MONCTON, New Brunswick — Pekka Rinne is a hockey lifer. He might have retired after 15 seasons with the Nashville Predators six months ago, but his love for the game, in addition to family, is as strong as ever.
That joy is palpable when he discusses his time as goalie coach for Finland at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“It’s been such a positive experience, but I haven’t really made any plans or anything like that off of this tournament (with regard to coaching),” Rinne told NHL.com. “I’m going to give myself some time with my family after this. But at the same time, I think this experience has proven that I want to be involved in hockey… it’s still my passion in some way.”
No surprise there, especially since the former goalie remains one of the most respected and admired individuals to ever play in the NHL.
Rinne, selected by the Predators in the eighth round (No. 258) of the 2004 NHL Draft, is Nashville’s leader in nearly every goalie category, including games played (683), wins (369) and shutouts (60). He’s in the top 20 in NHL history in wins and shutouts.
“At first I wasn’t planning on being a coach right away after my career, but the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation contacted me over the summer and that’s how we got started,” he said. “I thought about it for a minute. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to kind of get involved and, right away, at the very high level and with the very talented kids. We had three different camps before the tournament began and I feel like I’ve learned more than I’ve been able to give in all the experiences.
“It’s been great to build this relationship with the goalies and with the coaching staff.”
Rinne announced his retirement on July 13, 2021, after 15 seasons with the Predators, and had his No. 35 raised to the rafters at Bridgestone Arena on Feb. 24. It’s the first retired number in Nashville’s 23-season history.
NHL.com caught up with Rinne at the World Junior Championship to ask him about his transition to coaching and advice for aspiring hockey players. He also discussed his NHL career and moments he’ll treasure forever in a wide-ranging Q&A.
What do you enjoy about coaching this age group?
“Physically, they’re almost men, but at the same time, they’re still kids, young players. They are just taking that next step at this very moment, so it’s a very special time in their lives. You can feel that every day, how excited they are. If I talk specifically about the goalies … they have such a high skill level, so they understand everything and I’m able to maybe use my experience, give them tips and give them little things and they’re able to turn it around on the ice right away. They’re curious and it’s been amazing because they just take everything in, enjoy it, and are excited.”
Were you the same way when you were 19 years old?
“I think these guys are way ahead of me. When I was at this age, I was a late bloomer. I think this age for me was when I realized that if I want to be successful, I have to start working, start investing time in my effort and my daily habits. I started focusing on hockey and, career wise, it was a very important age for myself. I wasn’t playing Under-20, I wasn’t playing on a national team program. The players today are way ahead of me.”
What do you like about the two goalies playing a part for Finland at the World Juniors?
“Jani Lampinen and Aku Koskenvuo are a little bit different. Aku is a bigger guy (6-foot-4, 190 pounds). He’s physically very gifted. He’s an athlete, he battles hard. Jani is technically really good. Obviously, the Physical aspects and athletic abilities, things like that, are a work in progress for most guys at this age. It’s something where everybody’s going to get stronger, more athletic, along the way. Aku is this very athletic guy, and Jani is this technically. , sound guy.”
You were chosen late in the NHL Draft but worked so hard to achieve your success. What’s your advice to young players looking to make it big?
“Patience and work ethic. I think if you keep those two things together, good things are going to happen. If you work as hard as you can, try to learn all the time. It’s simple things but there’s no shortcuts. Obviously, you you need good people around you. You need good coaches, and you need a bit of luck along the way… you need to stay healthy. It’s all the basic things but I think the biggest thing is your work ethic and patience. I feel sometimes guys. , and it’s very understandable, want to move on so quickly. It’s hard to stay patient when you’re so driven and you believe in yourself. It can be very hard and so that’s what I mean when I say you also need the right people. around you. People saying the right things and not rushing you.”
What was the most important thing you were taught as a young player at the position?
“The daily practice habits. I think that’s the one thing I try to remind players all the time. It’s not only the games, because everybody’s going to play hard in games. But if you don’t have the right habits, it’s hard to progress as a player, get better and develop. I feel like that was my strength. My work ethic and my practice habits … that was kind of my backbone.”
You established quite a few goalie records in Nashville. Is there one that is most meaningful to you?
“To be honest, I have had a lot of time to reflect back on my career and things like that, but I never think about the records. Obviously, I’m very proud of my career, proud that I was able to play in one organization for the whole duration of my career, so that’s probably what I’m most proud of. The impact and the relationship I was able to have with the whole organization and with the city of Nashville. So I’d say those two things , I think, were most important to me.”
Did you have to work really hard to become such a respected NHL player?
“I don’t know. It’s about being yourself, being true to yourself. I have to thank my family too. They raised me to be the person I am. But, as a player, you gain respect by playing the game hard, but fair. I think a lot of my mindset is based on work ethic. That’s how you gain your teammates’ respect. Day in and day out, if you come to work and you play your heart out every day, that’s how you gain the respect of your teammates. Obviously, we’re all human beings and if you treat everybody the same, I think that’s a very important thing as well.”
Can you give me three of the most memorable moments of your career?
“My first NHL game (Dec. 15, 2005). I played at the Chicago Blackhawks [then-Gaylord Entertainment Center] in Nashville (a 5-3 win on 35 saves). I still remember it. Then, the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. The experience, even though we lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games, is one I’ll never forget. The whole run was unbelievable. Finally, my final game. It ended up being against Carolina and I had a (30-save) shutout. It was just like a movie script ending to my career. I think those are the three things I’ll never forget.”
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