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Matt Cullen

U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame Announces 2024 Class

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The USA Hockey Hall of Fame has announced that they’ll be enshrining NHL veterans Matt Cullen and Kevin Stevens, Women’s Hockey legend Brianna Decker, original Chicago Blackhawks owner Frederic McLaughlin, and the entirety of the gold medal-winning 2002 Paralympic Sled Hockey team.

Cullen played in parts of 21 NHL seasons between 1997 and 2019. His career kicked off with six years in Anaheim, where he planted his feet as a routine, middle-six centerman and scored 200 points across 427 games. He was traded to Florida in 2003, serving as the main return in a deal that delivered Sandis Ozolinsh and Lance Ward to Anaheim. That move kicked off the journeyman style that Cullen quickly became known for. He moved teams five more times before 2010 – including a brief stint with the Stanley Cup-winning 2006 Carolina Hurricanes. That was the first of three Stanley Cups that Cullen would hoist; earning the latter two as part of Pittsburgh’s back-to-back Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. He played in two more seasons after that final Cup win, but ultimately decided to hang up the skates in 2019, after recording 1,516 games and 731 points in the NHL. Cullen has served as a development coach for the Penguins ever since.

Stevens was a part of Pittsburgh’s other back-to-back Cup wins, serving as an instrumental scorer on the 1991 and 1992 Cup-winning teams. He scored a career-high 54 goals and 123 points in the latter season, adding 28 points in 21 postseason games during the Cup run. It was the headlining year in Stevens’ decade-long tenure with the Penguins, ended by a 1995 trade to the Boston Bruins. Like Cullen, the trade kicked off a journeyman stage of Stevens’ career – leading him through one year in Boston, two in Los Angeles, three with the Rangers, and even 23 games with the Philadelphia Flyers. But Stevens returned home in midway through the 2000-01 season, playing in 32 more games with Pittsburgh before retiring at the age of 36. He ended his career with 726 points in 874 games – including two 100-point and two 80-point seasons. Stevens was hired into a scouting position with Pittsburgh in 2005. He maintains the role to this day.

Decker has built a resume that might rival the multiple Cup wins of Cullen and Stevens. She’s won gold on every stage, including twice at the World-U18 Championship, once at the Olympics, and six different times at the Women’s World Championship. Decker’s first taste of international play came at the 2008 World-U18 Championship, when she managed seven points in five games at the age of 17. She was elevated to the World Championship roster in 2011 and stayed on the lineup through 2021. Decker managed a dazzling 28 goals and 68 points in 44 games through the decade of Worlds experience – scoring that was complimented by her nine points in 11 games as part of three Olympics, and routine point-per-game scoring in pro women’s leagues. Her career ended with just one appearance at the 2022 Winter Olympics – though she’s joined Team USA as an assistant coach at the last two Women’s World U18 Championships.

McLaughlin is the first non-player on this list. He’s instead the man who brought the NHL to Illinois – purchasing the rights to a Chicago-based expansion team in 1926. As rumor tells it, McLaughlin decided to name the team the “Black Hawks” after the U.S. Army’s 86th Infantry “Blackhawk” Division, where McLaughlin rose to the rank of Major during World War I, commanding the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion. McLaughlin had no prior ice hockey business experience, but built a pipeline between Chicago and the WHL that delivered plenty of high-impact pros to the new club. With those investments, McLaughlin was able to lead his team to Stanley Cup wins in 1934 and 1938 – though Chicago has since vindicated his legacy with four more Cup wins. He became revered across the hockey world, even being dubbed, “the biggest nut I’ve ever met” by then-Maple Leafs manager Conn Smythe, as captured in Blades on Ice: A Century of Professional Hockey by Chrys Goyens and Frank Orr. McLaughlin passed away at the age of 67 – owning the Blackhawks until his death. He was inaugurated into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.

Finally, the 2002 Team USA Paralympic Sled team earned a milestone victory with their gold medal. It was America’s first time winning the event, eight years after its inception. They went undefeated through six games, beating out Norway 4-3 in the Gold Medal game. The lineup was led by Sylvester Flis, whose 11 goals and 18 points still stand as tournament records. Team USA has since become the kings of sled hockey, taking home Gold at the last four Paralympics. That legacy began with this club – and the USA Hockey Hall of Fame will now be acknowledging that contribution.

Adam Johnson Passes Away

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Former NHL forward Adam Johnson has tragically passed away after suffering a major medical emergency during a game last night with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers. Nottingham confirmed his passing this morning after Johnson suffered a cut during a game against the Sheffield Steelers last night. The 29-year-old was attended to by medical personnel as fans were asked to leave the arena after the incident had occurred. A statement from Johnson’s former NHL team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, can be found here.

The unfortunate sequence of events started with a collision at center ice that caused Johnson to suffer an injury to his throat. The players from both teams formed a circle around him before screens were brought onto the ice as paramedics attended to him. This morning the Panthers released an official statement saying:

The Nottingham Panthers are truly devastated to announce that Adam Johnson has tragically passed away following a freak accident at the game in Sheffield last night. The club will dearly miss him and will never forget him. Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player but also a great team-mate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him.

The full statement is available here.

Johnson was born in Minnesota and was in his first season in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) after joining the Panthers this offseason. He began playing as a professional in 2017 after spending two years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he won an NCHC championship in 2017. He spent the first three years of his pro career with the Penguins organization and did dress in some NHL games with the club, posting a goal and three assists in 13 games spread over two NHL seasons. In his AHL career, Johnson dressed in 257 career AHL games with the Ontario Reign, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He registered 50 career AHL goals and 87 assists.

Former NHLer Matt Cullen told Rob Rossi of The Athletic that Johnson was “An unreal kid, just a great guy. A salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. So humble and a very easy person to be around. He’s one of those guys who just loves the game and being around the rink with the guys.”

PHR joins the entire hockey world in mourning the passing of Adam Johnson. Our condolences to the Johnson family and all of his teammates, friends, and peers.

Snapshots: Vanecek, Rierden, Brassard, Scandella

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Although the Capitals find themselves comfortably in a playoff spot, goaltending has been an issue for them at times this season.  Both Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov have had chances at starting and at other times, they’ve platooned when both are healthy.  Speaking with J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington, head coach Peter Laviolette indicated that he’d like to give Vanecek a chance to run with the number one job when he returns from his upper-body injury with the hope of solidifying their netminding before the playoffs.  While Washington has very limited cap space to work with, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them keep tabs on the goalie market for the time being in case Vanecek isn’t able to play with consistency which was an issue for him in the first half of the season.

More from the around the NHL:

  • Penguins assistant coach Todd Rierden is out indefinitely after suffering a knee injury when he slipped on ice while shoveling during the All-Star break, notes Johnny McGonigal of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is set to undergo surgery on Monday.  Matt Cullen, who works in Pittsburgh’s player development department, will join up with the team on Monday to help with their power play.
  • Flyers center Derick Brassard missed today’s game due to soreness, relays Giana Han of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The veteran has dealt with lingering hip issues all season long that has caused him to miss time on three separate occasions.  Head coach Mike Yeo indicated that the decision to give him the game off was so that he wouldn’t have to “go through all that” again so it appears they’re taking some precautions to avoid another extended absence.  When healthy, Brassard has done well this season with 11 points in 20 games.
  • Blues defenseman Marco Scandella has a lower-body injury that will keep him out either day-to-day or week-to-week, notes team reporter Chris Pinkert. The injury was sustained on Thursday against New Jersey.  Scandella had played in every game this season although his 17:29 ATOI is the lowest of any of his full seasons.  With that strange of a designation, it seems reasonable to suggest that he’ll miss at least a couple of games.

Matt Cullen Hired By Pittsburgh Penguins

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Matt Cullen is back with the Pittsburgh Penguins once again. The veteran forward who announced his retirement last month has been hired by the Penguins in a player development role and will work closely with GM Jim Rutherford and head coach Mike Sullivan. Rutherford explained the hiring:

Matt’s knowledge of the game and understanding of our organization will make him a valuable asset moving forward.With over 20 years in the NHL and three Stanley Cups, we are certain he will continue to have a positive influence on our players.

Cullen, 42, hung up his skates after a 21-year NHL career that included two Stanley Cups with the Penguins. He was a beloved figure in the dressing room and an integral part to the consecutive titles of 2016-17. Now joining the front office he’ll try to pass on some of that experience to the next wave of Pittsburgh talent. If there ever seemed a player destined to jump right into coaching it would be Cullen, who may very well never actually take a season off. Sullivan explained just why he’ll be valuable to the team:

Cully was a cerebral player with great leadership skills. He is a natural coach who will offer great insight to our coaching staff and to our players. We look forward to adding him to our staff.

Cullen played more than 1,500 games in his NHL career, the second-most ever by an American-born player. Not bad for a second-round pick out of St. Cloud State.

Matt Cullen Announces Retirement

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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.

Penguins Place Patric Hornqvist On IR, Activate Matt Cullen

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a slightly different look up front tonight and moving forward, after the shuffling a pair of injured players. The team announced that Patric Hornqvist has been placed on the injured reserve, retroactive to November 6th, while Matt Cullen has been activated. Hornqvist has been in-and-out of action since late November, while Cullen returns after missing the past eleven games.

Hornqvist suffered a concussion in November and missed three games in the final week of the month. However, Hornqvist did return to action for three more games after that. Yet, he has been back out of the lineup for the past two games with an undisclosed upper-body injury that may or may not be related to his previous concussion. Regardless, the Penguins will miss their power forward, who has 19 points on the year, including 12 goals, which trails only Sidney Crosby for the team lead.

The team will be happy to get veteran leader Cullen back, though. Cullen may not have much an offensive spark left, but is a reliable two-way forward and more importantly a key locker room leader. So long as Cullen isn’t slowed by his return from a lower-body injury, he should slot back into his regular fourth line role. Cullen registered 22 points in 79 games with the Minnesota Wild last season and could return to a similar scoring clip once he’s back to full strength for the Penguins.

Matt Cullen Out “Longer Term” With Lower-Body Injury

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are struggling to stay relevant this season, finding themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and on a three-game losing streak. The seemingly perennial Stanley Cup contenders haven’t been able to contend for much of anything this year, and still face the prospect of a Sidney Crosby-less lineup taking on the Buffalo Sabres later tonight. Unfortunately for the club, another key veteran center will be out as well. Head coach Mike Sullivan announced that Matt Cullen will be out “longer term” today after the morning skate, citing a lower-body injury.

Cullen, 42, has played more this season than some had expected when he signed a one-year contract at the league minimum this summer. The veteran is a beloved member of the Pittsburgh dressing room going back to his consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017, but looked like a depth signing that would be buried behind several other options down the middle. Instead, Cullen has played in 18 games this season and is averaging nearly 12 minutes a night. He even has four points in those 18 games, contributing more than anyone could have expected.

Unfortunately, those contributions haven’t helped the team in the standings as the Penguins now sit at 7-8-3 and are tied with the Florida Panthers for last place in the Eastern Conference. That record includes a 2-7-1 run in their last ten, a plummet to the bottom that has only been amplified by Crosby’s recent absence. Losing Cullen obviously won’t make the same impact, but it’s just another factor in the decision making process of GM Jim Rutherford, who has already entered the trade market by swapping Carl Hagelin for Tanner Pearson, and could very well make more moves to try and turn things around.

Penguins’ Matt Cullen Fined For Dangerous Trip

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The NHL Department of Player Safety has made a ruling today on an incident that no one has considered ripe for supplemental discipline. Player Safety announced that veteran Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen has received a $1,000 fine for a “dangerous trip” of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s J.T. Miller in last night’s game. A minimum fine by any measure for a pro athlete, $1,000 equates to 0.0015 of Cullen’s $650K salary or approximately one-eighth of his game check.

The incident in question occurred late in the first period of a 4-3 win for the Lightning. Cullen’s stick appeared to jab Miller in the back of the right leg as he was about receive a pass in the offensive zone, sending the Bolts forward toppling backward. Cullen was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for tripping and Brayden Point scored on the resulting power play for Tampa Bay. Apparently, this was not enough for Player Safety who, while not expanding on their decision, felt that this trip qualified as “dangerous” and worthy of a fine.

Cullen recently voiced his opinion about the NHL’s system of punishing its players, citing his displeasure with the appeals process and the overturned suspension by a neutral arbitrator of rival Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson. Cullen, 42, is a well-respected veteran player who himself likely has a future beyond his playing days with the league or in a front office. Yet, there would be quite a degree of comical irony if he was to appeal his own minor punishment, perhaps even all the way to a neutral arbitrator. Seeing as this fine is relatively random, he may even have a case. Cullen, of course, is unlikely to move forward with an appeal of $1,000 fine unless only to display his own opinion on the redundancy of the NHL’s appeals process.

Reactions To Tom Wilson’s Suspension Reduction

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When a polarizing player like Tom Wilson ends up on the winning side of a suspension appeal, the response from the masses is predictably negative. Wilson’s latest dirty hit, a check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist, was as bad as any in Wilson’s murky history and few batted an eye at the resulting 20-game suspension. Yet, his appeal’s final stage landed with a neutral arbitrator who took issue with the NHL Department of Player Safety’s use of a multiplier that was not rooted in the Collective Bargaining Agreement nor was it supported by precedent. Just like that, Wilson’s suspension was reduced to 14 games and he is right back on the ice tonight for the Washington Capitals. Unsurprisingly, fans, pundits, and competitors alike are not impressed with the decision:

  • One of the few happy to see Wilson back early is Washington GM Brian MacLellan and even he is treading carefully on the subject. MacLellan sat down with NHL.com’s Dan Rose and made it clear that Wilson has to change his game if he wants to stay on the ice. “We’ve talked about it numerous times,” MacLellan said, “there are certain hits that he just has to stop trying… He’s going to have to avoid some hits and he’s going to have to let up on some hits also. You can’t have the same force because he hits hard and it looks bad, and sometimes he’s going to be evaluated on the force.” For MacLellan and the Caps – who signed Wilson to a massive six-year, $31MM contract this off-season – they simply need Wilson to stay active and contribute, as they’re paying him to do. “At the end of the day, missing 15, 16 games, it can’t happen,” Wilson himself commented on the incident. The question now is whether or not MacLellan and the team can actually influence Wilson into changing his playing style.
  • One fellow player frustrated with both the process and result is Pittsburgh Penguins veteran Matt Cullen. Cullen, 42, has been around longer than virtually every other player in the NHL today and knows a thing or two about how the game operates, or at least how it should. Cullen told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that “When the next CBA comes up, that’s something we (should) address… I don’t think anybody is real happy with it.” Mackey points out that Cullen is unlikely to still be around when the next agreement is negotiated, but the opinion of a respected player still carries weight. Cullen is disappointed not only in the reduction of the suspension – the rival Penguins are no fans of Wilson – but more so in how it occurred. “I don’t think it’s a good look for our league, for our game to need to go to appeals… You’d like the headlines to be about the play on the ice and the players, not the other (stuff) going on outside of the game… I think most guys probably don’t love that — that it got reduced in that manner as far as going to appeal after appeal.” Interestingly, neutral arbitration is very much a player-friendly process that the NHLPA fought for. The idea is to take away any bias from the league by allowing a third party to review all of the facts independently. Yet, Cullen makes a good point that the ordeal is lengthy and not ideal optically either. Especially given that the Department of Player Safety is run mostly by former players, perhaps Cullen speaks on behalf of all players that in the next CBA they would be better off with eliminating the independent arbitrator.
  • And what of the arbitrator himself? Shyam Das has been a thorn in the side of the NHL, but likely won’t be for much longer. While an independent arbitrator, Das is employed by the league for his services. In overturning Wilson’s suspension, Das has now decided for the player in each of his three cases for the league: Wilson, Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson, and then-Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman. Each of those three cases were high-profile and concerning a sensitive subject; Wideman attacked a referee, Watson was accused of domestic assault, and Wilson is the league’s most notorious “thug”. In each instance, the NHL would have very much liked to have seen their decision hold, only to have Das contradict them. Das was fired by Major League Baseball for similarly one-sided decisions and his time with the NHL will likely end the same way.

Matt Cullen Likely To Retire Following 2018-19 Season

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While there has been a fair bit of speculation over the last few years regarding when center Matt Cullen may decide to call it a career, it appears he’s leaning towards making the upcoming season his last.  In an interview with Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Cullen acknowledged that his current mindset is that he is entering his final year:

“I’m definitely going into [the 2018-19 season] thinking that this is probably it.  I’m not going to formally announce anything before the season starts, but I think this probably is it.”

Cullen quickly signed a one-year, league minimum contract with the Penguins at the beginning of free agency after spending last season with Minnesota.  He struggled with the Wild, collecting just 22 points in 79 games, his lowest output since 2003-04 while his average playing time dipped to a career-low 11:54 per night.  At one point last year, it was expected that Cullen was going to be dealt back to Pittsburgh and while the deal ultimately fell through, the 41-year-old believes it was “awfully close” to coming to fruition.

His role two years ago with the Pens was as their fourth line center but it’s far from a guarantee that he will be back in that spot.  Pittsburgh is set to get full seasons out of Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan who presently slide into their final two spots down the middle while they also added Derek Grant last month in free agency with the expectation that he will push for a spot as well.  As a result, Cullen may be entering his final year as a player who may need injuries to strike to get significant playing time.

If he can find a way to get into 55 games next season though, he would reach the 1,500 games played mark for his career, something that only 18 other players in league history have managed to accomplish.  That would certainly be quite the milestone to cap his playing days.

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