Brett Kulak opens up on his past before hockey and it hits close to home

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Daniel Lucente
January 28, 2026 (4:54 PM)

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Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Brett Kulak turns the Canadian farm boy story into real Pittsburgh Penguins value, because dependability wins games.

He grew up on a beef and grain farm, and it shows in the way he plays.

No panic touches his shifts.

He keeps his reads simple, his gaps tight, and his clears honest.

The following quote fits his whole game:

“You’ve got to get up and get after it every day."

- Brett Kulak

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Kulak used to do that exact work in Edmonton, and Oilers fans know the vibe.

Now he does it in Pittsburgh, after the December 12 trade that made him a Penguin.

He is not here to be flashy, he is here to stabilize a blue line that needs clean exits.

Through January 28, Kulak sits at 1-6-7, and he has already had nights pushing 20-plus minutes when the matchup gets heavy.

Those are "coach trusts you" minutes.

I can feel the fanbase exhale a bit when he is on the ice, because the puck finally stops bouncing into danger.

The Penguins are 26-14-11, and they are living in that nightly grind where one bad turnover flips a point.

Kulak helps shrink that risk, especially on the penalty kill and late-game defensive zone starts.

There’s a contract angle too, his cap hit is manageable and he’s a pending UFA, so every steady week raises his value either way.

If Pittsburgh stays in the race, he’s the kind of second-pair glue you stop noticing, in the best way.

And if the standings turn, dependable defensemen always draw calls before the deadline.

Previously on HockeyUnplugged

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