Story Summary
Ben Vanderklok says Pekka Rinne’s Hockey Hall of Fame recognition reflects far more than the accomplishments of a franchise-defining goaltender. The Nashville Predators‘ goaltending coach worked with Rinne from 2014 until the Finn retired after the 2020-21 season, and the pair now continue their association in the club’s goaltending department.
Rinne is Nashville’s European development coach and scout, while Vanderklok remains the club’s goaltending coach. Their relationship began with some natural uncertainty: they were only a year apart in age when Vanderklok arrived for his first NHL coaching opportunity, with Rinne already established as the Predators’ No. 1 goalie. Vanderklok says Rinne quickly made him feel valued, engaged fully in the work and treated him as an important part of his own game.
For Vanderklok, Rinne’s humility and consideration for others stand beside his competitiveness and meticulous preparation. He described a goalie who studied opponents and his own performance in depth, wanted to be in the net, hated losing and invested heavily in improving every day. He also recalled the difficult conversations after frustrating performances, when Rinne would seek perspective away from the public gaze.
The strongest example of Rinne’s character, Vanderklok said, came when Juuse Saros arrived in Nashville. Rinne recognised Saros’ potential but still helped the younger goaltender settle in, including lending him his car, welcoming him for dinner and working with him on the ice. Vanderklok portrayed that support as a revealing part of Rinne’s legacy: a competitive player helping a teammate who could eventually take his job.
Vanderklok will attend Rinne’s Hockey Hall of Fame induction and says their friendship has continued to deepen since Rinne stopped playing.
Key Facts
- Ben Vanderklok began working with Pekka Rinne in 2014 when he became the Nashville Predators’ goaltending coach.
- Rinne retired following the 2020-21 season after serving as Nashville’s long-established No. 1 goaltender.
- Vanderklok remains Nashville’s goaltending coach, while Rinne is the Predators’ European development coach and scout.
- Vanderklok said Rinne was an exceptionally respectful and humble person whose impact on others extended beyond hockey.
- Rinne told Vanderklok that he wanted him to be his eyes and ears in helping his game.
- Vanderklok described Rinne as a fierce competitor who prepared meticulously and hated to lose.
- Rinne helped Juuse Saros acclimatise in Nashville by lending him his car, inviting him to dinner and working with him on the ice.
- Rinne recorded a shutout in his final game in Nashville and took an impromptu lap around the ice afterwards.
- Vanderklok continued to seek Rinne’s thoughts on Saros’ video clips after Rinne retired.
- Vanderklok is due to attend Rinne’s Hockey Hall of Fame induction.
IHM Discussion
Hall of Fame occasions naturally bring the save totals, awards and milestones into focus, but Vanderklok’s account gives this one a more intimate hockey frame. It is the view of a coach who spent years in the everyday detail of a starting goalie’s life: preparation, video, difficult games, private disappointment and the repeated effort to find one more save.
Rinne’s relationship with Vanderklok appears to have been built on unusually direct trust from the beginning. Rinne did not treat a coach close to his own age as a distant authority or a peripheral voice. Instead, he asked Vanderklok to be fully involved in his game, and Vanderklok responded by matching the commitment he saw from his goalie.
That mutual investment matters because goaltending work is often highly individual. A starter can be visible for 60 minutes on game night, but much of the job is shaped in practice, meetings and the review that follows a difficult outing. Vanderklok’s recollection of calls from Rinne after games adds a human dimension to a career usually remembered through calm, composed performances in the crease.
The Saros story is equally significant. Rinne was still competing for his own place, yet he helped Saros adjust to a new city and professional environment. That did not remove the competitive reality between two NHL goaltenders, but it showed Rinne could make room for a younger teammate without withdrawing his support. It is a meaningful measure of how a veteran can influence a club beyond his own starts and results.
Why It Matters
Rinne’s continuing role with the Predators means his connection to Nashville did not end with retirement. The club still has access to the perspective of a former elite goaltender who knows its people, standards and the demands placed on NHL netminders.
Vanderklok’s reflections also underline why Rinne’s standing in Nashville is rooted in more than his playing record. His approach to Saros helped establish a bridge between goaltending generations, while his post-retirement conversations with Vanderklok show that his insight remained useful to the department. For a club, that sort of continuity can preserve knowledge and relationships that might otherwise disappear when a player leaves the ice.
Mini Q&A
How long did Ben Vanderklok and Pekka Rinne work together as coach and player?
They worked together from Vanderklok’s arrival as Nashville’s goaltending coach in 2014 until Rinne retired after the 2020-21 season.
What is Pekka Rinne’s current role with the Predators?
Rinne is Nashville’s European development coach and scout.
How did Pekka Rinne help Juuse Saros?
Vanderklok said Rinne helped Saros settle in by lending him his car, inviting him to dinner and working with him on the ice.
Why did Vanderklok continue calling Rinne after his retirement?
Vanderklok asked Rinne to review Saros’ clips and offer his insight on goaltending situations.
Coach Mark Comment
Rinne lending Saros his car is the detail that stays with you. It is not a ceremonial gesture and it has nothing to do with a save percentage; it is a practical way of making a younger teammate’s first stretch in a new place a little easier.
There was still real competition in that crease, and Rinne knew Saros had the ability to become an NHL player. Helping him anyway says plenty about the man Vanderklok is describing. Some relationships are remembered through speeches and milestones. This one is clearer in the ordinary acts that helped a teammate find his feet.
IHM Final View
Pekka Rinne’s Hall of Fame moment gives Nashville an opportunity to celebrate an outstanding goaltender, but Ben Vanderklok’s memories explain why the recognition carries such personal weight. He recalls a player who pursued every detail of his craft while remaining generous with his time, honest in difficult moments and attentive to the people around him. Rinne’s playing career is complete, yet his work with the Predators and his friendship with Vanderklok ensure that his influence remains part of the organisation.