Former goalie Pekka Rinne's No. 35 becomes first jersey retired by Nashville Predators

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Pekka Rinne can't wait to bring his 1-year-old son Paulus back to Nashville in a few years and share stories from his playing days.

The highlight? Pointing to his No. 35 hanging in the rafters.

«It gives me goosebumps to even think about it,» Rinne said Thursday night.

The goaltender who led the Nashville Predators to their lone Stanley Cup Final in 2017 added another first to his list of accomplishments. He became the first player to have his jersey retired by the organization in a nearly hour-long ceremony before Thursday night's game against Dallas.

«This memory will stay with me the rest of my life,» Rinne said.

The Predators also announced Rinne will be honored with a bronze statue outside Bridgestone Arena that will be unveiled during the 2022-23 season.

Rinne emerged from the oversized Predators' mascot head that the team skates through when it enters the ice as fans chanted, «Pekka! Pekka!» He walked past the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, the franchise's lone Presidents' Trophy and his Vezina and King Clancy trophies to a stage on one blue line.

Guests included former teammates Kimmo Timonen and Shea Weber along with current captain Roman Josi, Rinne's family and general manager David Poile. Rinne thanked the only GM he ever had and noted he had only three coaches with the Predators.

Poile said Rinne made everything he touched better, on and off the ice.

«He was someone you could look up to,» Poile said. «With No. 35 hanging in the rafters above us, he will continue to do that forever.»

Minutes after the ceremony ended, the current Predators came out wearing sweaters with Rinne's name and number on the back for warmups.

Not bad for someone whose biggest hockey hopes had been to play for Finland's