Predators’ Rinne produces a Music City sports memory for the ages. But will it really be his last?

By John Glennon

Try as he might in the hours leading up to Monday’s game against Carolina, Preds goaltender Pekka Rinne couldn’t convince himself it was just another contest.

In one sense, it was a relatively meaningless regular-season finale, as the Predators had already clinched a playoff berth and knew their postseason seeding.

But when you’re a 38 year-old Nashville legend who hasn’t played in a month – and doesn’t have a contract for next season – well, who really knows what the future holds? Who knows if he’ll ever set foot between the pipes again, minding the net for the only franchise he’s ever played for during a 15-year NHL career?

So the nerves began Sunday, the morning after the Preds had clinched their playoff berth when Rinne knew he’d start Monday night at Bridgestone Arena.

He called family members back in Finland, disappointed COVID-19 restrictions would keep them from traveling to Nashville for the game, but even more appreciative of the sacrifices they’d made over the years.

“That kind of thing just makes you reflect a little bit,” Rinne said. “It makes you look back at your career, your upbringing, your junior career and things like that. Those were some of the things I . . .

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Author: John GlennonMulti-media journalist with extensive expertise covering the NFL, NHL, professional soccer and more, including the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators for The Tennessean with articles, videos and podcasts. Strengths include the ability to write quick, concise and thorough analysis, as well as the ability to uncover unique human-interest stories. In working as a reporter, John developed skills that extend beyond the sports journalism world. An efficient and effective communicator, John is confident, calm and productive under deadline pressure and knows the power of the written word. John brings to Broadway Sports a work ethic second to none, an intellectual hunger, and an ability to inform and entertain readers, viewers and listeners. Reach out directly to John at: