Former Penguins stars Kevin Stevens, Matt Cullen elected to United States Hockey Hall of Fame

PITTSBURGH — Two former Pittsburgh Penguins players have been elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen are the 16th and 17th players or builders with ties to the Penguins elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, the team said. Both players currently work in the organization, with Stevens serving as a Special Assignment Scout and Cullen serving as a Player Development Coach.

Prior to their current roles, Stevens and Cullen both won back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in the ‘Burgh, with Stevens’ wins coming in 1991 and 1992 and Cullen’s being in 2016 and 2017.

Stevens spent 10 seasons with the Pens and notched 260 goals, 295 assist and 555 points in 522 career regular-season games in the Black and Gold. He sits seventh on the Penguins all-time list for goals, 10th in assists and ninth in points.

During the 1991 and 1992 playoff runs, Stevens had 30 goals, 31 assists and 61 points across 45 games. He led the playoffs in goals in 1991 and scored game-winning during both postseasons.

A three-time NHL All-Star, Stevens appeared in 874 regular-season games with Pittsburgh, the New York Rangers, Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia, totaling 329 goals, 397 assists and 726 points. He also represented the United States at the 1988 Olympic Games and won a bronze medal with the United States at the 1996 World Championship.

Cullen, who was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 1996, recorded 731 regular-season points over career spanning 21 seasons and 1,516 games, which is the second-most all-time by an American-born player. He played for the Ducks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and the Penguins.

A three-time Stanley Cup Champion, Cullen won hockey’s biggest honor with Carolina in 2006 and then with the Penguins twice in 2016 and 2017.

In 225 regular-season games with the Penguins, Cullen recorded 36 goals, 47 assists and 83 points. He served as an alternate captain in parts of each of his three seasons with Pittsburgh, and his seven shorthanded goals during that span were more than any other Penguin, the team said.

Cullen’s 21 shorthanded goals are tied for the ninth-most by an American-born player in NHL history.

Cullen has represented the United States internationally multiple times, including four appearances at the World Championship (1998, ‘99, ‘03, ‘04), where he won a bronze medal in 2004, and once at the World Junior Championship (1996).

The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class formal Induction Celebration will take place on Dec. 4 in Pittsburgh. Additional details will be released by USA Hockey later this month.

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