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Save percentage (SV%) shows the share of shots a goalie stops, goals-against average (GAA) shows goals allowed per 60 minutes, and quality starts (QS) count how often a starter meets a chosen game-level standard. They describe different things, so compare them with their source, threshold, and sample in view.
What save percentage measures
Save percentage is saves divided by shots faced, as defined in the NHL glossary. Because shots faced are either stopped or become goals, SV% is commonly shown as a decimal such as .910. A higher SV% means the goalie stopped a greater share of shots in the sample being measured.
For a hypothetical example, 91 saves on 100 shots faced equals .910 SV%. It does not say how many minutes the goalie played or how many goals were allowed per 60 minutes.
What goals-against average measures
GAA is goals allowed multiplied by 60 and divided by minutes played, following the NHL glossary formula. It expresses goals allowed as a rate per 60 minutes; lower GAA means fewer goals allowed per 60 minutes over that sample.
For example, if a goalie allows 3 goals in 60 minutes, the GAA is 3.00. If those same 3 goals are allowed in 45 minutes, the rate is 4.00. Unlike SV%, GAA does not account for how many shots the goalie faced.
What counts as a quality start?
Quality start is not defined in the NHL glossary as an official NHL stat. Its threshold depends on the provider, so a QS figure is meaningful only when you know which convention was used.
Hockey-Reference’s season-based method
Sports-Reference’s Hockey-Reference explanation describes a method developed by Rob Vollman: a goalie earns a quality start by reaching at least that season’s mean save percentage. It adjusts for very low shot totals: when a goalie faces 20 or fewer shots, a .885 save percentage qualifies under that method.
The article’s .915 mean threshold is an example for the 2013–14 season, not a current universal cutoff. Since the season mean changes, this method’s qualifying SV% can change from year to year.
NHL.com’s .900-start measure
A 2019 NHL.com statistics announcement described a separate measure: starts with a save percentage above .900. NHL.com called it akin to baseball’s quality-start metric, but that is not the same threshold as Hockey-Reference’s season-based method. Do not treat .900 as a single official NHL definition of QS.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read QS% and compare the stats
Quality-start percentage (QS%) is quality starts divided by games started. It tells you how frequently a starter met the selected standard, not the goalie’s average performance in every appearance. For a fair comparison, check that the goalies’ samples cover comparable seasons and playing time, and identify the QS convention used.
| Measure | What it answers | Formula or convention | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SV% | What share of shots faced did the goalie stop? | Saves ÷ shots faced | Interpret it within the same sample; shot mix and game context affect comparisons. |
| GAA | How many goals were allowed per 60 minutes? | Goals allowed × 60 ÷ minutes played | It is a rate of goals allowed, not a shot-stopping percentage. |
| QS / QS% | How often did the starter meet a game-level standard? | Provider-specific QS threshold; QS% = QS ÷ games started | Name the provider and threshold; conventions differ. |
Sample size matters: a short run of starts is less informative as a stable comparison than a longer record. NHL record lists also set minimum games played for career and season categories; the NHL records site provides the context for those qualification minimums.
A dated NHL.com example shows how the traditional rates may appear together: on August 17, 2026, it reported Jakub Dobeš at 2.78 GAA and .901 SV% in 43 games in the prior season. That line illustrates the format, not a current-leader ranking or a universal benchmark for a good goalie.
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