over the span.

Fast registered one goal and four assists for five points, along with a plus-four rating in five postseason contests with HV71 during the 2013 playoffs. He tallied an SEL playoff career-high, three assists, in Game 1 against Linköping on March 13.

The 5-11, 174-pounder has skated in 105 career SEL games over four seasons with HV71, registering 30 goals and 36 assists for 66 points, along with 12 penalty minutes and a plus-28 rating. He has also tallied three goals and five asssits for eight points, along with a plus-four rating in 13 career playoff contests. Fast made his SEL debut on March 4, 2010, against Lule=E5.

Internationally, Fast has represented Sweden in several tournaments, including at the 2011 IIHF U-20 World Junior Championship. He tied for the team lead with four goals, and added two assists for six points in six tournament contests.

The Nassjo, Sweden native was originally selected as the Rangers' sixth round choice, 157th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

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