Vezina Trophy (Pekka Rinne, 2018)

Lore & Background

Pekka Rinne's journey to the Vezina Trophy reads like a slow-burn underdog script. Drafted in the eighth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft—258th overall, a spot where most picks are afterthoughts—Rinne spent years marinating in the AHL, waiting for a chance. By 2018, he was already a two-time All-Star and a fan favorite, but his 2017–18 campaign rewrote expectations. His style was a paradox: calm as a lake, yet explosive when it mattered—a goalie who could swallow a breakaway whole and still make it look routine. He was the backbone of a Predators team that had just tasted the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, and his Vezina validated the franchise's long-standing bet on stingy defense and elite goaltending. The win carried extra weight for Nashville, a market often shrugged off by hockey's old guard. The award wasn't just a trophy—it was a declaration that the Predators' identity wasn't a fluke. Rinne’s number 35 would later hang from the rafters in 2022, the first in franchise history to be retired, but the Vezina was the moment that quiet Finn from a small town in Finland became the loudest voice in Music City’s hockey story.

In Their Own Story

The Bridgestone Arena crowd held its breath as Pekka Rinne slid post-to-post, his blocker turning aside a one-timer from the slot. It was just another save in a season full of them, but this one came in the final minutes of a crucial divisional game. As the horn sounded and the Predators piled on him in celebration, Rinne's mask hid a quiet smile. Later, in the locker room, he would deflect praise to his defensemen and the system, but everyone knew: this was his year. Months later, when the Vezina Trophy was placed in his hands at the NHL Awards, Rinne looked out at the crowd and thought of the long road from a small town in Finland to this stage. He didn't say much, but his eyes told the story—a story of hard work, loyalty, and a city that had adopted him as its own. And when he finally spoke, all he said was, 'This is for Nashville.'

Reader's Guide

The Vezina Trophy was awarded to Pekka Rinne for the 2017–18 NHL season, recognizing him as the league's best goaltender. This achievement marked the first time a Nashville Predators player had won a major individual NHL award. His performance was instrumental in the Predators winning the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team. The significance of Rinne's Vezina win extends beyond personal accolades. It validated the Predators' organizational philosophy of building from the net out, a strategy that had been in place since the team's early years. For a franchise that began as an expansion team in 1998, winning a major award like the Vezina Trophy was a milestone that signaled arrival among the league's elite. In the context of Predators history, Rinne's Vezina Trophy remains a singular achievement. No other Predators goaltender has won the award, and it stands alongside the team's 2017 Western Conference Championship as a pinnacle of the franchise's first quarter-century. For fans, it is a cherished memory of a player who defined an era and brought pride to a hockey market that had to earn every bit of respect it received.

Did You Know?

• Pekka Rinne was drafted in the eighth round, 258th overall, in 2004—one of the lowest-drafted goaltenders to ever win the Vezina Trophy.
• Rinne's 2017–18 season included a 12-game point streak (11-0-1) from December 2017 to January 2018.
• Rinne's number 35 was retired by the Predators in a ceremony on February 24, 2022, making him the first player in franchise history to receive that honor.