Belfour went from a 21-year-old goalie playing in the Tier 2 Manitoba Junior League to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.

The native of Carman, Manitoba played three seasons with Winkler of the MJHL before accepting a scholarship from the University of North Dakota. He went 29-4-0 in one season at UND before signing as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 25, 1987, then played all of 1987-88 with Saginaw of the International Hockey League before making his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 18, 1988.

Belfour lost that game and was 0-5-0 before getting his first NHL win against the Red Wings on Dec. 23, 1988. He finished 4-12 with three ties and a 3.87 goals-against average in 23 games (17 starts).

Rather than play the 1989-90 season in the minors, Belfour opted to join the Canadian National Team. The Blackhawks recalled him for the 1990 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he went 4-2 with a 2.49 GAA. Still a rookie, he won the starting job in 1990-91 and produced one of the greatest seasons by a first-year goalie in NHL history, finishing 43-19 with seven ties, a 2.47 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. He was an NHL First-Team All-Star and won the Calder, Vezina and Jennings trophies after leading the League in wins, GAA and save percentage.

Belfour's goaltending helped the Blackhawks make the Stanley Cup Final in 1992, although they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was a First-Team All-Star again in 1992-93 after winning 41 games and the Jennings and Vezina trophies. He remained among the top goalies in the NHL with Chicago until being traded to the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 25, 1997.

After finishing 1996-97 with the Sharks, Belfour signed with the Dallas Stars on July 2, 1997. He led the NHL with a 1.88 GAA in 1997-98, won at least 32 games in four consecutive seasons and helped the Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999. Dallas got to the Cup Final in 2000 but lost to the New Jersey Devils in six games.

Belfour left the Stars and signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2, 2002. He finished with a team-record 37 victories, earned his 400th NHL victory on April 1, 2003, and made 72 saves in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Flyers before losing 3-2 on Mark Recchi's goal in the third overtime. Belfour signed as a free agent with the Florida Panthers for the 2006-07 season and went 27-17-10 with a 2.77 GAA and .902 save percentage in his final NHL season.

He retired for good after playing 2007-08 with Leksand of Sweden's second division, finishing his NHL career 454-320-111 with a 2.50 GAA, .906 save percentage and 76 shutouts.