Playing career

Cullen graduated from Moorhead High School in 1995; his father, Terry Cullen, was the school's Varsity ice hockey coach. During his time at Moorhead High, Cullen led Moorhead to three state tourney appearances and two runner-up finishes. He was an all-state tourney selection three years, and was a Mr. Hockey finalist in 1995, when he was named the state’s Player of the Year by the Associated Press after scoring 47 goals and adding 42 assists in 28 games.

Cullen played at St. Cloud State University from 1995 to 1997, and was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team in 1995 and WCHA All-Star in 1996. He was then drafted in the second round, 35th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Cullen played 5 1/2 seasons with Anaheim before becoming a Florida Panther in 2003. He also played on four World Championship teams and was a 2004 bronze medalist on Team USA.

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Cullen played in the Italian Serie A with SG Cortina, where he led the league in scoring with 27 goals and 33 assists in 36 games.

In the 2005-06 season, after NHL play resumed, Cullen won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. After the season, he became an unrestricted free agent and subsequently signed a four-year contract with the New York Rangers. After just one season with the Rangers, however, Cullen was traded back to Carolina during the 2006-07 off-season in exchange for defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, forward Joe Barnes and a third-round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in the Rangers' attempt to free-up salary space underneath the cap.

On February 22, 2009, Cullen scored the first hat-trick of his career in a game against the Colorado Avalanche. On February 12, 2010, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Alexandre Picard and a second-round draft pick

On July 1, 2010, Cullen returned to his home state when he signed a three-year deal as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild.

Upon the expiration of his three-year contract with the Wild, and with the team facing salary cap constraints, Cullen departed as a free agent and signed a two-year contract with the Nashville Predators on July 5, 2013.

On August 6, 2015, Cullen signed a 1-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, reuniting him with former Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford.

Personal

Cullen is the older brother of EC Red Bull Salzburg player Mark Cullen, as well as of Braehead Clan player Joe Cullen. Matt Cullen has a wife and three sons.

Cullen is a Christian and currently resides in West Fargo, North Dakota, in the off-season with his family.

Cullen founded the "Cullen Children's Foundation", also known as "Cully's Kids", in 2003.

The Cullen Children's Foundation provides financial resources to organizations that support children's healthcare needs with an emphasis on cancer.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1995-96	St. Cloud State	WCHA		39	12	29	41	28		—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	St. Cloud State	WCHA		36	15	30	45	70		—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	Baltimore Bandits	AHL		6	3	3	6	7		3	0	2	2	0
1997-98	Cincinnati Mighty Ducks	AHL		18	15	12	27	2		—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		61	6	21	27	23		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Cincinnati Mighty Ducks	AHL		3	1	2	3	8		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		75	11	14	25	47		4	0	0	0	0
1999-00	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		80	13	26	39	24		—	—	—	—	—
2000-01	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		82	10	30	40	38		—	—	—	—	—
2001-02	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		79	18	30	48	24		—	—	—	—	—
2002-03	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		50	7	14	21	12		—	—	—	—	—
2002-03	Florida Panthers	NHL		30	6	6	12	22		—	—	—	—	—
2003-04	Florida Panthers	NHL		56	6	13	19	24		—	—	—	—	—
2004-05	SG Cortina	ITL		36	27	33	60	64		—	—	—	—	—
2005-06	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		78	25	24	49	40		25	4	14	18	12
2006-07	New York Rangers	NHL		80	16	25	41	50		10	1	3	4	6
2007-08	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		59	13	36	49	32		—	—	—	—	—
2008-09	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		69	22	21	43	20		18	3	3	6	14
2009-10	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		60	12	28	40	26		—	—	—	—	—
2009-10	Ottawa Senators	NHL		21	4	4	8	8		6	3	5	8	0
2010-11	Minnesota Wild	NHL		78	12	27	39	34		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	Minnesota Wild	NHL		73	14	21	35	24		—	—	—	—	—
2012-13	Minnesota Wild	NHL		42	7	20	27	10		5	0	3	3	2
2013-14	Nashville Predators	NHL		77	10	29	39	32		—	—	—	—	—
2014-15	Nashville Predators	NHL		62	7	18	25	16		6	1	1	2	4
2015-16	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		81	16	16	32	20		-	-	-	-	-
NHL totals				1293	235	423	658	528		74	12	29	41	38

International

Medal record
Representing United States
World Championships
	2004 Prague

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1996	United States	WJC	5th		6	3	1	4	0
1998	United States	WC	12th		6	2	1	3	0
1999	United States	WC	6th		6	1	6	7	4
2003	United States	WC	13th		6	1	1	2	2
2004	United States	WC	03 !		9	2	4	6	4
Junior totals					6	3	1	4	0
Senior totals					27	6	12	18	10

Awards and honors

Award	Year
College
All-WCHA Rookie Team	1996
All-WCHA Second Team	1997
NHL
Stanley Cup	2006

[ Source: Wikipedia ]