With the concern over Shea Weber‘s contract over the summer, the Nashville Predators took a step towards assuring their fans that they mean business when it comes to keeping their core intact.
That first step came in the form of a new contract for franchise goaltender Pekka Rinne. The deal will run for seven years, and is worth $49 million.
Rinne, who turned 29 on the same day of the contract announcement, becomes the highest paid goaltender in the league with that cap hit of about $7 million. He was set to become a free agent after the season.
There’s not even a whisper of a question of whether or not Rinne deserves to be paid as he now is, as the league’s top goaltender. He’s certainly made his case to be mentioned as just that in his first three full seasons in the league.
Rinne was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season, losing out to Tim Thomas‘ magical year. He posted a stellar 2.12 GAA and .930 save percentage, to go along with six shutouts. He’s on pace for a similar season this year, with already a pair of shutouts and a 2.50 GAA.
For his career, Rinne has recorded 22 shutouts, a 2.34 GAA, a .920 save percentage while posting a record of 100-58-22 for the Predators, who advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season.
The move is certainly a wise one for the Predators, who have had questions swirling around their core for quite a while now. We know about Weber’s situation and what type of money he could be commanding after this year’s arbitration award, as well as fellow defenseman Ryan Suter.
Fans can rejoice over the signing of Rinne, and now take solace over the fact that the Preds are serious about remaining a contender, and will do their due diligence in attempting to re-sign their other two stars. Rinne’s extension should prove to be a brilliant move for Nashville, as carrying his status as a free agent into the summer could have been disastrous for the franchise.
