Oiler Goalie Fuhr Cites Disrespect, Retires

After playing 18 holes in Wetaskiwin, Canada, Thursday, Grant Fuhr told a news conference conducted from his golf cart that he has retired after eight seasons as goalie for the Edmonton Oilers.

Fuhr, 26, said that he was fed up with what he called unjustifiable things said about him in the Oilers’ dressing room.

He declined to specify what had been said, adding, “If you can’t play this game and have fun and get the respect you deserve, then there’s not much reason for going on. This has been a long time coming, a long time building up.”

Said Fuhr’s agent, Rich Winter: “At this stage he has no plans to come back. However, if the Oilers work to repair the damage, to make hockey fun for Grant again . . . it could be considered.”

Fuhr would be the third Oiler star to leave Edmonton. Defenseman Paul Coffey was traded to Pittsburgh in November 1987, and Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Kings last August.