"We talked about anything," Kuhnhackl said. "He taught me so much about being reliable defensively. I can't thank him enough for what he's done for me."
The Penguins dressing room has tons of star power. Sidney Crosby is regarded as arguably the top player in the world, and one of the best captains in all of pro sports. Phil Kessel, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Matt Murray are among the best in the League at what they do.
But Sullivan credited Cullen with being a big part of his team's championship runs each of the past two seasons.
"Matt was invaluable to us winning championships," Sullivan said. "He's a great teammate and I think his play speaks for itself in what he able to do for us on the ice. We used him in so many situations, I moved him up and down the lineup, depending on what the needs were for our team. And he embraced every challenge we gave him."
Unprovoked, Sullivan continued.
"As far as what he meant to our team off the ice, I can't say enough about him," he said. "He's just a great teammate, a great person. We looked at Matt as an extension of our coaching staff and he helped us in so many ways, just to keep our finger on the pulse of the team so that we could make the best decisions to try and help this team be successful. I have so much respect for Matt as a player and a person. He's certainly a guy we miss here in Pittsburgh."
Cullen has won three Stanley Cups in his career and is gunning for a fourth with the Wild this season. But after he's done playing hockey, when his championship rings are locked securely away, it's his effect on the dressing room and the guidance he was able to provide some of Pittsburgh's younger players that Cullen said he will cherish most.
"Just the guy he was, how long he's been in the league. For a guy like me coming up and him kind of taking me under his wing, I was pretty fortunate to have a guy like that," said Penguins forward and Woodbury native Jake Guentzel. "He didn't need to, but he went out of his way to help me out. I was pretty lucky."
That's what it's all about to Cullen, who on many occasions has hearkened back to his early days with Anaheim and Carolina and some of the veterans who did the same things for him.
"It's probably one of the more rewarding parts of playing here, to have some impact on some of the younger guys," Cullen said. "There's some pretty special young kids over there who have done a lot during their careers. I think that, ultimately, you're remembered for the kind of person you are and the effect you have on people, the relationships you build. Especially as you get later in your career, you learn to appreciate that and understand that. It means a lot to me."
