It was time, Matt Cullen said, after 21 seasons and 1,516 regular-season games, to leave the game.
Sort of.
But just because he formalized his retirement as a player today doesn't mean that Cullen is prepared to give up hockey entirely.
Jim Rutherford said recently that he would seriously consider keeping Cullen in the organization when he decided his playing days were over and confirmed today that there have been discussions with him about a job. Cullen, 42, acknowledged that the idea of moving into an off-ice role has genuine appeal.
"I haven't gone down that road too far," he said.