The history of goaltending in Edmonton Oilers past is full of legends and duds alike. There were stars like Bill Ranford, Curtis Joseph, Tommy Salo, and Dwayne Roloson as well as the more forgettable Mike Morrison, Tyler Bunz, Bob Dupuis, and Steve Passmore. At the top of the legends list has to be the one and only Grant Fuhr, today was the day back in 2003 that the Edmonton Oilers retired his number to the rafters officially.
I can remember that night like it was yesterday. It was a beautiful ceremony that started with Grant in the net as if he had never left the spot. He did his lap and then the number went up.
It’s a great time to look back and admire a man who helped put the Oilers on the map during those years. He was the stalworth in the net behind one of the greatest offensive juggernauts the NHL will ever see. In the same year (2003) Fuhr was given the distinction of being added to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
FUHR’S CAREER AT A GLANCE
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | A | PIM | Min | GA | EN | SO | GAA | W | L | T | Svs | Pct | GP | A | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1979-80 | WHL | 43 | 1 | 2 | 2488 | 130 | 0 | 2 | 3.14 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 1325 | 0.911 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
1980-81 | WHL | 59 | 2 | 6 | 3448 | 160 | 0 | 4 | 2.78 | 48 | 9 | 1 | 1574 | 0.908 | 15 | 1 | 0 | |
1981-82 | NHL | 48 | 6 | 6 | 2847 | 157 | 2 | 0 | 3.31 | 28 | 5 | 14 | 1392 | 0.899 | 5 | 1 | 0 | |
1982-83 | NHL | 32 | 0 | 6 | 1803 | 129 | 4 | 0 | 4.29 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 845 | 0.868 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
1982-83 | AHL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 604 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 3.98 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 288 | 0.878 | – | – | – | |
1983-84 | NHL | 45 | 14 | 6 | 2625 | 171 | 0 | 1 | 3.91 | 30 | 10 | 4 | 1292 | 0.883 | 16 | 3 | 4 | |
1984-85 | NHL | 46 | 3 | 6 | 2559 | 165 | 1 | 1 | 3.87 | 26 | 8 | 7 | 1261 | 0.884 | 18 | 3 | 2 | |
1985-86 | NHL | 40 | 2 | 0 | 2184 | 143 | 0 | 0 | 3.93 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 1153 | 0.890 | 9 | 1 | 0 | |
1986-87 | NHL | 44 | 2 | 6 | 2388 | 137 | 1 | 0 | 3.44 | 22 | 13 | 3 | 1011 | 0.881 | 19 | 1 | 0 | |
1987-88 | NHL | 75 | 8 | 16 | 4304 | 246 | 5 | 4 | 3.43 | 40 | 24 | 9 | 1815 | 0.881 | 19 | 1 | 6 | |
1988-89 | NHL | 59 | 1 | 6 | 3341 | 213 | 4 | 1 | 3.83 | 23 | 26 | 6 | 1497 | 0.875 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
1989-90 | NHL | 21 | 0 | 2 | 1081 | 70 | 0 | 1 | 3.89 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 462 | 0.868 | – | – | – | |
1989-90 | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 0.919 | – | – | – | |
1990-91 | NHL | 13 | 0 | 0 | 778 | 39 | 0 | 1 | 3.01 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 341 | 0.897 | 17 | 2 | 2 | |
1990-91 | AHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 240 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4.25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 114 | 0.870 | – | – | – | |
1991-92 | NHL | 65 | 1 | 4 | 3774 | 230 | 7 | 2 | 3.66 | 25 | 33 | 5 | 1703 | 0.881 | – | – | – | |
1992-93 | NHL | 29 | 0 | 0 | 1665 | 87 | 1 | 1 | 3.14 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 739 | 0.895 | – | – | – | |
1992-93 | NHL | 29 | 0 | 10 | 1694 | 98 | 3 | 0 | 3.47 | 11 | 15 | 2 | 805 | 0.891 | 8 | 0 | 2 | |
1993-94 | AHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 310 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1.94 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 145 | 0.935 | – | – | – | |
1993-94 | NHL | 32 | 4 | 16 | 1726 | 106 | 0 | 2 | 3.68 | 13 | 12 | 3 | 801 | 0.883 | – | – | – | |
1994-95 | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4.00 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 73 | 0.859 | – | – | – | |
1994-95 | NHL | 14 | 0 | 2 | 698 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 4.04 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 332 | 0.876 | – | – | – | |
1995-96 | NHL | 79 | 1 | 8 | 4365 | 209 | 1 | 3 | 2.87 | 30 | 28 | 16 | 1948 | 0.903 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
1996-97 | NHL | 73 | 2 | 6 | 4261 | 193 | 4 | 3 | 2.72 | 33 | 27 | 11 | 1747 | 0.901 | 6 | 0 | 4 | |
1997-98 | NHL | 58 | 2 | 6 | 3274 | 138 | 5 | 3 | 2.53 | 29 | 21 | 6 | 1216 | 0.898 | 10 | 1 | 2 | |
1998-99 | NHL | 39 | 0 | 12 | 2193 | 89 | 1 | 2 | 2.44 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 738 | 0.892 | 13 | 1 | 2 | |
1999-00 | NHL | 23 | 0 | 2 | 1205 | 77 | 2 | 0 | 3.83 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 459 | 0.856 | – | – | – |
Fuhr is still very active and around the community in Edmonton and works hard with charities in the area. He has also worked on a film from the makers of Ice Guardians called Making Coco. Here is the trailer:
