Nashville Predators

It appears the Nashville Predators will soon have a new owner.

The team's ownership group, which is led by Herbert Fritch, is inching closer to a deal to sell the franchise to former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam, according to Sportico's Scott Soshnick, Kurt Badenhausen and Eben Novy-Williams.

Haslam, the brother of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, is worth $2.3 billion, according to Forbes, which values the Predators at $600 million.

The Predators entered the NHL in 1998 as an expansion team, though Fritch didn't join the ownership group until 2007, when the franchise's original owner, Craig Leipold, was considering selling the team to an investor that wanted to relocate the franchise to Canada.

Fritch assumed control of the team in January 2019 when he was named chairman. His reasons for wanting to sell the franchise are unclear.

Despite being one of the more lower-valued teams in the NHL, the Predators have a strong following in the Music City. Nashville had the league's second-highest attendance percentage (100.6) during the 2021-22 season, according to ESPN, trailing just the Vegas Golden Knights (104.2).

The Predators have grown particularly popular in Nashville since the team reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. Despite falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins that year, the team has reached the postseason every year since and in 15 of the last 18 seasons.

That said, the Predators had a disappointing 2021-22 campaign, finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 45-30-7 record and being swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche.

Nashville has struggled to contend for a title since that 2017 Stanley Cup run, and the team's new owner will be tasked with helping get the team back on track.

If the sale goes through, the Predators will become the second NHL team over the last year to be sold. The Pittsburgh Penguins were sold to the Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, in November 2021.

The 2022 Stadium Series game had everything you could ask for in a hockey game. It was two big-time opponents playing in a unique atmosphere against an equally unique backdrop at Nissan Stadium. 

The Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning combined for four power-play goals. There were heavy hits, a fight between two heavyweights in Pat Maroon and Michael McCarron, a Vezina Trophy preview matchup between Juuse Saros and Andrei Vasilevskiy and, of course, some controversial officiating. 

The Lightning came away with a 3-2 win Saturday night, their fourth straight, and planned to hit the honky-tonks on Broadway wearing themed outfits.

The Predators, who have now lost five of their last seven, are engaged in a tight Central Division battle and could have used the two points. They had a shot with a third-period power-play goal by Filip Forsberg, but Tampa Bay held off the attack. 

Still, it was a fantastic game to cap an eventful week in one of the league's most exciting cities. Just two days prior the Preds retired former goalie Pekka Rinne's number, the first number retired in franchise history. 

"Every time there is something going on here, (the fans) show up and the support is unbelievable," Nashville defenseman Roman Josi told reporters after the game. "We wanted to win this game so bad for the fans. We couldn't get a win for them, but we’re very grateful for our fans. It's something we’ll never forget."

The hosts didn't get the result they hoped for, but there is still plenty to take away from this game for both teams.

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Tanner Jeannot Has Entered the Chat

The Calder Trophy race has largely been a competition between Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Detroit Red Wings Defenseman Moritz Seider. There are others in the conversation as well, like Seider's teammate Lucas Raymond and Florida Panthers winger Anton Lundell. But Tanner Jeannot has jumped into the conversation as well. 

HAW-YEE! Home team gets the party started @PredsNHL #NHLonTNT #StadiumSeries pic.twitter.com/2UinrYSTUC

— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) February 27, 2022

Jeannot scored his 18th goal of the season in the first period to give the Preds a 1-0 lead, which ties him with Toronto's Michael Bunting for the rookie lead. 

"I'm going to remember it for the rest of my life, for sure," Jeannot said. "It was a great experience, and I'm really happy for it. I wish we had a better outcome, but it was really fun."

An undrafted free agent, Jeannot is a big, physical winger who owns Nashville's record for rookie hits in a single season (179). Predators coach John Hynes likes his teams to be tough and grating. They're supposed to be difficult to play against. Jeannot's style of play fits in with that identity. 

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Hand-Eye-Foote Coordination

Another emerging young player had a big moment in the game, this time for the visitors. Cal Foote, a second-year defenseman who has been getting more ice time because of injuries on the blue line, played big minutes after Erik Cernak left the game with a head injury. 

Foote was influential in the third goal of the game, knocking the puck down to keep it in the zone and then eventually finding Steven Stamkos for the score, which put Tampa Bay up 3-1 at 11:31 in the third period. A two-goal lead isn't a huge margin but against a team like the Lightning, it might as well be five goals.

.@RealStamkos91 is holding office hours outside this evening. pic.twitter.com/viYIZ56H2Y

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 27, 2022

Foote, the son of former NHL player Adam Foote and the brother of New Jersey Devils prospect Nolan Foote, also blocked a shot with his foot, staying true to his name. 

This roster depth is part of what makes this Tampa team so scary. Which leads me to my next point…

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Tampa Bay is Still the Team to Beat

After two tumultuous years in the NHL, it's tough to remember that nearly three years ago the Lightning were considered disappointments. After being swept in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets, many wondered when a team that was largely considered to be one of the best regular season teams in the salary cap era would finally break through and win a championship. 

But two straight Cups later and the Lightning is a juggernaut. The winning core is still in place with Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Alex Killorn, Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh still playing in front of Vasilevskiy. Stamkos, Kucherov and Point are three of the most dangerous scoring threats in the league. McDonagh, who blocked three shots in the final 3:35 and two with the extra attacker on the ice for Nashville in the waning seconds, remains a premier defender in the league. 

The team lost many key depth players from the last two Stanley Cup runs but hasn't missed a beat because of quality players like Foote, Taylor Raddysh and Mathieu Joseph that have come from the club's own farm system. Corey Perry was brought in for his experience and his scoring. 

And then, of course, there is Maroon, the three-time Cup champ who came into the game riding a hobby horse while wearing skinny jeans. He's a character, but it works with this team. 

Shoulda been a cowboy, @patmaroon. pic.twitter.com/xsbXX489YE

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 26, 2022

This was a big game and they found a way to win, as the best teams do. The road to the Stanley Cup will go through Florida, with the Panthers and Lightning playing dominant hockey right now. 

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Flipping Filip Forsberg

Forsberg gave the Preds hope late in the third period with a power-play goal at 12:29. There was some debate over whether or not a hooking penalty by Victor Hedman drawn by Ryan Johansen should have resulted in a penalty shot. Instead, it was ruled a two-minute minor and a power play for Nashville. 

Filip Forsberg bringing life back into the home crowd one PP goal at a time. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZRKwS6DpnB

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 27, 2022

General manager David Poile is reportedly shopping Forsberg and his signature mustache on the trade market. With 26 goals and 18 points this season and a contract that will expire this summer, Forsberg will bring in a solid haul for the Preds. Re-signing him will be tricky with the money committed to Johansen, Matt Duchene, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Saros over the next few years. 

Sure, the Preds could hang on to him past March 21 without a contract extension in place. He seems too important to trade and his production would be difficult to replace, even if Poile was able to make a hockey trade instead of a futures trade for assets like draft picks or prospects.

There is obviously still time to work something out, but that power-play goal reminded everyone how impactful he is on a team in the hunt for a playoff spot.

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Singing the Praises of Smashville

Each year after the Winter Classic passes, there is always a debate about whether or not the novelty has worn off of the outdoor games. The Stadium Series games don't hold the same sort of significance as the Winter Classic and there have always been naysayers who don't like their teams trying to earn two points on bad ice in a rink with unfamiliar sight lines. 

But these games are a nice way to bring some excitement to an otherwise dull part of the season and showcase different venues and cities. The entertainment factor was high with high-profile country music stars playing during the intermissions and the two teams clearly embraced the atmosphere as well with their themed outfits. 

Much like when the St. Louis Blues showed up to a frigid Target Field wearing beach attire, the Preds dressed the part for the city and the Lightning took it even further with all-denim ensembles. 

Are they novel anymore? No, but who cares. Outdoor hockey games provide fun for the players and spectators. Even at the highest level, hockey is still supposed to be fun.

The gold standard for goaltending in today's NHL is probably Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. 

The 2019 Vezina Trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion has everything an NHL team could want in a goalie: He has the instincts and tracking abilities to read plays before they even fully develop, a high hockey IQ, athleticism, strong lateral movement and he's durable, regularly making more than 50 starts in a season at a time when several teams are moving toward a tandem approach. 

He also has the ideal size for a modern goalie at 6'3" and 225 pounds.

As of 2019, the average size of a No. 1 NHL goalie was 6'3". It's considered the "sweet spot," or something close to it, according to Kevin Woodley, a goaltending expert for InGoal Magazine and NHL.com. The bigger the goalie, the more space he takes up in the cage. 

It wasn't always like this. It wasn't all that long ago that Henrik Lundqvist was one of the top goalies in the world at 6'1", which might be considered "undersized" now. 

But tall goalies have always been coveted in hockey.

Legendary former Montreal Canadiens netminder Ken Dryden was 6'4". And yet, Dryden thinks the trend toward extra-lanky goalies has gone too far, saying the tail wags the dog in an op-ed in The Atlantic last year. Dryden also took the goalie gear and rule changes into account, but he argued that big bodies wearing big pads have led to a less exciting style of play, with more teams trying to jam pucks in front of the net instead of using the open ice and creating off the rush. The game is faster than ever, but creativity isn't necessarily being rewarded. 

However, goalies don't have to be 6'3" or taller to be elite. This weekend's Stadium Series game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville will have Vasilevskiy facing another Vezina candidate in Juuse Saros, the Predators' No. 1 netminder who is listed at 5'11", though some have even said that number is generous. It's an interesting case study in contrasts, and it shows that size isn't the defining factor for hockey's most important position.

"What makes this game special is the control and the patience," Woodley said. "And the fact that [Saros'] threshold for 'goalie 911'—his threshold for panic—is so much later than everyone else's. He needs it every once in a while but not as early and not as often as a lot of goalies around the league. His ability to get to the edge of the crease and control that square and just hold there and wait everything out is as good as anyone in the league. Maybe [Igor] Shesterkin might be the only other one who sort of is at that [level]."

Saros watched Pekka Rinne's No. 35 be raised to the rafters of Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night. It signaled a passing of the torch. And maybe it even signals a new trend emerging in the NHL, one that favors some undersized backstops. 

https://twitter.com/PredsNHL/status/1496998375228690439

You can't mention the Vezina conversation without mentioning New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, who isn't quite as small as Saros, but stands at 6'1".

 Before the two of them emerged, it was Jonathan Bernier. The 11th overall pick in 2006 is injured right now, but he's put together a 14-year career at 5'11" (he's currently listed at 6'0, but Woodley insists he's below that mark).

These goalies walked so that top prospects like Dustin Wolf and Devon Levi will be able to run. 

They possess many of the same attributes as their taller counterparts. They just don't have the height. There are some smaller goalies who are capable of moving better than the bigger ones, but the most important aspect is their intelligence and their ability to read plays. If they can do those things, then they can play goalie at nearly any height. 

"I really believe that it's how smart they are and how well they read plays. Then on top of that, their skating ability is gonna go a long way," said Devils goaltending coach Dave Rogalski. "But I really mean this: The reading ability of plays is so important, whether you're small or big. The one thing that they have to be really good at is that. And then, instead of just being big and blocking, their hand-eye coordination off of tracking releases is as critical as well. They can't just kind of go down and just fill space; they've got to be able to read the release."

Smaller goalies, like many smaller athletes, sometimes have chips on their shoulders. They know they have to prove themselves more than those with the ideal height. This can be advantageous, leading to good habits, precise movements and competitiveness from a young age.

"Big goalies, when they're younger, they don't have to perfect these things," Woodley said. "They get away with more. Pucks just hit them. They didn't have to refine their technique to the degree that a guy like Saros would have had to in order to continue to move up levels as the smallest guy."

Ascending through hockey as a high-level junior player and into the professional ranks is a difficult, non-linear path. Especially for goalies when there aren't that many spots to fill. It takes a certain type of mental toughness and some luck with health. 

"It's just really hard to make it," Rogalski said. "I'd say the disadvantage that the small guys have is proving their value over time and getting a lot of games in to prove that they can do it. They need to earn that trust that they can play at that size. That's a big key—proving it to the American League coach. And then when they go up [to the NHL], they do well enough, and then they go back down, and they continue to have success."

The opportunities to play goalie at the youth level might not be limited, but the pipeline really starts at the junior level. While there is still plenty of room to grow by the time players are drafted to major-junior teams in their teens, their positional fate may have already been decided by then. The bigger kids are going to get put in the net more often than the smaller ones, mostly because it's difficult to properly project size. 

"You only can sculpt what you're able to see," Rogalski said. "The bigger guys are getting more opportunity at the younger levels. You're not going to see a lot of smaller goalies to even look at the draft. And then on top of it, the ones that are smaller, they're going to be really good. Then it's just a matter of, can they get through the barrier, the five-, six-year window on the American League to get into the NHL?"

It begs the question of whether a Saros or a Shesterkin can change the narrative around undersized goalies if one wins the Vezina this season, or even a Stanley Cup. 

It's pretty simple in Rogalski's mind: If you can play, you can play. But Woodley says he hasn't quite seen the changing tides yet and expects these particular goalies to be pegged as backups until they prove otherwise. 

Another NHL source had a very clear answer when asked if undersized goalies will get more opportunities: "No." They'll be scouted, but likely to be "written off early." 

However, with two recent expansion teams, there will be more opportunities. So the answer is probably something closer to a maybe, not anytime soon. 

"On average, each team has five goalies under contract. That’s 10 contracts for goalies that wouldn’t have one across the league," Rogalski said. "Expansion will open doors for not only smaller goalies but all sorts of different types of players of all sizes."

The Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins became the fourth and fifth NHL teams to be shut down through the holiday break Saturday due to COVID-19 issues.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: @NHLBruins, @PredsNHL shut down through Holiday Break; three additional games also postponed.

Details: https://t.co/NrfDn0VdNy pic.twitter.com/unKlyrNCip

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) December 18, 2021

The clubs join the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers as teams that have been shut down this week.

Nashville has seen several players and coaches placed in COVID-19 protocols this week, and its scheduled game against the Flames on Tuesday was postponed due to Calgary's COVID-19 issues.

Per Paul Skrbina of the Tennessean, a total of 11 Predators players and coaches had been placed in COVID protocols as of Thursday.

Among them were forwards Ryan Johansen, Mikael Granlund, Matt Luff, Michael McCarron, Philip Tomasino and Nick Cousins, defenseman Ben Harpur and head coach John Hynes.

Nashville did play Thursday and Friday, beating the Avalanche 5-2 and then defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime.

The Preds are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak and are 19-10-1 overall on the season.

Their 39 points are second to only the Minnesota Wild's 40 in the Central Division, and they are tied for third overall in the Western Conference with the St. Louis Blues behind the Wild and Anaheim Ducks.

With each of their next two games postponed, the Predators are not scheduled to play again until Dec. 27 against the Dallas Stars on the road.

As of Thursday, the Bruins had placed seven players and one staffer into COVID-19 protocols.

Forwards Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Craig Smith and goalie Jeremy Swayman headlined the list of players unavailable to the Bruins. They were joined by forwards Trent Frederic, Anton Blidh and Oskar Steen.

A shorthanded Bruins team fell 3-1 to the New York Islanders on Thursday, and their scheduled game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday was subsequently postponed.

Next Thursday's game against the Avalanche was also postponed due to an outbreak within the Avs organization.

Boston's shutdown means it won't play Sunday against the Ottawa Senators nor Tuesday against the Hurricanes.

The Bruins, who have lost two games in a row, are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division with 30 points. They are in ninth place in the conference overall, leaving them outside the playoff positions.

Boston's next scheduled game is now a home tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 27.

The Ottawa Senators' next three games have been postponed amid a COVID-19 outbreak with the team.

Games against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the Nashville Predators on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday are impacted. The Senators currently have 10 players in the NHL's health and safety protocols.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: @Senators games postponed at least through Nov. 20. https://t.co/bJpC88cb5F pic.twitter.com/sWwojm1W1h

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 15, 2021

“You’re almost crossing your fingers every single day hoping that you get through with a negative (test),” veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto told reporters. “It is a learning experience, with the different tests we’re doing, and trying to keep everyone safe, not just the players but their families and staff as well. It’s a great opportunity for guys to learn the mental side of the game.”

The Senators have essentially been on lockdown between games, with their players unable to practice or leave their homes. The team has understandably struggled under the mounting pressure and has lost seven of its last eight games overall.

With the Senators (4-10-1, last in the Atlantic Division) struggling to field an NHL-caliber team and the AHL Belleville Senators also barely scraping by because all of the call-ups, the NHL was forced to take some action. This temporary pause in the schedule should allow a majority of the players currently in health and safety protocols to get back on the ice while mitigating any further potential spread. 

Former Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild head coach and current Nashville Predators assistant coach Todd Richards is expected to make a full recovery after he suffered a heart attack on Friday.

The Predators announced Richards was released from the hospital and is "resting comfortably" in his home.

Nashville hired him as an assistant coach in October 2020, and the team went 31-23-2 during his one season on the bench. The Predators lost in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Richards played professionally for 13 seasons, making eight appearances in NHL games for the Hartford Whalers during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 campaigns, before he joined the coaching ranks.

The 54-year-old was an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks before leading the Wild to a 77-71-16 record in two seasons as the head coach. The Blue Jackets went 127-112-21 under his direction in five seasons, and he spent four years as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to joining the Predators.

The Lightning won the 2020 Stanley Cup with Richards on the coaching staff.

Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop announced on social media Monday that he is gay:

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 pic.twitter.com/7zqT0A2gJj

— luke prokop (@lukeprokop_6) July 19, 2021

"I am no longer scared to hide who I am," Prokop said. "Today I am proud to publicly tell everyone that I am gay. It has been quite the journey to get to this point in my life, but I could not be happier with my decision to come out."

The 19-year-old was a third-round pick by Nashville in the 2020 NHL draft and is yet to make his team debut, spending the past year in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen.

If he reaches the NHL, he would be the first openly gay active player in league history.

Brock McGillis was the first professional hockey player to come out, but it was after his playing career, and he never appeared in the NHL, only spending time in the Ontario Hockey League and United Hockey League. 

Prokop is already under contract with the Predators, signing a three-year deal in December 2020. The defenseman totaled two goals and four assists in 15 WHL games during the shortened 2020-21 season for the Hitmen.

The Edmonton, Canada, native is hoping getting the weight off his shoulders will lead to even more success on the ice. 

"I think it’s been translating a lot into my summer and my summer training. I’ve noticed myself being a lot more confident on the ice," Prokop told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. "Being able to truly be who I am. This is the best I’ve ever felt in the summer and I think a large part of that is due to this process of me coming out."

He also told Emily Kaplan of ESPN that coming out would "ease his mind" after struggling last season.

The Predators and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman have already thrown their support behind Prokop with statements Monday:

The Nashville Predators organization is proud of Luke for the courage he is displaying in coming out today and we will support him unequivocally in the days, weeks, and years to come as he continues to develop as a prospect. #HockeyIsForEveryone https://t.co/43grM47dJO

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) July 19, 2021

Statement from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Luke Prokop’s (@lukeprokop_6) decision to publicly come out as gay: pic.twitter.com/4S7rWI872W

— NHL (@NHL) July 19, 2021

"Very brave young man," Nashville GM David Poile told LeBrun. "It took a lot of courage. I’m proud that he did that. It’s got to be exciting for him to be taking this step. This is a big story and hopefully it helps and encourages others in similar situations. It’s a big deal."

The NHL also announced a $100,000 donation to LGBTQ+ organizations:

The NHL announces a $100,000 donation to national LGBTQ+ organizations selected in coordination with @lukeprokop_6. pic.twitter.com/tepFGrXuoU

— NHL (@NHL) July 19, 2021

Prokop will hope to earn a role on the NHL squad in 2021-22 as the Predators look to improve upon last year's first-round playoff exit.

After spending the 2020-21 season searching for an impact defenseman, the Philadelphia Flyers found one by acquiring Ryan Ellis from the Nashville Predators as part of a three-team trade Saturday.

Ellis was traded for Nolan Patrick and Philippe Myers, and Patrick was rerouted to the Vegas Golden Knights for Cody Glass.

Projection is with #Flyers moving Nolan Patrick, they will now have the ability to protect James van Riemsdyk. Pretty big change for #SeaKraken in last few minutes.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 17, 2021

Per Cap Friendly on Twitter, trades and player signings were frozen Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, and 5 p.m. ET is the deadline for clubs to submit their expansion draft protection lists to the NHL and NHL Players' Association.

The Seattle Kraken will start to fill out their roster during the expansion draft Wednesday.

There had been speculation leading up to the regular-season trade deadline April 12 that Ellis' long-term outlook with the Predators wasn't promising.

Elliotte Friedman reported in March that Ellis had been considered untouchable but that "something's made the Predators think."

Ellis has six years remaining on the eight-year, $50 million deal he signed in August 2018.

That contract should fit well for Philadelphia, which is trying to get better in the short term but also has a long-term outlook in mind after missing the playoffs twice in the past three years.

Ellis missed six weeks last season after undergoing surgery on his upper body in March. He finished with 18 points in 35 games during the regular season. The 30-year-old was terrific with five points in six games in Nashville's first-round playoff loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Philadelphia did sell low on Patrick, who scored just nine points and was minus-30 in 52 games last season. The Golden Knights are betting the 22-year-old will return to the level he showed over the previous two years, when he scored 61 points in 145 games. 

The addition of Ellis made Myers expendable for the Flyers. Myers is 24 years old and will give the Predators a plug-and-play defenseman alongside Mattias Ekholm.   

Longtime Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne announced his retirement from the NHL on Tuesday:

"For more than 15 years, I've been on an incredible, life-changing journey with the Nashville Predators that has taken me to more places than I could have ever imagined and given me more than I could ever hope to give back. This decision wasn't easy, but I know this is the right one at the right time. As I announce my retirement, I'm thankful for my parents, sisters, fiancé Erika, everyone in the Predators organization - management, coaches and trainers - my teammates and my youth coaches back in Finland. Last but not least, I'm thankful for the people of Nashville. Each of you helped me grow into the man, father and person I am today."

The 38-year-old Rinne made his NHL debut with the Preds during the 2005-06 season and spent his entire 15-year NHL career in Nashville.

Rinne appeared in 683 regular-season games, making 666 starts and going 369-213-75 with a 2.43 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and 60 shutouts.

The Finland native ranks first in Nashville history in virtually every major goaltending category, including wins, GAA and shutouts.

Rinne was a four-time All-Star and won the 2018 Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender. He was a Vezina finalist on three other occasions.

Per the Predators, Rinne is one of only 12 goalies in NHL history with at least 350 wins and 60 shutouts. Eight of them are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Rinne enjoyed playoff success as well, going 45-44 in 89 starts and posting a 2.49 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and five shutouts.

He led the Predators to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the only Final appearance in franchise history. They fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

Rinne, who holds the NHL record for most wins and shutouts by a Finnish goaltender, split time in goal with Juuse Saros over the past few seasons.

Saros was the primary starter in 2020-21, but Rinne appeared in 24 games and made 21 starts. He went 10-12-1 with a 2.84 GAA, .907 save percentage and two shutouts.

One of those shutouts came in the final game of his career as he blanked the Carolina Hurricanes on May 10 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

In an article for the Players' Tribune, Rinne wrote that he wasn't certain that night whether it was his final game, but he knew it was a possibility.

He said having his fiancee and son in the crowd meant a lot to him, as did his teammates' telling him to essentially take a curtain call at center ice.

The capper for Rinne's NHL career came after the season when he won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is given annually to the player who "best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

An eighth-round pick in the 2004 NHL draft, Rinne exceeded expectations during his NHL career and established himself as one of the top goalies of the past two decades.