Grant Fuhr
Grant Fuhr (born
September 28,
1962), was a
goalie in the
National Hockey League. In
2003, he became the first
African Canadian to be inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame.
Background and Early Career
Born of bi-racial parents, Fuhr was adopted as a baby and raised in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At the age of seventeen, in 1979, Fuhr began his professional hockey career, with the Victoria Cougars of the WHL. He averaged 3.14 goals allowed per game that year.
In 1981, he was drafted 8th overall by the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. He played for the Oilers for ten seasons, teaming with Wayne Gretzky and winning four Stanley Cups. In 1987, he won 40 games and made the All-Star game. In 1988, he represented Canada at the world Ice Hockey championships. In both 1989 and 1990, he had short stints with Edmonton's farm team, the Cape Breton Oilers.
The Drug Suspension
In September 1990, the NHL suspended Fuhr for 60 games due to the fact that he admitted to using illegal drugs, particularly cocaine, during his career. This was noted as being the most severe suspension ever given to an NHL player.
Post-Edmonton Years
The Oilers wanted to rebuild during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and after trading away Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers sent Fuhr to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1991. He played there until 1992, when he went to the Buffalo Sabres. In Buffalo he saw action until 1995, when he was dealt to the Kings. At this point of his career, many in the world of hockey began feeling that Fuhr's best days as a player were gone, and he only played fourteen games for the Kings.
Given another chance by the St. Louis Blues, however, Fuhr went on to have some of the best years of his career, including the 1997-98 season, when he posted an average of 2.53 goals allowed per game. He also played an astounding 79 games in the 1995-96 season and set two notable records, namely the most games played by a goaltender in a season and the most consecutive starts by a goaltender.
During the 1999-2000 season, playing for the Calgary Flames, Fuhr became only the sixth goalie in NHL history to win 400 or more games. But he only won five games that year, while losing thirteen. Shortly after, he retired.
On July 22, 2004, he was hired by the Phoenix Coyotes as goaltender coach.
Career Summary
He was an All-Star twice, in 1987 and 1992. In addition, he won the Vezina trophy in 1988 and the William M. Jennings Trophy in 1994. He had a record of 403 wins, 295 losses and 114 ties as a goal keeper, with a 2.92 goals allowed per game career average.
See also
\n*Canada\n*Edmonton Oilers
Fuhr, Grant\nFuhr, Grant\nFuhr, Grant\nFuhr, Grant\nFuhr, Grant\nFuhr, Grant\nFuhr, Grant
