GAA & SV% is actually much higher than in the 80s.
Grant Fuhr had only 2 seasons with an above .900 sv% and those were in the last half of the 90s.
Mostly had a GAA of over 3.5.
You wouldn't be an NHL goalie with those numbers these days.
IMHO, Grant Fuhr was underrated for his skills. He was left to do most of the defending himself while the rest of his team was out hunting goals. Even lots of beer and old video of his games would likely not settle this, but I put this out there. The goal differential was strongly in the Oilers favour.[0] So leaving Fuhr to his business looked to work.
Comparing to the Habs[1], the Oilers had a full goal + on any other team. Plus the Oilers were averaging 5 goals a night with some 8-0 and 7-1 out there. Likely still could have won some of those games without a goalie.
alkonaut - This is really cool. I was a bit struck seeing this on HN and from an Atlantic article and Dryden writing the article.
Fuhr was one of the greatest goalies of all time. I was saying it not as a slight to Fuhr, I'm saying that it's representative of the actual stats of the time. Look at Ron Hextall, 3 seasons with a better than .900 sv%, 2 of which were in the late 90s at the end of his career. Look at Don Beaupre, 17 seasons in the league, and not one over a .900 sv%. You don't get 17 seasons in the league, most as a starter, if you're not above avg.
