Nashville Predators: New Years Resolutions for a Rebuilt Team

By Chad Minton | Jan 1, 2021

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 10: Mattias Ekholm #14 of the Nashville Predators is congratulated by teammaters Ryan Johansen #92 and Calle Jarnkrok #19 after scoring the go ahead goal during the third period of a 6-5 Predators victory over the Capitals at Bridgestone Arena on October 10, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

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Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne (35) Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Goodbyes are never easy

Seeing Pekka Rinne sail off into the sunset will be much easier to handle for lifelong Predators fans if he goes out on top.

Going out on top doesn’t mean he necessarily has to win a Stanley Cup this season. It can also mean that he puts together a strong season individually and makes the Predators a better team.

The last thing we want to see if Rinne become part of the problem, forcing the Predators to make changes on the depth chart. There’s this guy up in Milwaukee named Connor Ingram that will be waiting on deck for an NHL start if Rinne or Juuse Saros struggle badly.

So this resolution is an important one to me. To see Rinne go out making jaw-dropping saves for one more season and helping the Predators wins some big games. That’s not too much to ask.

A strong season for Rinne could very well mean his NHL career isn’t over and another team takes a flyer on him. I just can’t see the Predators retaining him after this season with so many other goaltenders rising up the ranks in the near future.

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