Nashville Predators Head Coach offered up some hope in regards to Pekka Rinne.
Some immediate hope.
“If he doesn’t have any setbacks, I think you will see Pekka playing somewhere in this homestand,” Trotz told The Greg Pogue & Big Joe Show this morning. “I honestly can’t tell you which game but it will all be determined on how far along he can get.”
He went onto say that they would like him to get a game or two in with their minor league affiliate in Milwaukee, which we wrote about yesterday. And while he didn’t give specific dates for that conditioning assignment, if you put two and two together, all signs point to this weekend.
Trotz gave the current five-game homestand as a timetable for Rinne’s NHL return. The final game of said homestand is Saturday, March 8 which makes that the last possible date. The Admirals have four games (all at home) between now and then with the first being tonight against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Friday and Sunday are the next two before a long four days off. Surely the Predators wouldn’t send Rinne down to play next Friday night and then recall him to play the next night in Music City.
So, if all goes to plan, it looks like he could get some game action — his first since October — this weekend.
You can listen to the entire interview below.
Trotz joins The Greg Pogue & Big Joe Show on 94.9 Game2 here in Nashville every Wednesday morning at 7:30am.