Grant Fuhr facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grant Fuhr
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2003
Fuhr in 2016
Born	(1962-09-28) September 28, 1962 (age 62) Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Right
Played for	Edmonton Oilers Toronto Maple Leafs Buffalo Sabres Los Angeles Kings St. Louis Blues Calgary Flames
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	8th overall, 1981 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	1981–2000
Medal record Representing  Canada Men's ice hockey Canada Cup Gold 1984 Canada Gold 1987 Canada World Championships Silver 1989 Sweden

Grant Scott Fuhr (born September 28, 1962) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for many years. He is best known for his time with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s, where he helped them win the Stanley Cup five times.

Grant Fuhr was chosen as an NHL All-Star six times. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, which is a huge honor for hockey players. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players of all time. He also made history as one of the first Black ice hockey players to achieve major milestones in the NHL, like winning the Stanley Cup and being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Early life

Grant Fuhr was born in Canada on September 28, 1962. His birth parents were of Afro-Canadian and First Nation-Canadian heritage. He was adopted by Betty Wheeler and Robert Fuhr and grew up in Spruce Grove, Alberta.

In the mid-1970s, Fuhr played hockey for the Enoch Tomahawks team. When he was seventeen, in 1979, he joined the Victoria Cougars in the WHL. He had two great seasons in Victoria, helping his team win the league championship. In 1981, the Edmonton Oilers drafted him as the eighth overall pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Edmonton Oilers (1981–1991)

Grant Fuhr played for the Edmonton Oilers for ten seasons. He was part of an amazing goaltending team, first with Andy Moog and then with Bill Ranford. Together, they helped the Oilers win the Stanley Cup four times in five seasons, from 1984 to 1988.

In the 1984 playoffs, Fuhr was the main goalie. He got injured during the Stanley Cup Finals, but the Oilers still won the series. Fuhr was the starting goalie for the first four Stanley Cup wins. He was injured and did not play in the 1990 playoffs, when the Oilers won their fifth Stanley Cup.

In 1987, Fuhr played for the NHL All-Stars against the Soviet National Team. In the 1987-88 season, he helped Team Canada win the Canada Cup. That same year, he won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender. He was also a top player in the voting for the league's Most Valuable Player award. Many people thought Fuhr was "the best goaltender in the world" during this time. He also played in the NHL All-Star Game multiple times.

Fuhr missed some games during the 1990–91 NHL season. He returned to play on February 18, 1991.

Post-Oilers career (1991–2000)

After his time with the Oilers, Grant Fuhr was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1991. He played there for a season and a half before being traded again to the Buffalo Sabres in 1993.

In Buffalo, he played a key role in the Sabres' playoff success. He also helped mentor a younger goalie named Dominik Hašek. In the 1993–94 season, Fuhr and Hašek shared goaltending duties. They were both awarded the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league.

In 1995, Fuhr joined the Los Angeles Kings, where he reunited with his former teammate Wayne Gretzky.

His career really took off again when he signed with the St. Louis Blues in 1995. In the 1995–96 season, he played an incredible 79 games, including 76 in a row, which set NHL records. On November 30, he earned his 300th career win. Fuhr and Gretzky became teammates for a third time when Gretzky joined the Blues in 1996. Fuhr suffered a knee injury during the 1996 playoffs, which affected his play in the following seasons. Despite this, he became one of the winningest goalies in Blues history.

In 1999, Fuhr was traded to the Calgary Flames. He spent one season there, helping to guide the team's younger goalies. On October 22, he achieved his 400th career win. On April 5, 2000, Grant Fuhr announced that he would retire at the end of the 1999–2000 season.

International play

Grant Fuhr was chosen to play for Team Canada in the 1984 Canada Cup. He also played for Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup, where he showed he was one of the best goalies in the game. He played against a strong Soviet Union team in the finals, making many important saves. After the Edmonton Oilers were out of the playoffs in 1989, Grant also played for Team Canada at the 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships, where he won a silver medal.

Post-playing career

After retiring from playing, Grant Fuhr became a goaltending coach. He worked for the Phoenix Coyotes from 2004 to 2009. He also coached for the Calgary Flames in the early 2000s.

In 2015, Fuhr wrote a book about his life called Grant Fuhr: The Story of a Hockey Legend. In 2022, he started working in radio and television for the Coachella Valley Firebirds and became a coach in the 3ICE hockey league.

Personal life

Grant Fuhr married Lisa Cavanaugh in 2014. He has four children from previous marriages and a step-daughter. Fuhr also enjoys playing golf and often competes in a tournament for sports and entertainment celebrities.

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 number 31 was retired by the Edmonton Oilers on October 9, 2003. This means no other Oilers player will wear that number.
• 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

Grant Fuhr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 2, 2003. This is a special honor for players who have had amazing careers.

Wayne Gretzky, one of the greatest hockey players ever, has often said that he thinks Fuhr is the best goaltender in NHL history.

Records

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

See also

• List of black NHL players
• List of NHL goaltenders with 300 wins