gold star for USAHOF

31. Pekka Rinne

  • Published in Hockey
  • Read 2768 times
  • Rate this item
    5 2
    (2 votes)
31. Pekka Rinne

When you are taken 256th Overall in the NHL Amateur Draft, just making it to the largest North American hockey league is hard enough.  Putting that in perspective, what Finnish Goalie, Pekka Rinne accomplished was miraculous.

Drafted in 2004, Rinne played a combined three NHL Games in his first three years in the United States, but he was clearly a netminder on the rise, and he became Nashville’s top Goalie in 208, a role he held for well over a decade.

Rinne was named a Second Team All-Sar in 2010-11, finishing second for the Vezina, and he was third for that trophy the following year where he led the NHL in Wins (43).  As Nashville improved around him, Rinne was able to lead the Predators to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017.  Nashville did not win the Cup, but the Preds were contenders because of his efforts.

In the following year, Rinne, who was twice second for the Vezina, would win that elusive award on the strength of his 42-13-4 Record and 2.31 GAA.  Rinne never had another season like that again, and he played three more years before retiring with a 368-212-75 lifetime record with a 2.43 GAA.

The Bullet Points

  • Country of Origin: Kempele, Finland
  • Eligible Since: Monday, 01 January 2024
  • Position: Goalie
  • Games Played: 683
  • Notable Statistics:

    369 Wins
    213 Losses
    75 Ties
    60 Shutouts
    2.43 Goals Against Average
    .917 Save Percentage
    123.8 Goalie Point Shares

    89 Playoff Games
    45 Wins
    44 Losses
    5 Shutouts
    2.49 Goals Against Average
    .914 Save Percentage

  • Played For: Nashville Predators
  • Non-NHL Teams:

    Team Finland (World Cup of Hockey 2014, World Hockey Championship 2009, 2010, 2014 & 2015)
    Karpat (Finnish League)
    HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL)

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Vezina Trophy (2018)
    First Team All-Star (2018)
    Second Team All-Star (2011)
    All-Star (2016, 2018 & 2019)
    King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2021)
    Most Games Played by a Goalie (2011-12)
    Most Wins (2011-12)
    Most Saves (2011-12)
    Most Shutouts (2012-13 & 2017-18)
    Stanley Cup Rings (None) 
    World Hockey Championship Silver Medal (1) (Finland, 2014)

  • Notable Top Ten Finishes: Top Ten Hart Trophy Finishes: 4th in 2011, 7th in 2012 & 8th in 2015 Top Ten Vezina Trophy Finishes: 2nd in 2011, 3rd in 2011, 8th in 2015 & 7th in 2019 5 Top Ten Goalie Win Finishes 7 Top Ten Saves Finishes 5 Top Ten Save Percentage Finishes 5 Top Ten Goals Against Average Finishes 9 Top Ten Shutout Finishes 7 Top Ten Minutes Played Finishes 5 Top Ten Goalie Point Shares Finishes 4 Top Ten Point Shares Finishes
  • Rankings: Top Ten Hart Trophy Finishes: 4th in 2011, 7th in 2012 & 8th in 2015 Top Ten Vezina Trophy Finishes: 2nd in 2011, 3rd in 2011, 8th in 2015 & 7th in 2019 5 Top Ten Goalie Win Finishes 7 Top Ten Saves Finishes 5 Top Ten Save Percentage Finishes 5 Top Ten Goals Against Average Finishes 9 Top Ten Shutout Finishes 7 Top Ten Minutes Played Finishes 5 Top Ten Goalie Point Shares Finishes 4 Top Ten Point Shares Finishes

Should Pekka Rinne be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 86.4%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 9.1%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 4.5%
No opinion. - 0%
No way! - 0%

Comments powered by CComment