).
In fact, the next fastest he'd completed it was six games, in 2019-20. The year before that, it took 28 games to reach a pair of goals. While the two goals in two games is a welcomed feat this season, Fast gave a laugh when asked about the prospect of maintaining that pace for all 82 games.
"I don't think I should expect that at the end of the year, but of course it's fun to score some goals here early in the year and get the confidence going," he said. "The most important thing is to win games and we've gotten two out of two so far, so, good start."
Fast's line, which includes Jordan Staal at center and Nino Niederreiter, was the lone trio that was untouched and did not include a rotating skater to begin the week's practices. The three, in total, have five points on the team's nine goals thus far this year and have provided a sense that the chemistry is well on its way to being built amongst one another.
"We know what to expect from each other. It's easy for me because both are hard on the puck and strong," Fast continued. "They're making plays and I'm really enjoying playing with them."
As swift as Fast is to provide the appreciation for his linemates, the same is felt in return, especially from captain Jordan Staal.
"He's fun to play with," the locker room leader began. "Everyone knows he's a worker bee out there and he's going to show up every night. He's smart, he's quick - no pun intended - and he's a fun player that I enjoy playing with."
The contributions from the line have obviously been welcomed, with Fast receiving a multitude of praise from Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour already.
"He's been steady. You know what you're getting out of that guy and that's what you love about him, as a coach," the reigning Jack Adams award winner spoke of his #71. "His teammates love him because he plays the same way and he's gotten rewarded early in the year."
As Fast himself insinuated, the production of a goal-per-game won't be attainable and will likely subside sooner rather than later. However, when the hot start simmers down, he's still a player who can chime in on any given night.
"He gets overlooked because we have some bigger named players and rightfully so, they're getting our say in how we do, but you can't have success as a team without a guy like Jesper Fast," Brind'Amour continued. "He knows how to play, you can count on him at the end of the game and him chipping in with some of these goals, that's huge."
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