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Matt Cullen

#7 · Centre · Pittsburgh Penguins

Born Nov 2, 1976 in Virginia, Minnesota, USA · 6'1", 202 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 35th overall in 1996 by ANA (round 2)

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Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2014-15. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Peter Holland TOR · 25 P in 62 GP Ryan Garbutt DAL · 25 P in 67 GP Bo Horvat VAN · 25 P in 68 GP Riley Nash CAR · 25 P in 68 GP Stephen Weiss DET · 25 P in 52 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

0102030401997-98: 27 points2797-981998-99: 25 points251999-00: 39 points3999-002000-01: 40 points402001-02: 48 points4801-022002-03: 33 points332003-04: 19 points1903-042005-06: 49 points492006-07: 41 points4106-072007-08: 49 points492008-09: 43 points4308-092009-10: 48 points482010-11: 39 points3910-112011-12: 35 points352012-13: 27 points2712-132013-14: 39 points392014-15: 25 points2514-152015-16: 32 points322016-17: 31 points3116-172017-18: 22 points222018-19: 20 points2018-19

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
1997-98 ANA 61 6 21 27 -4 23 75 39 0.44
1998-99 ANA 75 11 14 25 -12 47 112 41 0.33
1999-00 ANA 80 13 26 39 5 24 137 74 0.49
2000-01 ANA 82 10 30 40 -23 38 159 49 0.49
2001-02 ANA 79 18 30 48 -1 24 164 57 0.61
2002-03 ANA 50 7 14 21 -4 12 77 0 0.42
2002-03 FLA 30 6 6 12 -4 22 54 12 0.40
2003-04 FLA 56 6 13 19 -2 24 75 37 0.34
2005-06 CAR 78 25 24 49 4 40 214 26 0.63
2006-07 NYR 80 16 25 41 0 52 217 61 0.51 $2.875M
2007-08 CAR 59 13 36 49 2 32 137 33 0.83 $2.875M
2008-09 CAR 69 22 21 43 11 20 139 41 0.62 $2.875M
2009-10 CAR 60 12 28 40 0 26 137 63 0.67 $2.875M
2009-10 OTT 21 4 4 8 -7 8 58 12 0.38
2010-11 MIN 78 12 27 39 -14 34 150 39 0.50 $3.5M
2011-12 MIN 73 14 21 35 -10 24 164 46 0.48 $3.5M
2012-13 MIN 42 7 20 27 9 10 79 18 0.64 $3.5M
2013-14 NSH 77 10 29 39 4 32 134 18 0.51 $3.5M
2014-15 NSH 62 7 18 25 8 16 90 10 0.40 $3.5M
2015-16 PIT 82 16 16 32 5 20 118 40 0.39 $800K
2016-17 PIT 72 13 18 31 4 30 93 36 0.43 $1M
2017-18 MIN 79 11 11 22 -1 20 104 14 0.28 $1M
2018-19 PIT 71 7 13 20 6 14 87 32 0.28 $650K
21 seasons Career 1516 266 465 731 -24 592 2774 798 0.48

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
1998-99 ANA 4 0 0 0 -2 0 6 7 0.00
2005-06 CAR 25 4 14 18 2 12 56 27 0.72
2006-07 NYR 10 1 3 4 -2 6 23 9 0.40
2008-09 CAR 18 3 3 6 0 14 29 16 0.33
2009-10 OTT 6 3 5 8 -3 0 14 6 1.33
2012-13 MIN 5 0 3 3 1 2 8 3 0.60
2014-15 NSH 6 1 1 2 -1 4 11 6 0.33
2015-16 PIT 24 4 2 6 3 8 25 25 0.25
2016-17 PIT 25 2 7 9 -1 24 22 20 0.36
2017-18 MIN 5 1 1 2 -3 2 4 3 0.40
2018-19 PIT 4 0 0 0 -1 0 3 6 0.00
11 seasons Playoffs 132 19 39 58 -7 72 201 128 0.44

2014-15 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
62 7 18 25 8 16 90 10 0.40 7.8 13:01

Contract

$3.5MCap hit2014-15
$140KCap dollars per point25 points in 62 games
$942KCap dollars per goal above replacement3.7 goals above replacement
$2.8MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
-$712KValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 649 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Who signed him to it, and when, are not on record. When it ends is not known.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
2018-19 to 2018-19 $650K
2016-17 to 2017-18 $1M
2015-16 to 2015-16 $800K
2012-13 to 2014-15 $3.5M
2010-11 to 2012-13 $3.5M
2006-07 to 2009-10 $2.875M

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2014-15 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2014-15 analytics

Regular season Playoffs

Rating

+3.7Goals above replacement272nd of 665 skaters, 192nd of 432 forwards
+0.6Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+1.5Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 432 ranked forwards: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile.

Even-strength offence+0.8 60th percentileEven-strength defence+0.7 63rd percentilePower play-0.1 53rd percentilePenalty kill0.0 39th percentilePenalties0.0 37th percentile

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater, and the rank beside it is among forwards. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

-2024682010-112012-132014-152016-172018-19Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

53.5Corsi for %695 attempts for, 604 against
-0.1CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
56.3Expected goals for %28.6 expected for, 22.2 against
+2.0xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
54.4Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
58.9Goals for %33 for, 23 against
101.6PDO8.3% shooting + 93.3% saves
143Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 585 skaters who played enough to be ranked: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile. PDO and attempts taken are left plain, since neither is good or bad on its own.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Matt Cullen · Gabriel Bourque · Calle Jarnkrok12103:5559.167.72-4
Matt Cullen · Mike Fisher · Craig Smith15101:5057.154.212-1
Matt Cullen · Derek Roy · Craig Smith877:2053.154.95-4
Matt Cullen · Olli Jokinen · Derek Roy549:4752.167.52-2

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

7Goalsnot counting empty-netters
9.1Expected goalsfrom 130 unblocked attempts
-2.1Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.67 expected goals per 60 minutes47th
Shot quality 7.0% chance per attempt40th
Finishing -2.1 goals above expected31stOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 415 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

02468Game 20Game 40Game 60Expected 9.1Goals 7

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took this season, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. Darker red means more attempts from that spot, and each dot is a goal. "Show every shot" switches to a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 11, 2015 @ DAL L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:19
Apr 9, 2015 vs MIN L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 12:37
Apr 7, 2015 @ COL L 2-3 0 1 1 -1 0 2 0 12:14
Apr 4, 2015 vs DAL L 3-4 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12:51
Mar 21, 2015 vs BUF W 3-0 0 2 2 1 0 3 0 11:09
Mar 17, 2015 vs MIN L 2-3 (OT) 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 11:24
Mar 15, 2015 @ ANA L 2-4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 14:26
Mar 14, 2015 @ LAK W 2-1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 10:47
Mar 12, 2015 @ SJS L 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13:25
Mar 9, 2015 @ ARI W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:14
Mar 7, 2015 vs WPG L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 11:01
Mar 5, 2015 vs NYI L 3-4 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 12:24
Mar 3, 2015 @ NJD L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14:35
Mar 2, 2015 @ NYR L 1-4 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 11:45
Feb 28, 2015 vs DET L 3-4 1 1 2 2 0 3 0 10:46
Feb 26, 2015 vs MIN L 2-4 0 2 2 2 2 1 0 13:19
Feb 24, 2015 vs COL W 5-2 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 10:50
Feb 22, 2015 @ BUF W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 11:50
Feb 21, 2015 @ PHI L 2-3 (SO) 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 10:36
Feb 19, 2015 @ NYI L 2-5 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 12:08
Feb 17, 2015 vs SJS W 5-1 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 10:48
Feb 14, 2015 vs NJD W 3-1 1 1 2 2 0 2 0 10:43
Feb 12, 2015 vs WPG W 3-1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 14:32
Feb 10, 2015 vs TBL W 3-2 (OT) 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 17:59
Feb 8, 2015 @ FLA W 3-2 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 15:53
Feb 7, 2015 vs NYR W 3-2 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 14:31
Feb 5, 2015 vs ANA L 2-5 0 0 0 -3 0 2 0 12:41
Feb 3, 2015 vs TOR W 4-3 0 0 0 -1 0 2 0 13:02
Feb 1, 2015 @ PIT W 4-0 0 0 0 1 0 3 2 11:30
Jan 30, 2015 @ COL L 0-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14:41
Jan 29, 2015 @ STL L 4-5 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 13:57
Jan 27, 2015 vs COL W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 4 0 15:44
Jan 20, 2015 @ MTL L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 12:27
Jan 17, 2015 @ DET L 2-5 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 12:07
Jan 16, 2015 vs WSH W 4-3 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 10:37
Jan 13, 2015 vs VAN W 5-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 11:39
Jan 10, 2015 @ MIN W 3-1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 12:34
Dec 27, 2014 vs PHI W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11:51
Dec 23, 2014 @ BOS L 3-5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13:55
Dec 22, 2014 @ CBJ W 5-1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 15:17
Dec 20, 2014 @ MIN W 6-5 (OT) 1 1 2 -1 0 4 0 17:54
Dec 16, 2014 vs BOS W 3-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 15:43
Dec 13, 2014 @ SJS L 0-2 0 0 0 -1 0 2 1 12:56
Dec 11, 2014 @ ARI W 5-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 13:15
Dec 9, 2014 @ COL W 3-0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 13:53
Dec 6, 2014 vs CHI L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 10:04
Dec 4, 2014 vs STL W 4-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 09:55
Dec 2, 2014 @ CAR L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 13:44
Nov 29, 2014 vs CBJ W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 11:57
Nov 25, 2014 vs LAK W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11:42
Nov 22, 2014 vs FLA W 3-2 (SO) 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 13:06
Nov 20, 2014 @ OTT L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 13:11
Nov 18, 2014 @ TOR W 9-2 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 11:49
Nov 15, 2014 vs WPG W 2-1 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 09:54
Nov 13, 2014 @ STL L 3-4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 08:29
Nov 11, 2014 vs EDM W 3-2 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 13:39
Nov 8, 2014 @ STL W 2-1 0 0 0 -1 0 2 0 14:02
Nov 6, 2014 @ DAL W 3-2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 13:23
Nov 4, 2014 @ WPG L 1-3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 14:11
Nov 2, 2014 @ VAN W 3-1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 15:10
Oct 31, 2014 @ CGY L 3-4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 18:26
Oct 29, 2014 @ EDM W 4-1 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 15:18