After 21 seasons in the NHL, Matt Cullen is finally calling it quits. The 42-year old forward has announced his retirement through a video essay posted on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Twitter account. In it, Cullen examines all of the “lasts” he experienced in his career, including the final season with the Penguins in 2018-19.
Beloved by nearly everyone he came in contact to throughout his career, Cullen will actually go down as one of the most successful American-born players in history. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, Cullen trails only Chris Chelios in games played by Americans and ranks 19th overall with 1,516 regular season contests. He added another 132 playoff contests including those long title runs with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
While he was never a top offensive player, Cullen still made quite an impact on the game. A defensively responsible center, he still contributed at least 30 points in 14 of his seasons with a career-high of 49 in 2005-06. He finishes his career with 731 regular season points.
It’s been a long time coming for Cullen, who has flirted with retirement for the last several years. After a season that saw him record just 20 points and be limited to just fourth-line minutes, it was time to hang up the skates and move on to the next phase in his career.
Congrats, Mattie Cullen! Thanks for the memories, and best of luck in your future endeavors! Enjoy the family time!
Without trying to diminish his career or accomplishments, let me just say…whew, finally. Rutherford absolutely would have signed him again if he wanted to come back. That would not have been good.
3 Cups, great career. Congrats.
Hey, long time between now and the playoff fun in 2020……..If Matt stays in shape and the Pens need a 4th line center who can win a faceoff…….. :) ( just kidding)
Great career. The memory that stands out most for me is in game 6 of the Cup finals against Nashville in 2017 with the Pens up 1-0, Preds with the goalie pulled, face off in the Pens Dzone and Cullen lined up against one of the best face off men in the game, Mike Fisher. Cullen wins the draw, which led to the series clinching empty net goal. Cullen came up big when it counted.
What a brilliant moment of coaching by Mike Sullivan…
Kunitz Cullen and Hornqvist. He threw together (I believe for the first time) his 3 grittiest veterans and they got the job done.