Grant Fuhr

Early life

One of Grant Fuhr's parents was Black Canadian and the other was a First Nation-Canadian from the Enoch Cree Nation. He was adopted by Betty Wheeler and Robert Fuhr and he grew up in Spruce Grove, Alberta west of Edmonton.

In the mid-1970s, Fuhr played for the Enoch Tomahawks hockey team. Fuhr's mother came from Enoch Cree Nation.

In 1979, at the age of 16, Fuhr joined the Victoria Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL). After two outstanding seasons in Victoria, which included the league championship and a trip to the Memorial Cup in 1981, Fuhr was drafted eighth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, on June 10, 1981.

Playing career

Edmonton Oilers (1981–1991)

Fuhr played ten seasons for the Oilers, where he teamed up first with Andy Moog from 1981 through 1987, then Bill Ranford from 1988 through 1991 to form one of the most formidable goaltending tandems in history, winning the Stanley Cup four times in five seasons (1983–84 through 1987–88). Moog was given the starting job in the 1983 playoffs and helped lead the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup Finals, though they were swept by the New York Islanders, who captured their fourth straight Stanley Cup. The next year general manager and head coach Glen Sather chose to go with Fuhr in the 1984 playoffs. However, Fuhr was injured in the third game of the Stanley Cup Finals in a rematch against the Islanders when he collided with Pat LaFontaine, so Moog stepped in and led the Oilers to a series win. After that, Fuhr remained the number one goaltender. Fuhr was also involved with the infamous goal where Steve Smith scored on his net to cost the Oilers the '86 playoffs against the Calgary Flames. Fuhr was the team's starting goaltender on the first four teams but was injured and did not play in the 1990 playoffs when the Oilers won for the fifth time.

In February of 1987, Fuhr played in goal for the NHL All-Stars in both games of the Rendez-Vous '87 series against the Soviet National Team. In 1987-88, Fuhr backstopped Canada to a victory at the Canada Cup, playing in all nine games, then played in 75 regular season and 19 playoff games. He won his only Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender that year. He finished second in voting for the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, behind Mario Lemieux and ahead of teammate Wayne Gretzky. As an Oiler he had played in six All-Star games, by playing in the National Hockey League All-Star Game in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1989. He also played for the N.H.L. All-Star team in the 2 game series against the Soviet Union national ice hockey team in Rendez-vous '87 as the starting goaltender. Fuhr's playoff success fed into his reputation as the supreme clutch goaltender of his era, and there was a period from 1987 through at least 1989 where Fuhr was often called "the best goaltender in the world". On January 28, 1989, Fuhr attained his 200th career win with a 7 - 6 road win over the Los Angeles Kings at the Great Western Forum. Grant briefly retired from the Oilers on June 8, 1989, only to return to the club on August 24, 1989.

On September 27, 1990, Fuhr was suspended by NHL President John Ziegler for one year which was later reduced to the first 59 games of the 1990–91 season. Fuhr had come forward about his drug use after spending two weeks in a counseling centre in Florida. He admitted that he used "a substance" (not specifying whether or not it was cocaine) for some seven years, or most of the period that the Oilers rested at the top of the NHL. Details of Fuhr's drug use were supplied by his ex-wife, Corrine, who told the press in Edmonton that she often found cocaine hidden in his clothing and that she fielded numerous threatening telephone calls from drug dealers who had not been paid. These embarrassing details no doubt contributed to the one-year suspension handed down in September 1990 by NHL president John Ziegler, who called Fuhr's conduct "dishonorable and against the welfare of the league." After missing 59 games and entering a two-week rehab program, the suspension was lifted by the league on February 18, 1991. Once Fuhr was re-instated, fans of opposing teams taunted him at games with bags of sugar and chants of "Just say no!".

Post-Oilers career (1991–2000)

On September 19, 1991, Fuhr was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a seven-player deal. After a season and a half in Toronto, with the emergence of Felix Potvin, Grant was traded again, this time to the Buffalo Sabres, on February 2, 1993.

In Buffalo, he played a role in the Sabres' dramatic first-round playoff victory over the Boston Bruins, helped instill a winning attitude in the organization, and mentored a still relatively inexperienced Dominik Hašek. Fuhr then had a successful 1993–94 season with the Sabres, initially sharing goaltending duties with Hašek. Hašek became the Sabres' full-time starting goaltender after Fuhr suffered multiple injuries. Fuhr and Hašek were awarded the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed.

In May 1993, while a member of the Sabres, Fuhr was denied membership in the neighbouring Transit Valley Country Club. At the time, rumours floated that the denial was based on race, as several of Fuhr's white teammates had been granted membership. Club officials denied they rejected Fuhr based on his race; rather, his application contained "incorrect and incomplete" information. Various acts of vandalism at the club occurred after news of Fuhr's rejection surfaced, including an incident where vandals burned a swastika onto one of the greens. In light of the negative publicity, the club reversed its position and offered Fuhr not only membership but an apology as well. Fuhr rejected the membership and joined the nearby Lancaster Country Club. The club also temporarily suspended its membership committee and had an anti-bias policy written into its by-laws.

With Hašek now ensconced in the Sabres' net, Fuhr was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings, on February 14, 1995, reuniting him with Gretzky.

During the summer Grant signed as an unrestricted free agent with the St. Louis Blues on July 14, 1995, just a few months before the 1995–96 season. Although he began the season out of shape and was considered to be past his prime, his career saw a resurgence as he played 79 games that season, including 76 consecutively, both NHL records. On November 30, 1995, Fuhr earned his 300th career win versus the Winnipeg Jets with a 4 - 1 road win at the Winnipeg Arena in Winnipeg. Fuhr and Gretzky became teammates for the third time when the Blues acquired Gretzky in a trade with the Kings on February 27, 1996. The 1996 playoff run for Fuhr ended prematurely as Maple Leafs forward Nick Kypreos ran into him in the crease in the first round, causing him to tear several knee ligaments. Jon Casey had to play the rest of the playoffs. The Blues beat Toronto in the first round but lost to Detroit in the next. Even though over the next three years (with 108 wins) he became one of the three winningest goaltenders in Blues history (along with Mike Liut with 151 wins and Curtis Joseph with 137 wins), Fuhr never fully recovered from his injury. After the Blues signed Roman Turek as their new number-one goaltender on June 19, 1999, Fuhr was traded to the Calgary Flames on September 5, 1999. He spent one season there being a mentor for Calgary's young goaltenders, including Fred Brathwaite, and on October 22, 1999, he earned his 400th career win against the Florida Panthers with a 3 - 2 road win in overtime. On April 5, 2000, following a 6–5 loss to St. Louis, which statistically eliminated the Flames from playoff contention that postseason, Fuhr announced that he would retire after the 1999–2000 season. Grant would officially retire as a player from the National Hockey League on September 6, 2000.

International play

Fuhr was named to the 1984 Canada Cup team but saw limited action during the tournament due to an injury. Fuhr was again selected to represent Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup. It was here that he cemented his reputation as one of the best goaltenders in the game. Playing against a tough Soviet Union squad, Fuhr turned away shot after shot during the three-game final. After the Edmonton Oilers were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1st round of the 1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Grant also played for Team Canada at the 1989 World Championships where he won a silver medal.

Post-playing career

Fuhr was hired to be the Phoenix Coyotes goaltending coach on July 22, 2004. Fuhr held the position until the end of the 2008–09 season when he was replaced by Sean Burke. He held a similar post with the Calgary Flames in the 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 seasons.

In 2015, Fuhr collaborated on his biography with Bruce Dowbiggin, Grant Fuhr: The Story of a Hockey Legend.

In 2022, Fuhr began doing radio and television broadcasting for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, and joined the 3ICE 3-on-3 professional ice hockey summer league as a coach.

Personal life

Fuhr married Lisa Cavanaugh in the Cayman Islands on September 14, 2014. He has four children from previous marriages and a step-daughter.

Fuhr was a regular competitor at the American Century Championship, an annual competition to determine the best golfers among American sports and entertainment celebrities. The tournament is played at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course along the edge of Lake Tahoe.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

• In 1998, he was ranked number 70 on ''The Hockey News''' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
• His no. 31 was retired by the Edmonton Oilers on October 9, 2003.
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.
• Inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.

Hall of Fame induction

Fuhr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 2, 2003.

Wayne Gretzky has said on many occasions that he believes Fuhr is the greatest goaltender in NHL history. This is mentioned in an interview with Gretzky conducted by John Davidson as part of the 2003 DVD "Ultimate Gretzky".

Records

• Holds NHL record for most assists and points by a goaltender in regular season and playoffs combined – 61
• Holds NHL record for longest undefeated streak by a goaltender in his first NHL season – 23 in 1981–82
• Holds NHL record for most assists in a single season by a goaltender – 14 in 1983–84
• Holds NHL record for most games played by a goaltender in a single season – 79 in 1995–96
• Holds NHL record for most consecutive appearances in a single season by a goaltender – 76 in 1996

References

References

1. (January 27, 2017). "100 Greatest NHL Players".
2. NHL. (2017-03-22). "Grant Fuhr was first half-black player in Hall of Fame".
3. "Soul on Ice: Blacks and Historic Firsts in Hockey". The Black Ice Project.
4. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE0DC1531F930A1575BC0A9679C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print Sports of The Times; Hockey's Minority Players Moving Past Trailblazer Stage], George Vescey, ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 23, 2001.
5. "Indigenous players have hoisted Stanley Cup in the past; unclear when others will join them with NHL season on pause". Windspeaker.com.
6. "Why hockey is more than a pastime for Enoch Cree Nation - Sportsnet.ca".
7. (July 22, 2018). "ALUMNI: Minor hockey in Spruce Grove helped shape Fuhr's legendary career".
8. "Hometown Hockey in Spruce Grove".
9. "Grant Fuhr coming to Edmonton".
10. (25 October 2017). "Cree man collects hockey cards with a twist". Aptn News.
11. "Cree goalie hopes to succeed his hero".
12. (1990-09-28). "Fuhr Suspended One Year by NHL for Using Drugs".
13. "Legends of Hockey - Spotlight - One on One with Grant Fuhr".
14. (1991-02-18). "Edmonton Oiler goalie Grant Fuhr returns to... February 18 in History".
15. (1990-09-01). "HOCKEY; Fuhr Used Cocaine, Paper Says". The New York Times.
16. (18 January 2019). "Fuhr Suspension Helped Pave Way for NHL Drug Policy". The Hockey Writers.
17. ESPN.com]]'', 2003–11–03. Retrieved on 2008–03–16
18. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1DB133FF937A35755C0A965958260 Club Is Vandalized In Fuhr Incident] - ''[[The New York Times]]''
19. (February 14, 1995). "Kings Pay Dearly for a Worn Fuhr : Hockey: They acquire veteran goalkeeper, 32, two young defensemen from Sabres in exchange for Zhitnik, Huddy, Stauber.".
20. (April 6, 2000). "Fuhr poised to end 18-year career". [[ESPN]].
21. [http://www.hockeygoalies.org/bio/fuhr.html Grant Fuhr Bio], Hockey Goalies.org
22. (October 31, 2014). "Grant Fuhr shows comfort in life and decisions in new book". The Globe and Mail.
23. (November 17, 2022). "Firebirds hockey team making its pitch in golf-friendly Coachella Valley". The Desert Sun.
24. (2015-06-23). "American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament – American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament at Edgewood, South Lake Tahoe, Nevada".
25. "Authentic. Relaxed. Inspiring". Edgewood Tahoe.
26. link. (2007-12-23 , Celebrity Golf.com)