Nashville Predators: What’s the plan for Pekka Rinne?

Changes may be coming for the Nashville Predators after a less than ideal exit from the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Pekka Rinne could be one of them.

The Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs have been interesting, to say the least. While the Washington Capitals are playing better against the Tampa Bay Lightning than many expected, the Vegas Golden Knights responded well from their Game 1 loss to Winnipeg. Was this the final four that hockey minds predicted? Yes and no. The Nashville Predators were supposed to be a part of it.

Tampa was a pegged a Stanley Cup favorite from before the season even started while Washington needed to get out of the second-round at some point. Vegas’ Disney Channel arc was meant to run out at some point, but San Jose wasn’t the group to do it. And then there’s Winnipeg.

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The toughest second-round series to predict was the one between the Jets and Preds. In many respects, that was the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. Nashville never got a series lead over Winnipeg, but both teams pushed each other to the brink. It would have to be settled in Game 7, but it didn’t take long for a victor to be crowned.

Which brings us to the core of this piece: Pekka Rinne. As much as many try to hold the series loss on a more overlooking scheme, goaltending was the deciding factor between the two teams. The first Paul Stasny goal was understandable. Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Craig Smith stopped moving leaving him uncontested by the net.

Rinne lost sight of the initial shot and Stastny backhands it in with the extra room. Again, it happens. Tyler Myers’ goal absolutely cannot go in by any circumstance. It was the goal to make it 2-0 that saw Rinne get the pull leaving Juuse Saros to pick up the pieces.