Pekka Rinne’s No. 35 raised to rafters, 1st retired by Preds

By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pekka Rinne can’t wait to bring his young son back to Nashville in a few years and share stories from his playing days. The highlight will be pointing to his No. 35 hanging in the rafters. Rinne said it gives him goosebumps to even think about that future moment. The goaltender who led the Nashville Predators to their lone Stanley Cup Final in 2017 added another first to his long list of accomplishments. He became the team’s first player to have his jersey retired before Thursday night’s game against Dallas. Nashville also announced a bronze statue of Rinne will be unveiled next season.