Clay Brewer: Preds to Retire #35

Pekka is a legend for this franchise and an incredible person. He truly revolutionized the game for goalies.

No snark in this question: how so?

Pekka is a legend for this franchise and an incredible person. He truly revolutionized the game for goalies.

No snark in this question: how so?
- Only_A_Ladd

I'd say that he arguably was, along with Carey Price, one of the spearheads of the ''Big Goalie'' mold that relied more on size and positioning than reflexes.

So many good memories of Pekka. Love that he is the first Nashville Predator to have his number retired. Most important player in Franchise history. World Class goalie and even better human being. He was such a Rock here for so long. Coming out of the Ownership turmoil he was the first of the Predator core players from their first Playoff years that committed to the City and team when he signed that 7 year 49 million deal in 2011. His commitment was in stark contrast to Ryan Suter who said the right things in Public but lied to Ownership and fans when he bolted to Minnesota. Best memories of Rinne were of going to games most Saturday nights for 15 years when he was the sure thing Starter and more often then not first or second star of the game. The early Playoff series wins were mostly because of his play. Certainly the two shutouts in 2017 in Chicago when Preds entered as an 8 seed were awesome, as was the Sweep and the March to the Finals that electrified the City.
Scoring a Goal in Chicago was another favorite. First Predator to win a major award when he captured the Vezina in 2018. (Criminal that Weber did not win a Norris in his 20s here). All this from a player picked 258th in the draft. Loved he played his entire career here and went out on his own terms. Looking forward to being there on Jersey retirement night.

Pekka is a legend for this franchise and an incredible person. He truly revolutionized the game for goalies.

No snark in this question: how so?
- Only_A_Ladd

I think Clay meant he played the puck so well he was often like a third defenseman, he kept teams from dumping the puck in. He was so adept at going behind the net. Handing the puck and getting it to his defensemen that he forced teams to play differently.

We knew this was coming from the moment he announced his retirement, and I can't imagine a better candidate to be the first to have his number retired here for what he's meant to the team both on and off the ice, and overall just a fantastic human being. It's also pretty rare, in this day and age, for someone to play their entire professional career for the same franchise.

I mentioned this in your blog on his retirement that I'd love to be in the arena that day. The atmosphere is going to be absolutely phenomenal.

I think Clay meant he played the puck so well he was often like a third defenseman, he kept teams from dumping the puck in. He was so adept at going behind the net. Handing the puck and getting it to his defensemen that he forced teams to play differently.
- predsfan97

If that's the reason, then Rinne isn't the one who led that revolution. Brodeur did that years earlier and is the reason that we have the trapezoid. Rinne may've been one of the best in adapting and being so effective in spite of the trapezoid, though.

I'd say that he arguably was, along with Carey Price, one of the spearheads of the ''Big Goalie'' mold that relied more on size and positioning than reflexes.
- jugkope

Rinne was the complete opposite. He was all flexibility and the reason he was so interesting was because he was huge and moved so well.

Rinne was the complete opposite. He was all flexibility and the reason he was so interesting was because he was huge and moved so well.
- AdamFrench

Fine let's just stick to big.

Big, athletic, and flexible. Very few goalies up to this point had the ability to combine all of these attributes and demonstrate genuine talent. Many times goalies with greater size were said to be good because of the big pads and their stature, Peks was truly remarkable at all facets of the game and changed this dynamic.