Former Nashville Predator Pekka Rinne's statue symbolizes more than just hockey

Pekka Rinne is coming back to Nashville for good.

At least the 11-foot, 11-inch, 800-plus-pounds version of the former Nashville Predators goalie.

The real Rinne will be in town this week to unveil the statue version of Rinne at 10 a.m. Saturday at the plaza at Bridgestone Arena. The man who spent 39,413 minutes, 29 seconds on the ice for the Predators during the regular season, and another 5,300 minutes during the postseason, will spend forever outside his former home, the one he helped build.

Buried under the statue version of Rinne will be a time capsule — to be opened in, what else, 35 years — containing various Rinne memorabilia, including his goalie glove, locker room nameplate, a practice jersey, an original copy of Rinne's retirement speech and letters from fans, staff and some of the 365 Fund patients Rinne has helped and befriended over the years.

"This is an unbelievable honor and something I never dreamed of when I began my career with the Predators," Rinne said. "I am extremely grateful for the Nashville Predators organization, the city of Nashville and our fans. I feel very lucky to have spent my entire 15-year career with the Predators, and I am truly honored to receive this recognition."

Saturday won't be the first time the Nashville Predators pay homage to Rinne, the franchise's first star. Last year the team retired his number 35, which is hanging from the rafters inside Bridgestone. He was the first Predator to earn such an honor. He's also the first Predator with a statue.

While he rightly will be remembered for his play on the ice and for holding nearly every goalie record in Predators history during his 16 seasons in the team's uniform, his legacy is about much more than statistics.

Yes, the 772 total games he played wearing the uniform matter. So, too, do his 414 total victories, 2.43 goals-against average, 60 shutouts and nearly 20,000 saves.

But it's about the lives he touched, the memories and days he made, the relationships he built — all while helping to establish pro hockey in a city that, once upon a time, never seemed like an NHL destination.

"Pekka Rinne, who served as the face of the organization for more than 15 years, exemplifies what it truly means to be a Nashville Predator," the team's president and CEO Sean Henry said. "Although Pekka remains the greatest player to ever wear our jersey, his contributions off the ice positively impacted all of those around him.

"Pekka was always putting smiles on faces through his community-changing programs including Best Buddies, the 365 Fund and Feeding the Frontlines. We are excited to permanently honor his long-lasting legacy on our organization and all of Smashville with a statue that will stand proudly on the Bridgestone Arena for the many years to come."

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Rinne started the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund with former Predators captain Shea Weber during the 2012-13 season. Together with the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, the fund raises money and awareness for cancer research. So far those dollars have totaled more than $3 million.

Rinne's legacy, though, can't be measured by just numbers. Or just a statue. Or just a banner.

It can be measured in those countless smiles he's brought to the city.

It's good Pekka Rinne is coming home to stay.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Pekka Rinne means more to Nashville than just hockey, statue