Pekka Rinne

Rinne's No. 35 won't be worn again by a member of the organization. "As the face of the Predators for more than 15 years, it is only right that the first number to be retired in franchise history is Pekka Rinne's," Predators GM David Poile said. "He is one of, if not the, primary reasons our franchise has grown into what it is today. It's going to be an incredibly special night not only for Pekka, his family and friends, but for our entire organization. Our congratulations go out to Pekka, his fiancée Erika, son Paulus and the entire Rinne family on this well-deserved honor. We can't wait to see No. 35 go up into the Bridgestone Arena rafters and share the moment with our fans on Feb. 24."

"This decision wasn’t easy," Rinne said of his retirement. "I spent the summer in Nashville with my fiancée, Erika, and our six-month-old son, Paulus. My body still feels like it could compete at the highest level … but my decision was about a lot more than that. Every time I looked at my son, at Erika — I just felt like a different person, almost, if that makes sense. My priorities had changed, and my mind knew that, even if my body didn’t. And when I really thought about what it would mean to not come back to the rink at the end of the summer, it just felt like the right choice, and the right time." Rinne spent his entire career with the Nashville Predators where he posted a 369-213-75 record, 2.43 GAA, and .917 save percentage in 683 games. While he was no longer the clear starting goaltender at the age of 38, he continued to hold his own. He had a 10-12-1 record, 2.84 GAA, and .907 save percentage in 24 contests in 2020-21. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but it wouldn't have been surprising had the Predators signed him to a one-year extension had he decided to continue his career.

It is scheduled for 11:00 AM CT and Adam Vingan of The Athletic said that it is his "understanding" that it involves Pekka Rinne. The 38-year-old netminder was poised to become an unrestricted free agent on July 28. Rinne has played all 683 of his career regular-season games as well as all 89 of his playoff outings as a member of the Predators. Obviously, there is plenty of speculation that he could be announcing his retirement. 

The award goes annually to the player who displays “leadership on and off the ice and who has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.” The National Hockey League Foundation will donate $25,000 to benefit a charity or charities of Rinne's choosing. He was first-time finalist for the award and is the first member of the Predators to win it. Rinne has supported the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative and has donated more than $3 million to the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund. He has also been involved in the Best Buddies program in Tennessee, where he interacts with cancer patients and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Rinne also took part in fundraising events to help those with Parkinson's disease and was heavily involved in the Feed the Frontline initiative. The other finalists for the award were San Jose's Kurtis Gabriel and New Jersey's P.K. Subban.