'He Has a Heart of Gold:' Pekka Rinne's Lasting Legacy

Pekka Rinne is back in SMASHVILLE this weekend.
But thanks to his lasting impact on the community, it feels like he never left.
The Nashville Predators will unveil a statue of the franchise goaltender on Saturday, March 25 at 10 a.m. CT ahead of that afternoon's game against the Seattle Kraken at Bridgestone Arena.

Rinne, who played his entire 683-game NHL career in Nashville, retired in 2021 after 15 seasons. Last season, his No. 35 jersey became the first and only retired jersey in the history of the Predators organization.
Originally drafted by the Predators in the eighth round (258th overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft, the now-legendary goaltender enjoyed a decorated career in Nashville that included a Stanley Cup Final appearance as well as a number of awards and accolades.

On the ice, Rinne's resume speaks for itself. He is a four-time NHL All-Star, the only goaltender in Predators history to win the Vezina Trophy (2018) and the first player in franchise history to win any of the NHL's major awards. Rinne remains as the franchise's leader in nearly every goaltending category, including games played, wins (369), goals-against average (2.43), total time on ice (39,413:29), shutouts (60) and saves (17,627). In addition to his Predators records, the Kempele, Finland, native also owns the most games played, wins and shutouts by a Finnish-born goaltender in League history.
But perhaps Rinne's most important legacy is the impact he made off the ice as a staple of the Nashville community during his time with the organization. He won the 2021 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually to the "player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community," the result of a career spent dedicated to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities and the Predators Foundation empowered by SmileDirectClub.
To highlight Rinne's special relationship with Predators fans and the Nashville community, the statue will sit atop a time capsule buried beneath the plaza, containing trinkets, historical items and memorabilia to celebrate Rinne's legacy.
"It's hard to appreciate Pekka Rinne's legacy here without first acknowledging the incredible relationship he's enjoyed with our fans," Predators President & CEO Sean Henry said earlier this season. "There really is this love affair for him. So we thought, 'You can't put a statue of Pekka on the plaza without putting that love underneath it."
Also in the time capsule, set to be unearthed again in 35 years, are more than 100 handwritten letters from Season Ticket Citizens, Best Buddies and 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund patients expressing their gratitude toward Rinne for his impact on their lives.
The bulk of Rinne's life-changing work has come through the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily, which he launched alongside former Predators Captain Shea Weber during the 2012-13 season. The fund works with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. Since the establishment of the fund, donations totaling more than $3 million have been made to the hospital and its programs.

One of the many individuals who have benefited from Rinne's charitable efforts is Nathaniel Bone, who wrote one of the letters buried beneath the statue:
"The first time we met was at the Preds practice where he signed my goalie helmet. I was just a fan back then. But he eventually became like a big brother to me. Anytime I would see him around the arena, or in the locker room, he would call up my name. He took a special interest in me and was a tremendous emotional support during my cancer journey. He has a heart of gold, expressed in how he sponsored Vanderbilt Children's hospitals. Something I was blessed to enjoy many times. It allowed the young people like me to forget our sickness for a time and enjoy the game of hockey. Sometimes he would send me a personal video of encouragement that would make my day and help keep me going in my fight. He's one of a kind treasure to Nashville."
Rinne, visibly touched after reading the heartfelt letter, smiled and thanked Bone, whom he called "the King of Smashville."
It's almost impossible to articulate Rinne's importance to this organization and community. But as much as Rinne means to Bone and countless other Preds faithful, they mean even more to him. As for Rinne himself, he has vowed to return for the unearthing of the time capsule in 2058.
"It's pretty crazy to read these letters that are going to be underneath the statue," Rinne said. "It means a lot to me, and it's going to be a while until that time capsule is going to be open again. But in 35 years, I'll be here. Thank you everybody who took the time to write to me and thought about me; it means a lot to me. Thank you."
Saturday's statue unveiling ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. CT on the Bridgestone Arena plaza on the corner of Broadway and Rep. John Lewis Way. The event will also be
streamed on NashvillePredators.com
, BallySports.com and the Bally Sports app.
Click here for more information on the ceremony
.