Rangers sign forward Jesper Fast, center David Desharnais

NEW YORK -- The Rangers have re-signed restricted free-agent forward Jesper Fast and signed free-agent center David Desharnais.

General manager Jeff Gorton announced the moves Wednesday.

Fast, who won his second straight Players' Player Award for team play this past season, got a three-year contract worth $1.85 million annually. Desharnais received a one-year contract worth $1 million.

The 25-year-old Fast skated in 68 games this past season, with six goals and 15 assists. The Swede finished third among Rangers forwards in hits (99) and ranked fourth among the forwards in blocked shots (44).

Fast, who is expected to be sidelined for five months after hip surgery in early June, has skated in 216 NHL games and collected 22 goals and 43 assists.

The 30-year-Desharnais gives the Rangers added depth at center behind Mika Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes. He has won more than 50 percent of his career faceoffs.

Desharnais has played in 453 games over parts of eight seasons with Montreal and Edmonton, with 81 goals and 173 assists. The Laurier-Station, Quebec, native split this past season between Montreal and Edmonton, with six goals and eight assists in 49 games.

Desharnais has played in 51 NHL playoff games with four goals and 13 assists. He skated in 13 playoff games with Edmonton, with one goal and three assists.