Fuhr interested in a new challenge

LAS VEGAS -- Grant Fuhr is comfortable living back in Edmonton and doing community and corporate relations work for the Oilers. He's also busy coaching a bantam team and rehabbing from having surgery on both knees three weeks ago.

Life is good for the Hall of Fame goalie and five-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender, but he wouldn't mind a different challenge down the road.

"I'd like to coach junior," Fuhr told NHL.com Friday morning from the Bellagio. "That's what I'd really like to try at some point in time."

Fuhr is the former goalie coach for the Flames and Coyotes, but he's talking about being a head coach in the Western Hockey League.

Why make the jump? Why bother?

"I enjoy the kids and I enjoy the process of what it takes to be successful," Fuhr said. "I think that's the fun part of it. For instance, this year I coach bantams and you see how focused parents and kids are about the end of the road, but they have no idea about the process of how to get to that point. I can mention it to them, point it out to them, and it's interesting to see that nobody has ever done because nobody knows. They just see the end result."

Fuhr, though, said he has not been putting out feelers to friends in the Western Hockey League as of yet. He moved back to Edmonton from Phoenix five months ago and is still getting settled. He also enjoys working with the Oilers, and can see his role growing in the community capacity.

"I've kind of got the perfect world right now," he said. "I've got free time. I still hang around the rink a bunch. I get to see junior games, NHL games and I get to coach kids games. I still get my share of hockey, but at the same time if I want to pick up and go play golf I can go play golf."

That will change if he starts coaching in the Western Hockey League.

"But that's OK," he said. "Hockey is still the right part of life."

Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl