Grant Fuhr

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Fuhr was born on September 28, 1962, in Spruce Grove, Alberta, to a Black Canadian and a First Nation-Canadian from the Enoch Cree Nation; he never knew his birth parents. Less than three weeks after he was born, he was adopted by Betty Wheeler and Robert Fuhr and he grew up in Spruce Grove. In the mid-1970s, Fuhr played for the Enoch Tomahawks hockey team. In 1979, at age 16, he 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.

In Their Own Story

In August 1987, Fuhr backstopped Canada to victory at the Canada Cup, playing all nine games as the starting goaltender. This triumph followed his historic 1984 Canada Cup appearance where he served as the backup. The 1987–88 season marked a personal peak; Fuhr played a then-record 75 games, posting a 40–24–9 record with a 3.43 GAA to win his only Vezina Trophy. He finished second in Hart Memorial Trophy voting behind Mario Lemieux and ahead of teammate Wayne Gretzky. In the playoffs that year, he went 16–2 as the Oilers claimed another Stanley Cup. By January 28, 1989, Fuhr had reached his 200th career win with a 7–6 road victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Despite facing personal struggles and an NHL suspension in September 1990 regarding substance abuse, he returned to the team just two months later after making up with the organization.

Reader's Guide

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); Fuhr was quoted in an interview as being appreciative of having Moog and Ranford as partners because it made him play better. In his first season with the Oilers, Fuhr lost his debut game on October 14 against the Winnipeg Jets before going on an unprecedented run that saw him win or tie in his next 23 games, which became a new record for a rookie goaltender. In 48 games (with one appearance in relief), Fuhr went 28–5–14. He was tabbed to start the first round of the 1982 Stanley Cup playoffs, which saw the Oilers upset by the Los Angeles Kings where he gave up 26 goals in five games. Moog was given the starting job in the 1983 Stanley Cup playoffs and helped lead the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup Final, though they were swept by the New York Islanders. The next year general manager and head coach Glen Sather chose to go with Fuhr in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Oilers advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final to set up a rematch with the Islanders. In Game 3, Fuhr suffered an injury when he collided with Pat LaFontaine. Moog stepped in and played the next two games that the Oilers won to win the Final; Fuhr became the first Black player to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. After that, Fuhr remained the number one goaltender. In the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Oilers were engaged in a tight battle with the Calgary Flames in the second round. In Game 7, late in the third period, teammate Steve Smith accidentally sent a pass that bounced off Fuhr's skate for an own goal that gave Calgary the lead that they would not relinquish as the Flames eliminated the Oilers. 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 August 1987, Fuhr backstopped Canada at the Canada Cup, which saw him play all nine games for the victorious squad. Fuhr became part of history with the 1987–88 season, as he played in 75 games and went 40–24–9 with a GAA of 3.43 to set a new record for most games played a goaltender in one season. He won his only Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender

Did You Know?

• Fuhr won five Stanley Cup championships with the Edmonton Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990).
• Fuhr holds the NHL record for most games played by a goaltender in a single season with 79 (set with the St. Louis Blues in 1995–96).
• Fuhr is the first Black ice hockey player to win the Stanley Cup and the first inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Dynastic Dominance with Edmonton

Fuhr spent ten seasons anchoring the net for the Edmonton Oilers, forming a legendary tandem first with Andy Moog (1981–1987) and later Bill Ranford (1988–1991). His rookie campaign was historic, featuring a 23-game unbeaten streak that included a debut loss followed by 23 straight wins or ties. In the 1986 playoffs, he suffered a heartbreaking moment in Game 7 against Calgary when teammate Steve Smith's pass bounced off his skate for an own goal, ending their title defense. Conversely, in 1984, after Fuhr collided with Pat LaFontaine and got injured in the Final, Moog stepped in to secure the win; however, it was Fuhr who became the first Black player to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup that year. He played in six All-Star Games during his Oiler tenure: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1989.

International Glory and Historic Firsts

Fuhr's international career was marked by significant victories and historic firsts. He won the Canada Cup twice with Team Canada: first as a backup in 1984 and as the starting goaltender who played all nine games in the victorious 1987 squad. He also finished second at the World Championships in 1989. Beyond these titles, he made history as the first Black ice hockey player to win the Stanley Cup. His trailblazing status was further cemented when he became the first Black player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003. In February 1987, he played for the NHL All-Stars in both games of the Rendez-Vous '87 series against the Soviet National Team. The league later recognized his impact by naming him one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017.

Record-Breaking Durability and Longevity

Fuhr's career statistics reflect exceptional longevity and offensive contribution from the net. He holds the record for most games played by a goaltender in a single season (79), achieved with the St. Louis Blues in 1995–96. He also leads all goaltenders in combined assists and points, totaling 61 across regular seasons and playoffs. His durability was notable; over 19 seasons, he had only three years where he recorded more losses than wins. Even after leaving Edmonton, he continued to achieve accolades, sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy with the Buffalo Sabres in 1993–94. He finished his career with the Calgary Flames in 2000 as just the sixth goaltender in history to win 400 games.

Early Roots and Post-Playing Career

Born on September 28, 1962, in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Fuhr was born to a Black Canadian mother from the Enoch Cree Nation and never knew his birth parents. He was adopted less than three weeks after birth by Betty Wheeler and Robert Fuhr. His early hockey experience included playing for the Enoch Tomahawks in the mid-1970s before joining the Victoria Cougars of the WHL at age 16 in 1979. After two outstanding seasons, including a Memorial Cup trip in 1981, he was drafted eighth overall by the Edmonton Oilers on June 10, 1981. Following his retirement, Fuhr served as a goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames (2000–2002) and the Arizona Coyotes (2004–2010).