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O F F T HE D R AW ATT CULLEN may have skated his last shift in the NHL, but that doesn't mean he's hanging up his skates. The 42-year-old native of Virginia, Minn., called it a career after 21 NHL seasons, handing the mantel of the league's oldest play- er to Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara, who is also 42 years old. "For me to be able to take [my sons] to the rink and play with them on the ice, as a dad, that's as good as it gets," Cullen said short- ly after his July 20th announce- ment. "I couldn't ask for more. That's what I had as a kid and to be able to share it with my kids is my greatest joy." Selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 1996 NHL Draft after one season at 1,651 Chris Chelios 1,516 Matt Cullen 1,499 Mike Modano k Dustin Brown leads all active U.S. players with 1,117 NHL games played DIVERSITY Members of the United States Senate and lead sponsors of the Congressional Gold Medal bill are urging fellow senators to sign legislation that would award Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress. If approved, O'Ree would join a prestigious group of Congressional Gold Medal recipients that includes Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, and civil rights pioneer Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. At least 67 of 100 senators must cosponsor the bill for it to be considered. In the 435-member House, at least two-thirds, or 290 lawmakers, must cosponsor the legislation. O'Ree was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame last November for his off-ice accomplishments as the NHL's diversity ambassador. O'Ree has assisted in establishing 39 grassroots hockey programs, part of the League's "Hockey is for Everyone" initiative, and has inspired more than 120,000 boys and girls to play hockey. "Willie O'Ree is a pioneer in the game of hockey and is deserving of the distinguished honor of a Congressional Gold Medal," Sens. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) wrote in letters to their colleagues in the Senate. Senators Stump To Honor Willie O'Ree Cullen Calls It Quits St. Cloud State University, Cullen amassed 731 points (266 goals, 465 assists) with eight NHL teams. He currently ranks 19th in NHL history in games played with 1,516, and second-most among American- born players to Chris Chelios (1,651). He also won three Stanley Cups with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. "I'll always have the Cups and those memories. But when I think back on those times, what really stands out is watching my boys with those guys," said Cullen, who will join the Penguins player development staff. "Those are the memories I'll treasure probably more than any- thing. Just seeing them around the room every day. I know the boys will remember it forever." P 8 // SEPTEMBER 2019 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM NHL M NHL games played by American- born players Willie O'Ree PHOTOS BY Getty Images