Predators to retire Rinne's number in February

The Nashville Predators will raise Pekka Rinne's No. 35 to the Bridgestone Arena rafters on Feb. 24, 2022.

The recently retired goaltender will become the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

Rinne, who turned 39 on Wednesday, ended his NHL tenure in July following a 15-year career spent entirely with the Predators.

The Finnish-born goalie was unquestionably Nashville's best-ever netminder and arguably one of the most accomplished in NHL history. Rinne leads the Predators in almost every category at his position, and his 369 career wins put him in a tie for 19th on the NHL's all-time list. He also sits in the league's top 20 in save percentage (.917) and shutouts (60).

Rinne provided prolonged stability in the crease and helped the Predators reach the playoffs 10 times, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2017-18 and was a finalist for the honor in three other seasons.