Vanbiesbrouck became the youngest goalie in NHL history (18 years, 92 days) to win his first start when he got the victory for the New York Rangers in a 2-1 win against the Colorado Rockies on Dec. 5, 1981. It was the first of 374 victories during a 20-year NHL career that saw the Detroit native win the Vezina Trophy in 1985-86 with the Rangers and spark the third-year Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.

The Rangers selected Vanbiesbrouck in the fourth round (No. 72) of the 1981 NHL Draft after he played for Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League. He was returned to Sault Ste. Marie but would up with the Rangers after early-season injuries decimated their goaltending. With back-to-back games on a weekend in early December, the Rangers gave Vanbiesbrouck a start in Denver against the Rockies, and he made 29 saves for the win.

Vanbiesbrouck went back to Sault Ste. Marie and didn't surface again until a three-game appearance in 1983-84, a season that also saw him help Tulsa win the Central Hockey League championship despite losing their home rink and having to play all of their games on the road during the final six weeks of the regular season and the playoffs.

Two seasons later, Vanbiesbrouck was voted winner of the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in the NHL. He led the League with 31 regular-seasons and keyed the Rangers' run to the Wales Conference Final, where they lost to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens. Vanbiesbrouck was the unquestioned starter until 1989-90, when rookie Mike Richter began to play well enough late in the season to earn substantial playing time.

The success of the "VanRichterBrouck" combination led to coach Roger Nielson alternating the two for the first 76 games of the 1991-92 season, and their combined efforts helped the Rangers win the Presidents' Trophy as NHL regular-season champion. But the Rangers lost in the second round to the Pittsburgh Penguins, then failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1992-93. With expansion coming again in the 1993-94 season, the Rangers were faced with the prospect of losing one of their goalies. They kept Richter and traded Vanbiesbrouck to the Vancouver Canucks, who lost him to the Florida Panthers in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft.

The move reunited Vanbiesbrouck with Neilson, and his former coach built around the goalie. Vanbiesbrouck was runner-up for the Vezina Trophy in 1993-94, when the first-year Panthers nearly made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Two seasons later, Vanbiesbrouck's goaltending helped the Panthers upset the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where Florida was swept by the Colorado Avalanche.

Vanbiesbrouck became a free agent and signed with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 16, 1998. He played two seasons for the Flyers, helping them advance to the Eastern Conference Final in 2000, then played most of 2000-01 with the New York Islanders before being traded to the New Jersey Devils. He retired after the 2001-02 season with 374 wins, a 2.98 goals-against average and 40 shutouts. In 71 playoff appearances, he was 28-38 with a 2.68 GAA, .915 save percentage and five shutouts.

Vanbiesbrouck was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• OHL Second All-Star Team (1983)
• CHL First All-Star Team (1984)
• Terry Sawchuk Trophy (fewest goals against, CHL) (1984) (shared with Ron Scott)
• Tommy Ivan Trophy (MVP, CHL) (1984) (co-winner - Bruce Affleck)
• NHL First All-Star Team (1986)
• NHL Second All-Star Team (1994)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1994, 1996, 1997)
• Traded to Vancouver by NY Rangers for future considerations (Doug Lidster, June 25, 1993), June 20, 1993.
• Claimed by Florida from Vancouver in Expansion Draft, June 24, 1993.
• Signed as a free agent by Philadelphia, July 16, 1998.
• Traded to NY Islanders by Philadelphia for NY Islanders' 4th round pick (later traded to Nashville, Nashville selected Jordin Tootoo) in 2001 NHL Draft, June 25, 2000.
• Traded to New Jersey by NY Islanders for Chris Terreri and New Jersey's 9th round pick (Juha-Pekka Ketola) in 2001 NHL Draft, March 12, 2001.
• Signed as a free agent by New Jersey, February 4, 2002.
• Officially announced retirement, May 22, 2002.