The Goaltender's Benchmark
In ice hockey, a goaltender's win-loss record is heavily dependent on the quality of the team playing in front of them. A terrible goalie on a team that scores 6 goals a game will win constantly, while an elite goalie on a team that scores 1 goal a game will lose constantly.
Save Percentage (SV%) isolates the goaltender's individual performance. It measures exactly how many pucks the goalie stopped relative to the number of shots they faced, providing a clinical view of their true shot-stopping ability.
The Mathematics of the Save
To calculate Save Percentage, you must first know how many total saves the goaltender made, which is derived by subtracting the goals allowed from the total shots faced.
The Formula
The calculation divides total saves by total shots against, producing a decimal value that is usually expressed out of three decimal places.
SV% = (Shots Against - Goals Against) / Shots Against
Evaluating the Percentage
- .920 or Higher: Elite, Vezina Trophy caliber goaltending.
- .910 to .915: Average, solid starting goaltender in the modern NHL.
- Below .900: Poor performance. A goalie consistently posting a sub-.900 percentage is an active liability to their team.