Brad Fast
He scored a goal in his single NHL game, then built a long, respected career across the rinks of Europe.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: February 21·Generation X
Biography
Brad Fast's hockey narrative is one of a brilliant, fleeting moment in the spotlight followed by a substantive career forged elsewhere. Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 1999, the defenceman from British Columbia seemed poised for a North American career. That moment arrived on March 27, 2004, in his one and only NHL appearance. In a storybook twist, Fast found the net, scoring a goal against the Atlanta Thrashers. Yet, the call to stay in the NHL never came again. Rather than fade away, Fast pivoted, crossing the Atlantic to become a mainstay in European leagues. For over a decade, he brought his reliable two-way game to teams in Germany, Sweden, and Austria. While his NHL stat line is permanently frozen at one game, one goal, his legacy is that of a consummate professional who adapted, contributed for seasons on end, and earned the respect of teammates and fans far from the glare of the world's top league.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brad was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brad Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Brad's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a goal in his sole NHL game for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2004.
- Played professional hockey in Europe for over a decade, appearing in leagues in Germany, Sweden, and Austria.
- Was selected 84th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
Did You Know?
His lone NHL goal was scored against goaltender Pasi Nurminen of the Atlanta Thrashers.
He played his amateur junior hockey in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) for the Chilliwack Chiefs.
Following his playing career, he moved into coaching, including a role as an assistant coach for the BCHL's Prince George Spruce Kings.
“You prepare for years for a chance that lasts twenty seconds.”
