NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators have signed goaltender Pekka Rinne to a two-year contract extension worth $10 million, keeping the Vezina Trophy winner under contract through 2020-21.
General manager David Poile announced the extension Saturday on Rinne's 36th birthday, a couple hours before the Predators host the Boston Bruins.
The Vezina Trophy winner in June, in his fourth time as a finalist, will earn $6 million in 2019-20 and $4 million in 2020-21.
Poile says both the Predators and Rinne want to keep the goalie with the franchise for his entire career and this extension helps meet that goal.
Rinne is 4-1-0 this season and second with a .940 save percentage and 1.91 goals-against average for goalies who have played at least six games. Rinne made a season-high 42 saves Thursday night in a 4-1 win in Tampa Bay in his return after missing five games with an injury.
A native of Kempele, Finland, Rinne is 28th in NHL history with 315 wins and is five shy of passing Miikka Kiprusoff for most by a Finnish-born goalie. His 52 shutouts rank 23rd all-time in NHL history, two behind Bernie Parent and Ed Giacomin for 21st. Rinne is one of seven goalies with three 40-win seasons and one of 18 with 300 wins and at least 50 shutouts.
Originally drafted in the eighth round at No. 258 overall, Rinne also is Nashville's all-time leader at goaltender with 573 games played, a .919 save percentage and 2.37 goals-against average.
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