‘He’s a human CPU’: Meet Joey Cullen, the electric, high-flying 2028 NHL Draft superstar

Joey Cullen is going to get asked a lot of questions about his family’s hockey history. That comes with the territory – just ask Tij Iginla or Caleb Malhotra.

Cullen’s family tree is especially impressive. His father, Matt, is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. Joey’s brother, Wyatt, was a top-10 pick by the Nashville Predators last year, and he’s expected to center USA’s top line at the World Juniors. And that’s only scratching the surface; multiple other family members ended up making the NHL as well.

But Joey might end up being the best of all of them.

The 16-year-old was one of the top recruits for the U-17 USA Hockey National Team Development Program last spring. Many scouts viewed him as the premier offensive threat in the country, with a strong chance of going in the top five in 2028. It’s still exceptionally early, but Cullen hasn’t done anything to suggest it’s not a realistic prediction right now.

Teams love players with NHL bloodlines. Not only did Cullen have his brothers to lean on, but he got to watch his father win two of his Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even at a young age, the experience – and getting to be close to players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – is something he’ll never forget.

“It was unreal,” Cullen told reporters at the U-17 World Challenge last week, with about the biggest smile you’ll ever see. “I was super blessed to be able to be around a lot of great players and see what they do at the highest level.”

That love for the sport blossomed, and Joey, like Wyatt, quickly became a top prospect in his age group. He grew up playing in the Minnesota minor hockey system, where he continuously obliterated goalies in a way few kids his age could compete with. He’d end up winning a USA 14U National Tier 1 championship before taking a Class AA Minnesota High School state championship last spring. Scouts loved what they saw. Cullen had 52 points in 21 games with Honeybaked’s AAA team, as well as another 19 goals and 40 points in 18 games at Moorhead High.

Cullen was easily one of the smartest and most skilled 2010-born prospects in the United States, which helped make USA Hockey’s decision to snag him for its National Team Development Program squad an easy one.

“There wasn’t a kid around making the moves he was in the country,” said one Minnesota-based scout. “He already processes the game at a near-elite level.”

Cullen credits growing up in a hockey-mad family for helping him become the top prospect he is today.

“I’m very fortunate to have my dad and my brothers; I learned everything from them,” Cullen said. “Being able to compete against my brothers a little bit, it helped me a lot growing up, becoming stronger and smarter.”

Cullen had four points in nine games with the USNTDP prior to leaving, which is nothing to scoff at given the U-17 team typically plays against older, more experienced USHL teams. Against his own age group internationally, as well as the U-18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup over the summer, it’s clear that he’s a step ahead of most.

“He’s a human CPU,” another scout said. “You can’t teach that level of hockey sense. But then you pair it with the high-end skating and the shot and the playmaking and there’s really no major shortcoming here.”

Cullen loves to have the puck on his stick, and he’s not afraid to dangle three or four opponents to make the best play possible. He attacks the middle of the ice with pace more so than most teenagers you’ll find. Rather than forcing low-percentage plays, he delays for an extra split-second to let secondary options develop in the slot, showing a level of patience that coaches crave. Cullen has a relentless motor, moving with and without the puck like his father once did. The biggest difference, though, is the raw skill that allows him to win just about every battle, no matter the size of the opponent.

“I feel really confident when I’m playing well,” Cullen said. “I use my hands and my feet together a lot. I’d say [my confidence comes] from practice, and just practicing against a lot of great players and making me better.”

One of the most fascinating elements of Cullen’s game is how deceptive he is. He frequently freezes defenders by selling one intention with his eyes and hips before cutting laterally or slipping a pass through the smallest opening known to man. Not only is he quick, but he knows how to use that speed to his advantage, something many younger players struggle with once they get to junior hockey. He’s as electric as they come.

Cullen is projected as a top-five prospect for the 2028 NHL Draft. There’s still significant runway left until then, but it feels like Cullen has everything going for him. He’s not huge, but at 5-foot-11, he’s already much bigger than his brother was at the same age (5-foot-8). Scouts also think Joey is more intelligent and skilled with the puck, too.

It’s hard to one-up a multi-time Cup champion or a top 10 NHL Draft pick. But Joey Cullen has everything going for him right now – and he’s ready to become a star in his own right.

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