The Good Life – November-December 2017

COVER // MATT CULLEN
"It was a difficult decision because Pittsburgh had been
so good to us, and obviously winning the (Stanley) Cup
the last two years — you can't beat that,” he said. “The
people of Pittsburgh have welcomed us like family and
everything was just perfect but at a certain point, the kids
need to put down some roots. The fact that we can be
home and the kids can still play and be home is the best
of both worlds."
A Power Play for Family
Back in Pittsburgh, the Cullen boys—Brooks (11), Wyatt
(9) and Joey (7) — had access to a brand new facility where
they could skate their little hearts out while a teacher
worked with them 1-on-1 academically. Returning back
to Minnesota this fall, the three began attending Calvin
Christian — a small, private school in Edina, Minn.
"When we came down here, we thought it was probably
time to put them into a real school and start making that
transition,” Cullen said. “We just had a really unique
window in Pittsburgh where everything fell into place
perfectly and we could do our own little academy.”
When the season ramps up and dad begins traveling for
games, Cullen’s kids and wife, Bridget, can make quick
trips home to Moorhead for birthdays and holidays with
family.
While the first years of their lives may have been busy,
the Cullen boys have had their fair share of fun, spending
time in the locker room and around other NHL players.
"That's one of my favorite things about this,” Cullen said.
“I can't really teach them much else so for me to be able
to give them that opportunity — to have them at the rink,
be a part of all this — is special. It makes me, as a dad,
happy knowing these are experiences that will hopefully
last them a lifetime."
The Reality of NHL
Cullen is quick to admit his 20-year NHL career hasn’t
been a cakewalk. The path to the NHL success isn’t
exactly an easy wrist shot on an open net.
“When you first start out, you're fighting so hard to
establish yourself as an NHL player… there are so many
ups and downs that come with that," he said, recalling
earlier years. "You come into the league thinking of
yourself as this kind of player but the NHL is really hard.
You have to adapt and find a way to be an effective player
and make the most of your talents.”
But a little hard work never scared Cullen. Even in high
school, when he was considered a little too slow, he
worked harder instead of accepting defeat.
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