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To compare NHL goalies, match the competition and time period, then read save percentage (SV%), goals-against average (GAA), and quality starts together with games played and starts. SV% measures the share of shots stopped; GAA measures goals allowed per 60 minutes; quality starts can indicate how often a goalie clears a stated performance threshold. None of the three, alone, establishes which goalie is better.
What each statistic measures
Save percentage (SV%)
Save percentage is saves divided by shots faced. A higher SV% means the goalie stopped a greater share of recorded shots. It does not show how difficult those shots were, so it is best treated as a shot-stopping outcome rather than a complete measure of performance. NHL glossary
Goals-against average (GAA)
GAA measures goals allowed per 60 minutes of goalie playing time. A lower GAA means fewer goals were allowed per regulation-length hour. Because goals allowed are also shaped by the team environment, read GAA alongside SV% and workload rather than treating it as a goalie-only measure. NHL glossary
Quality starts
Quality start does not have one universal threshold in the sources cited here. In a 2019 explanation, NHL.com described a quality-start-style measure as the count of starts in which a goalie posted an SV% above .900. The article gave historical context for that cutoff: league-average SV% had declined from .915 in 2015–16 to .910 through 483 games of the 2019–20 season. Those figures explain the article’s threshold at that time; they are not current league averages. NHL.com’s 2019 statistics-section announcement
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- Match the competition. Compare regular-season numbers with regular-season numbers, or playoff numbers with playoff numbers.
- Match the time window. Use the same season or date range for both goalies; a career figure for one and a single-season figure for the other answers a different question.
- Check workload. Note games played and starts. Rates based on fewer appearances can shift more sharply with each game than rates built from larger workloads.
- Read the measures together. Compare SV%, GAA, and quality-start count or rate where available. Keep the quality-start threshold attached to the figure, and treat it as a consistency signal under that convention—not as a measure of shot difficulty.
- Describe conflicts rather than forcing a winner. If one goalie has the stronger SV% while the other has the lower GAA, report both. The figures capture different outcomes and do not supply a universal tie-breaker.
The NHL stats interface provides season and goalie-stat exploration, but the sources cited here do not verify whether it currently displays a dedicated quality-start measure or filter for 2026–27. Do not assume that such a current-season field is available. NHL stats: team save percentage
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the numbers can disagree
SV% is based on shots faced and stopped; GAA is based on goals allowed over playing time. Shot difficulty, defensive support, and the game situation can affect how those outcomes look. A quality-start tally adds a threshold-based view of starts, but it does not describe every shot or explain the goalie’s decisions. NHL.com’s discussion of expected goals and defensive responsibility likewise cautions against treating available measures as full context. NHL.com: “Elite goalies trust process, not stats”
Shot-location or expected-performance data, when available, can add perspective, but it does not fully resolve who was responsible for a chance or how a goalie read the play. The fairest conclusion is therefore specific: say which goalie had the better result on each measure, over what span, and with what workload, rather than turning three summaries into a single definitive ranking.
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