LEGENDWALLS
ICE HOCKEY · GOALTENDER · ARCHIVE 67

PEKKARINNE

Pekka Rinne turned a late draft selection into a substantial Nashville career and the NHL's leading goaltending award.

Unofficial fan tribute — not affiliated with Pekka Rinne, their representatives, clubs, leagues, federations, or sponsors.

Discover the story
The ice rink inside Umeå Arena in 2012; a contextual venue photograph, not the featured player
ICE HOCKEY · PLAYER PROFILEGOALTENDER
THE LEGACYNASHVILLE'S LAST LINE
Kempele, Finland1982 — ∞
NHL winsNHL shutoutsNHL gamesVezina TrophyNHL winsNHL shutoutsNHL gamesVezina Trophy
01

Origin
and identity

Pekka Rinne turned a late draft selection into a substantial Nashville career and the NHL's leading goaltending award.

The Predators selected Rinne 258th in 2004, a starting point far removed from the early picks usually associated with future stars. His NHL record eventually included a 43-win season in 2011–12 and 14 victories during Nashville's extended 2017 postseason. The distance between draft position and achievement is central to his story.

Rinne won the Vezina Trophy after the 2017–18 season, when he recorded 42 wins and eight shutouts. His completed regular-season career comprised 369 victories, 60 shutouts and 683 appearances, all for Nashville. Those totals make his entry both a goaltender's portrait and a record of one club's sustained identity.

02

A defining
career arc

PLACES · MOMENTS · ERAS

DEFINING SCENES.
ONE LEGACY.

1
2004
LATE-ROUND SELECTION

Nashville

The Predators chose Rinne with the 258th overall draft pick.

2
2012
FORTY-THREE WINS

Nashville

He completed a heavily used regular season with 43 victories.

3
2017
POSTSEASON ANCHOR

Nashville

Rinne recorded 14 wins over 22 playoff appearances.

4
2018
VEZINA SEASON

Nashville

A 42-win campaign earned the NHL's leading goaltender award.

03

Completed
milestones

NOT JUST RECORDS.
LANDMARKS.

01369

NHL wins

Completed regular-season career total.

0260

NHL shutouts

Completed regular-season career total.

03683

NHL games

All played for Nashville.

042018

Vezina Trophy

Individual goaltending award.

These are completed, source-backed milestones; changing live totals are intentionally excluded.

STYLE · INFLUENCE · MEMORY

THE GAME.
THE INFLUENCE.

Rinne won the Vezina Trophy after the 2017–18 season, when he recorded 42 wins and eight shutouts. His completed regular-season career comprised 369 victories, 60 shutouts and 683 appearances, all for Nashville. Those totals make his entry both a goaltender's portrait and a record of one club's sustained identity.

04

Editorial
references

EDITORIAL & REFERENCE SOURCES

FACTS WITH
A PAPER TRAIL.

01NHL official player record02NHL official statistics and awards

Editorial facts and completed milestones last reviewed on September 25, 2026. This independent tribute does not imply endorsement.