Here’s the latest on Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, who’s been out since Oct. 22 with an infection in his surgically-repaired hip:
We are encouraged and pleased to report that Pekka is moving on to the next stage in his recovery and rehabilitation. He has been cleared to begin weight-bearing exercises under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Byrd.
There is no timetable for this stage as that will be evaluated by Dr. Byrd and our medical team on a daily basis. Our primary objective is to insure Pekka’s full recovery and return to the ice by taking every possible precaution throughout the process.
We will provide further updates when available.
Rinne, 31, underwent major hip surgery during the summer and returned to play in just nine games before being hit with a serious bacterial infection. The Preds have been extremely cautious with his rehabilitation, pushing back a number of timetables and set dates to ensure the hip recovers fully and without issue.
Rinne wasn’t selected to represent Finland at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, meaning he’ll have the Feb. 9-25 break as time to rehab without missing any games.