Pittsburgh Penguins: What Matt Cullen Means to the Pens’ Youth
By Mike Necciai
So, as you know by now, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed their fourth line center in 38-year old Matt Cullen. And, as expected, many around the Pens community are less than satisfied at the potential of youth being pushed back to the AHL.
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Matt Cullen is old by hockey standards. He’ll be 39 in November. But, at this point for the Pittsburgh Penguins it isn’t his age that’s important, it’s his price tag and production that made him necessary.
The consensus that has a lot of the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful upset is that this acquisition stymies Oskar Sundqvist’s chance at playing in the NHL this season. However, that isn’t necessarily true. In reality, it means that Sundqvist won’t simply be handed the keys to the fourth line, he’ll have to prove he can drive it first.
Before signing Matt Cullen, the Pens would have been banking on a 22-year old with limited North American hockey experience in the pros. Also, a player that was injured when he arrived to Wilkes-Barre for the playoffs a few months ago, and then did not participate in development camp due to injury.
Can you blame Jim Rutherford for wanting to add more depth? There’s always the possibility of Nick Bonino or Eric Fehr playing fourth line center, but that isn’t ideal for either of them.
There are two scenarios that I see here. Sundqvist can come to camp and thoroughly impress the Pittsburgh Penguins coaching staff and end up claiming the fourth line center spot with Cullen on his wing. Or, Cullen will be the better player at that position and Sunqvist will play top line minutes in the AHL. I should also mention that at $800,000, Cullen is the perfect extra forward if the youth in this organization proves to be ready. There will be injuries, and there will be a lot of opportunities for all of these players to see ice time.
I refer to this quite often, but it’s because Jim Rutherford really has stuck to his guns this summer. He clearly stated that he was looking for players that could contribute, but also allow the youth in Pittsburgh to have a chance at winning those positions. He has done exactly that. Eric Fehr and Nick Bonino are both very versatile, and Cullen has played some wing as well. There’s room to maneuver if guys like Sundqvist, Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust, and Scott Wilson can make a case for themselves.
Matt Cullen isn’t a roadblock for the organization’s youth. He’s a known commodity that brings the kind of depth this team has severely lacked. It’s up to the young guys to prove they’re the better player. And, if they’re not, why wouldn’t you want Cullen in the lineup? Competition for roster spots is a good thing.