Confirmed with Link: Pekka Rinne announces retirement from hockey

[herzausstein]

Thank You, Nashville | By Pekka Rinne

Had to read that in sections. Was too hard emotionally to make it through in one sitting.

 

[Alicat]

One hell of a career.

As a Boston fan I loved watching Rinne vs. Rask.

So much respect for him and wish him all the best. He is truly one of the good guys.

I'm going to be a hot mess when our guys start to retire.

 

[Armourboy]

Press conference is here:

 

[Persona5]

An amazing talent in goal and an even better person off the ice. I spent hours at practices just to see him up close in practice. He is going to be missed!

 

[Legionnaire11]

Are they holding the press conference or what? Is it just me who only gets a loading screen?

edit: video didn't work in Firefox, but works in Chrome

 

[Scoresberg]

Pekka was the reason I started following the Preds and he’s also the reason I stayed.

Thank you, Pekka and all the best in retirement.

 

[Predsanddead24]

I like that he's wearing the same outfit in this press conference as he did in the retirement video.

 

[PredsV82]

I am having a hard time keeping it together at work. It’s the end of era in Preds hockey for sure.

For real. Like, just start the rebuild and wait for Askarov. Saros is not gonna win us anything significant.

 

[triggrman]

For real. Like, just start the rebuild and wait for Askarov. Saros is not gonna win us anything significant.

Neither did Pekka. Saros for parts of the season was fantastic, if he finds consistency, he'll be incredible.

 

[Legionnaire11]

For real. Like, just start the rebuild and wait for Askarov. Saros is not gonna win us anything significant.

The rebuild is already underway, but it's a slow burn. 4 more seasons of Johansen, 5 more seasons of Duchene. At that point our roster could look like this from an age standpoint...

2021 1st - 23
G - Askarov - 24
F - Evangelista - 24
D - Prokop - 24
F - Tomasino - 25
D - Chystyakov
F - Afanasyev - 25
F - Parssinen - 25
F - Tolvanen - 27
D - Farrance - 27
D - Fabbro - 28
F - Pitlick - 28
F - Kunin - 29
F - Jeannot - 29
F - Trenin - 29
D - Carrier - 29
D - Davies - 30
G - Saros - 31
F - Forsberg - 32
D - Ekholm - 35
D - Ellis - 35
D - Josi - 36

I might be a year off on some and obviously they won't all make it, while some of the veterans won't be around either, but that's a very solid core for the next phase already in place. Then we'll have a good 8-10 years of prime Askarov to take advantage of.

 

[PredsV82]

Neither did Pekka. Saros for parts of the season was fantastic, if he finds consistency, he'll be incredible.

Wait, wut?? Pekka won us a Western Conference title, a Presidents Trophy, the Central division twice and he won the Vezina. "Neither did Pekka" is blatantly inaccurate

 

[hockey diva]

Lots of goalies haven’t won the Cup, but I am not sure how many would be as beloved as Pekka is by us.

 

[Gurglesons]

Nashville's run of goaltending since their start as a franchise up until this moment is absolutely insane.

 

[desmondtootoo]

I just started screaming and crying at work and smashing my PC. When I told the CEO about Pekka, he said it was all OK. I am now on extended FMLA.

 

[triggrman]

Wait, wut?? Pekka won us a Western Conference title, a Presidents Trophy, the Central division twice and he won the Vezina. "Neither did Pekka" is blatantly inaccurate

I'm not saying Pekka wasn't great but shitting on Saros after the season he just had is just wrong.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Dammit.
This came to me like a lightning from clear sky.
Because i really hoped that Rinne would have returned
to SM liiga and having two more seasons in Oulun Kärpät.

But when your life priorities are changed they are changed forever.
It's time to say thank you for one of the greatest European NHL goalies.
I didn't have much chances to follow Pekka's NHL career because
NHL games are played mostly early morning in Finland's time when I've been sleeping
because I've had to go school or work.

So my memories of Pekka Rinne
are mostly of those 4 IIHF hockey world championships when Peks has represented Team Finland.

But as a Finnish hockey fan i wanna thank Pekka Rinne for next things.
Thanks for 15 years entertainment in NHL
Thanks for 683 NHL regular season games
Thanks for 369 NHL wins
Thanks for 60 NHL shutouts
Thanks for 1 Vezina Trophy ( 2018 )
Thanks for 1 King Clancy Trophy ( 2021 )
Thanks for the memories
Thanks for Eveything.

Legend has left from Bridgestone Arena.
Happy retirement days for you Peks.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Edit
May this be tribute song for Pekka Rinne.

Dammit i shouldn't add this music video
now i'm crying like a baby.

One more thing
Nashville Predators management better make sure
when time is right number 35 will be retired to the rafters of Bridgestone Arena

 

[Predsanddead24]

I'm not saying Pekka wasn't great but shitting on Saros after the season he just had is just wrong.

Not to mention Saros is just now reaching the age Pekka was when he made the NHL. Maybe Saros flames out and the last half of this season was an anomaly but no need to throw him to the curb yet. For what it's worth Pekka seems to have some very high praise for Saros in that Player's Tribune article.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Yeah, I'm not against Saros in any way... he saved our bacon this season, and there is no denying that. At the same time... eh... he hasn't quite established his bona fides yet... I want a solid backup for him. I hoped that would be Pekka for at least 1 more year. But now we definitely need to find somebody else to take up that spot. With no disrespect whatsoever intended towards Saros. Just... we need a fallback.

 

[tardigrade81]

Hell of a goalie, always wished he would have won the Stanley Cup. I always enjoyed watching him, he was such a fun player to watch. Enjoy your retirement

 

[Legionnaire11]

I'd take a veteran on a $1M deal or something. Ride or die with Saros, it's not worth going all-in for the next couple of seasons. We either repeat this season where we're a playoff team but not a serious contender, or we miss and get improved draft picks. But I'm definitely not chasing any name goalies for next year just on the chance that Saros falters.

 

[Adz]

I was expecting this but for all that it still came out of the blue, you know what I mean?

Of course I wish him only happiness in his life away from the Predators, but it will be hard to get used to. Pekka has been a fixture for 15+ years and he is and will remain one of my all time favorite Predators. I hope to see his jersey in the rafters and a statue on the plaza someday. And when we win a Cup, maybe his name will be on there as a coach or something.

Note to NP people making videos--very good but please lower your music level when you're creating them. When it is louder than the person talking, that's a distraction from the message.

My mother in law called right at the beginning of the press conference, and, knowing how she would talk through the entire thing, I just let it go to voice mail. When I listened later she was calling to tell me that Picka Rainey was retiring. Ha!

 

[PredsV82]

I'm not saying Pekka wasn't great but shitting on Saros after the season he just had is just wrong.

That's fine, say that, but dont defend Saros with wildly inaccurate statements about Pekka. Saros had a good run of what amounts to a third of a full 82 game season. I hope hes good enough to keep us competitive for the playoffs, but if he cant, then now is the time for a real rebuild

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I'd take a veteran on a $1M deal or something. Ride or die with Saros, it's not worth going all-in for the next couple of seasons. We either repeat this season where we're a playoff team but not a serious contender, or we miss and get improved draft picks. But I'm definitely not chasing any name goalies for next year just on the chance that Saros falters.

Yeah, my limit is basically the same contract I would have been offering to Rinne... 1-year term, $3M max. But Rinne would have gotten NMC, the new backup gets no fringe benefits. Even $3M is a little steep, would prefer more like $2M. But we do need a guy.

 

[WaW]

Love how he's going out. Still a capable NHL goaltender, still physically fit to play, but wants to make his young family priority #1 in life. Loads of respect for that.

He was a hell of a goalie and had a wonderful career. Wishing him all the best in the most important years of his life, for which I'm sure he's up to the challenge.

 

[Soundgarden]

An end of an era. Many would call him the best Predator, he's the first to win a major statistical award for the franchise. Glad to see him spend his entire career here, kind of funny to see him being the first long term guy to do so over Legwand, Erat, Weber and Suter.