2011-12 Prime Signatures Pekka Rinne /50

Every now and then, I come across a great card of a great player, and despite being completely outside the realm of any of my numerous collecting goals, I pick it up.That was certainly the case with this card, a Prime Signatures card of Pekka Rinne from 2011-12 Panini Prime, numbered 27/50.

Apart from defenseman Shea Weber, Rinne has been one of the only bright spots with the Nashville Predators through some pretty dark years recently. He made his NHL debut during the 2005-06 season, but would play in only three NHL games over the next three years. He earned a permanent spot on the roster for the 2008-09 season, after Nashville traded Chris Mason, due to their commitment to Dan Ellis. Of course, the Dan Ellis experiment didn't work, and Rinne became the team's starter. His breakout season came in 2010-11, when despite missing some time due to injury, Rinne finished with a 33-22-9 record, 2.12 GAA, and .930 save percentage, on their way to the Western Conference Semifinals. His individual performance was good enough for a top-three finish in voting for the Vezina Trophy, fourth in Hart Trophy voting, and was named a Second-Team All-Star. Not a bad beginning to a career for a guy selected 258th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.