Nashville Predators: #35 in your Programs, #1 in your Hearts

It feels surreal to be writing this. To even begin to put the words together eloquently enough may be beyond my capabilities but here goes nothing. Pekka Rinne will be retiring from the Nashville Predators in the near future.

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The official announcement from the 38-year-old Predators netminder has yet to come. Still, the time is inevitably on its way, and with it, the time for all of Smashville to begin paying tribute to indisputably the franchise’s best we have ever seen.

With Adam Vignan from The Athletic’s recent piece pointing to the performance of the team this season possibly weighing on Rinne’s mind heading into the rapidly approaching April 12th Trade Deadline, and if he would like to have one last crack at a cup, Rinne did what Rinne has done for 15 seasons. He eased Pred’s fan’s minds.

Just hearing the words, “I do want to retire as a Predator.” was music to the ears of Music City faithful. If Rinne wishes to stay in Nashville gold and compete with this team to the bitter end, Preds fans should not just applaud it but celebrate it in the best way pandemically possible.

Impressive Resume For The Nashville Predators

From the 258th selection in what is a no longer existent 8th round of the 2004 NHL Entry draft, Rinne has built quite the resume of accomplishments throughout a long, illustrious NHL career for the Nashville Predators, the only team he has ever known.

Rinne is currently 20th on the NHL’s all-time wins list at 366, 19th in shutouts at 59, a three-time all-star selection, and a Vezina Trophy winner. On the ice, the “Big Fin” has done more than most could dream of between a 4′ x 6′ cage in the greatest league in the world.

From being the backbone of an improbable 2017 Stanley Cup Final run, and defining himself as an irreplaceable component of building Nashville’s identity as a growing hockey market, not to mention the countless hours he has poured into Nashville’s community programs off the ice, Pekka Rinne deserves the send-off of send-offs.

Honoring Our Beloved Goaltender

Honorary captain for a game, yes. “Rinne Road” in downtown Smashville has a nice ring to it. Undoubtedly, the celebration of #35 as the team’s first number to be retired to the rafters in front of an ideally full house at Bridgestone Arena is a foregone conclusion for the man we have all come to affectionately know as “Peks.”

Here is to the first of expectedly many tributes to the franchise’s greatest player, ambassador, and puck stopper. To borrow and paraphrase a line from Avenger’s: Endgame, “We love you 35,000 Pekka.”

Hmmm… now we know the reason for his mask design in 2018-2019. Long live our “Iron Pred.”