When you think about Grant Fuhr, you probably don’t think first about his time with the Buffalo Sabres - and that’s understandable. The 19-year NHL veteran played only three seasons with the Sabres, and more importantly, he set a lot of firsts for Black players in the league.
In 1984, Fuhr became the first Black player to have his name on the Stanley Cup, as the Oilers defeated the New York Islanders to win the NHL’s ultimate prize. Two years later, as the only Black goaltender in the league, he became the first Black All-Star MVP as part of the Campbell Conference’s team.