Pekka Rinne

Pekka Päiviö Rinne (born 3 November 1982) is a Finnish former professional hockey goaltender.

Pekka Rinne debuted in the SM-liiga with the Oulun Kärpät playing one game in the 2002–03 season.

In the following season, he got to play 14 games, but he mainly served as the backup to Niklas Bäckström.

At the end of the season, Kärpät were SM-liiga champions, and Rinne played two playoff games and didn't let in a single goal in either of them.

He also appeared in eight games with the Kajaanin Hokki club in the Mestis as a loan player.

Drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Rinne became their starting goaltender during the 2008–09 season and quickly established himself as one of the NHL's best goaltenders.

In the 2004–05 season, Rinne played 10 matches with Kärpät, but did not get the starting goalie's place, because the top goalkeeper of the SM-liiga, Niklas Bäckström, played as the team's starter.

After the season, the Nashville Predators, who drafted Rinne, offered him a two-way contract offer, which Rinne accepted.

Rinne was drafted 258th overall in the eighth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.

He was signed by the Predators on 23 August 2005, and began his North American playing career with the Predators' top minor league affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Initially, Rinne was slated to be the backup for Brian Finley, but Rinne became the starter as a consequence of Finley's poor play.

Rinne appeared in two NHL games with Nashville during the 2005–06 season.

He compiled a record of 1–1–0 with a .900 save percentage and a goals against average (GAA) of 3.80.

In the summer of 2006, Rinne was "roughed up by a couple of unknown assailants" and during the fight, he dislocated his shoulder.

As a result, he had to have surgery and missed the first four months of the season.

Following Dan Ellis's stellar performance for Nashville in the 2007–08 season, starter Chris Mason was traded to the St. Louis Blues and Rinne was called up to serve as backup to Ellis for the subsequent 2008–09 season.

On 1 December 2008, Rinne became only the second Predators rookie goaltender ever to record a shutout.

In February 2009, Rinne recorded 9 wins in 12 games and had a .944 save percentage and a 1.72 GAA.

He was selected as the NHL Rookie of the Month for his performances.

On 14 March, Rinne set a Predators franchise record with his seventh shutout of the season.

Rinne was one of two goaltenders to play for Finland in the 2009 IIHF World Championship of hockey, the other being Karri Rämö.

Rinne started the tournament with a shutout in his first game for the Finns, saving 30 shots.

In the 2010–11 season opener, Rinne allowed a goal before colliding with Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Bodie and suffering a lower-body injury on the play.

Anders Lindbäck relieved him and went on to start three games before Rinne returned, only to go down to injury again in December.

Upon returning on 23 December, Rinne remained healthy and put up some of the best numbers of his career, including a 1.71 GAA and .946 save percentage in January.

At the conclusion of the season came many accolades; Rinne was named one of the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, conferred to the NHL's top goaltender as judged by the NHL's general managers.

He also finished fourth in Hart Memorial Trophy voting, as the NHL's most valuable player, and was named an NHL second team All-Star.

Rinne led the Predators to their first ever Stanley Cup playoff series win in franchise history in 2011, prevailing over the Anaheim Ducks via a 4–2 series win.

After shutting-out the Ducks on 29 October 2011, Rinne set the mark for the Predators franchise record for shutouts, with 22.

On Rinne's 29th birthday, 3 November 2011, he signed a seven-year $49 million contract, the largest contract in Nashville Predators team history (since surpassed by teammate Shea Weber and his 13-year, $114 million contract).

That night, Rinne posted a 35-save shutout on the road against the Phoenix Coyotes.

During the 2011–12 season, Rinne set a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins, passing Tomáš Vokoun's previous mark of eight.

Rinne had another excellent year in 2011–12, leading the NHL in wins, shots against, saves and games played.

On 25 April 2012, Rinne was again named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the second consecutive year.

He also helped the Predators get past the Detroit Red Wings in the 2012 playoffs to win the series 4–1.

He won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender in the 2017–18 season, and was a finalist for the award four times.

Rinne led the Predators to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in franchise history in 2017, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

Rinne is Nashville's franchise leader in wins and shutouts, and is a four-time NHL All-Star.

He also holds the record for the most NHL wins by a Finnish-born goaltender.

Rinne is one of only 15 NHL goaltenders to score a goal in either the regular season or the playoffs.