Former Pittsburgh Penguins stars inducted into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
Photo credit: HTR
Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen, two legendary players in Pittsburgh Penguins history, have been inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame.
Together, the two won four Stanley Cups with the Penguins, and on Thursday they were honored for their extraordinary careers that have had a lasting impact on the team and the larger hockey community.
After spending parts of ten seasons with the Penguins from 1987 to 2002, the now-59-year-old Kevin Stevens had an outstanding run. His contribution was crucial in enabling the team to win the Stanley Cup twice in a row, in 1991 and 1992. Stevens accumulated 260 goals, 295 assists, and 555 points while he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, ranking him in the top 10 of multiple team records.
«I loved being there. We had a great bunch of guys,» Stevens said. «Craig Patrick built a great team. Bob Johnson was there, our coach things just seemed to fall in place for me there. I got to play with great players, and we started to build championship teams in the early 90s. So, Pittsburgh was the start of my life, basically, you know? I was in college in the Olympics, but really becoming a man and being in that city when I was, it was just a great time. I loved Pittsburgh, I still love Pittsburgh, but my early years in Pittsburgh in my early career was where I kind of started.»
Three-time NHL All-Star Stevens is inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside other Penguins greats such as, Joe Mullen, Gordie Roberts, Tom Barrasso, and Craig Patrick, who were all important players on those early '90s championship teams.
Matt Cullen, 47, on the other hand, had a legendary NHL career that lasted from 1997 to 2019. He played three seasons in Pittsburgh, where he was a major factor in the 2016 and 2017 Penguins Stanley Cup victories.
«It's especially cool that this is happening in Pittsburgh, because for me, it's such a special place,» Cullen said. «We had so many fun years there. The two years we won the Cup, I had my young family, my young boys were around the locker room. It was kind of life coming full circle for me growing up in a locker room with my dad (Terry) as a coach. It has always been a special place for me, and it's just awesome we get to come back for the ceremony.»
Matt Cullen participated in 1,516 NHL games overall, scoring 266 goals and providing 465 assists. Matt Cullen's leadership role with the Penguins organization is still active, even after his playing career has ended. Notably, he added another honor to his remarkable career in 2006 when he and the Carolina Hurricanes won a Cup.
With the induction of Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen, there are now 17 Penguins-related figures in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, further solidifying the team's illustrious legacy in the game.
Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen will be recognized in front of their hometown supporters when they are inducted on December 4 in Pittsburgh. It's an opportunity for Penguins supporters to honor two significant individuals who shaped the history of the team.
Previously on Hockey Trade Rumours
| POLL | ||
5 SEPTEMBRE | 94 ANSWERS Former Pittsburgh Penguins stars inducted into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Do you remember watching Matt Cullen and Kevin Stevens play with the Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 66 | 70.2 % |
| Matt Cullen | 3 | 3.2 % |
| Kevin Stevens | 10 | 10.6 % |
| No | 15 | 16 % |
| List of polls | ||
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