After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Moorhead native Matt Cullen is back on the Wild this season for his second stint with the team. Cullen, 41, chatted recently with the Star Tribune's Michael Rand:
Q OK, I have a confession: I'm three days older than you. But the difference is that nobody tells me I'm too old to do my job. Does that get annoying to you when people bring up your age all the time?
A Nah, you know what, it completely comes with the territory. It's not something [that] ever really bothers me. I guess I take it more as a compliment than anything. I remember when I was a young guy thinking that the guys who were 35 were so old, so it's come full circle. I don't mind it at all.
Q Is there a secret to playing this long?
A There are a lot of different answers to that question, but it's about doing everything in your power to take care of yourself and give yourself the chance to perform at a high level. I bought into the nutrition and training at a young age, and I've tried to evolve my training and the way I go about things. I love to play the game, and I've always enjoyed the training side. I do know there's also a lot of good fortune. It's a physical sport, and I've been pretty fortunate.
Q I know part of the reason you signed here was family-oriented, seeing your three boys play hockey. How is that aspect of things going so far?
A It's really fun. I've really enjoyed it. Being home in Minnesota for the winter, I mean those are my best memories as a kid. I'm just really happy we're able to give our family that. Having three boys who love the game of hockey, it's great to give them those opportunities and go through those experiences with them. That's one of the only negatives of this profession — you travel a lot and have to move away. To have an opportunity to play here, it's been awesome. I'm thrilled. We're already talking about building a rink in the backyard.
Q I know you got to bring the Stanley Cup to your hometown of Moorhead. What was that day like?
