Save Percentage Calculator
Calculate save percentage with our free tool. See your stats, compare against averages, and track progress over time.
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Formula
Save percentage equals saves divided by total shots faced. GSAA = Shots x (Goalie SV% - League Avg SV%), measuring total goals prevented above a league-average goaltender.
Last reviewed: December 2025
Worked Examples
Example 1: Single Game Save Percentage
Example 2: Season Save Percentage with GSAA
Background & Theory
The Save Percentage applies the following established principles and formulas. Sports statistics and performance metrics represent one of the most data-rich domains of applied mathematics available to the general public. Baseball, in particular, has developed an exceptionally dense vocabulary of calculated metrics. Earned run average (ERA) quantifies a pitcher's effectiveness as (earned runs × 9) / innings pitched, normalising performance to a nine-inning standard regardless of how many complete games were pitched. WHIP, or walks and hits per inning pitched, is computed as (walks + hits) / innings pitched and provides a complementary measure of how frequently a pitcher allows baserunners. Batting average, one of the oldest statistics in the sport, is simply hits / at-bats, though more modern metrics such as on-base percentage and slugging percentage have largely supplanted it as primary performance indicators. The NFL passer rating formula is considerably more complex, combining completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown rate, and interception rate into a composite score scaled to a 0–158.3 range. Golf handicap calculation, now governed by the World Handicap System introduced in 2020, uses a Handicap Differential formula applied to the best 8 of a player's most recent 20 score differentials, with adjustments for course rating and slope. The Elo rating system, originally developed by physicist Arpad Elo for chess ranking in the 1960s, has become a widely adopted framework for competitive ranking in sports ranging from football to table tennis. It updates each player's rating after every match based on the margin of expected versus actual result. In endurance sports, pace calculation converts total time to a per-mile or per-kilometre rate, informing training intensity and race strategy. In cycling, power-to-weight ratio (watts per kilogram) is the primary determinant of climbing performance and is central to both professional race analysis and amateur fitness tracking. Fantasy sports scoring systems synthesise multiple individual statistics into aggregate point totals, requiring participants to understand the relative value of different performance categories across sports.
History
The history behind the Save Percentage traces back through the following developments. Organised athletic competition has roots extending to ancient Greece, where the Olympic Games were held at Olympia beginning around 776 BCE. These early games were embedded in religious observance and civic identity, featuring events such as sprinting, wrestling, and the pentathlon. The codification of modern sport rules accelerated dramatically in 19th century Britain, where industrialisation created both the leisure time and the institutional infrastructure for organised competition. The Football Association formalised the rules of association football in 1863, and similar governing bodies for cricket, rugby, tennis, and athletics followed in subsequent decades. Pierre de Coubertin, a French educator inspired by the English model of sport as character-building, campaigned to revive the Olympic Games as a modern international institution. The first modern Summer Olympics were held in Athens in 1896, establishing the template for international multi-sport competition that has continued to the present. FIFA, the international governing body for association football, was founded in Paris in 1904 with seven member nations. The serious statistical analysis of baseball, later termed sabermetrics, was pioneered by writers and analysts including Bill James beginning in the late 1970s. James self-published his Baseball Abstract annuals starting in 1977, introducing rigorous empirical methods to a domain previously dominated by traditional counting statistics and subjective scouting. His work influenced a generation of analysts and front-office executives. The publication of Michael Lewis's Moneyball in 2003, documenting the Oakland Athletics' 2002 season and their use of on-base percentage and other undervalued metrics, brought sports analytics to mainstream attention. The subsequent analytics revolution reshaped hiring practices and game strategy across professional sports leagues. Fantasy sports, which require participants to engage directly with statistical outputs, grew from a hobby practised by a few thousand enthusiasts in the 1980s into a multi-billion dollar industry by the 2010s, with tens of millions of participants across football, baseball, basketball, and other sports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Formula
SV% = (Shots Against - Goals Against) / Shots Against
Save percentage equals saves divided by total shots faced. GSAA = Shots x (Goalie SV% - League Avg SV%), measuring total goals prevented above a league-average goaltender.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Single Game Save Percentage
Problem: A goaltender faces 38 shots and allows 2 goals in a game.
Solution: Saves = 38 - 2 = 36\nSV% = 36 / 38 = .947\nQuality Start threshold = .913\n.947 > .913, so this IS a quality start.\nThis is an excellent single-game performance.
Result: SV% = .947 (Excellent -- Quality Start)
Example 2: Season Save Percentage with GSAA
Problem: Season totals: 1,100 shots faced, 90 goals allowed, 40 games. League average SV% is .908.
Solution: Saves = 1100 - 90 = 1010\nSV% = 1010 / 1100 = .918\nExpected Goals (avg goalie) = 1100 x (1 - .908) = 101.2\nGSAA = 101.2 - 90 = 11.2 goals saved above average\nGAA = 90 / 40 = 2.25
Result: SV% = .918 (Excellent) | GSAA = +11.2 | GAA = 2.25
Frequently Asked Questions
What is save percentage in hockey?
Save percentage (SV%) is the primary statistical measure of goaltender performance in hockey, representing the proportion of shots on goal that a goalie successfully stops. It is calculated by dividing saves by total shots faced, expressed as a three-decimal number (like .920). For example, stopping 28 of 30 shots gives a .933 save percentage. Save percentage is widely preferred over goals against average (GAA) and wins because it better isolates individual goaltender performance from team defense and offensive support. Every major hockey league from the NHL to youth hockey tracks save percentage as the standard goaltending efficiency metric.
How do you calculate save percentage?
The save percentage formula is SV% = Saves / Shots Against, which can also be written as SV% = (Shots Against - Goals Against) / Shots Against. For a single game, if a goalie faces 35 shots and allows 2 goals, the calculation is (35 - 2) / 35 = 33 / 35 = .943. For season totals, you simply use cumulative shots and goals. The formula works identically whether calculating for one period, one game, or an entire season. Save percentage is always expressed as a decimal to three places in hockey, so .920 means the goalie stopped 92.0% of shots. This convention differs from other sports where percentages are shown as whole numbers.
What is a good save percentage at different levels of hockey?
Save percentage benchmarks vary by competition level. In the NHL, .920 or higher is excellent, .910 to .919 is above average, .900 to .909 is average, and below .900 is poor. In the AHL (minor league), standards are similar but slightly lower due to less consistent defensive support. In college hockey (NCAA), save percentages tend to be slightly lower because of wider talent gaps between teams. In youth hockey (bantam through junior), save percentages can range widely from .850 to .940 depending on the level and age group. International play (Olympics, World Championships) typically sees higher save percentages because teams play more structured defensive systems.
Why is save percentage better than wins for evaluating goalies?
Save percentage is superior to wins because it measures what the goaltender can actually control, which is stopping shots, rather than being dependent on how many goals the team scores. A goalie who posts a .945 save percentage but loses 1-0 in a shutout-worthy performance gets zero credit in the wins column. Meanwhile, a goalie who allows 5 goals can earn a win if the team scores 6. Research has consistently shown that goaltender win percentages correlate more strongly with team offensive quality than with goaltender save percentage. In other words, wins tell you more about the team in front of the goalie than about the goalie themselves.
What is the difference between a quality start and save percentage?
Save percentage is a cumulative or per-game rate statistic, while a quality start is a binary game-level metric. A quality start is defined as any game where the goaltender finishes with a save percentage of .913 or higher (roughly league average). A goalie can have a strong season-long save percentage of .918 but actually have a below-average quality start percentage if their performance is inconsistent, posting brilliant .950 games followed by terrible .880 games. Conversely, a goalie with a mediocre .908 overall save percentage might have a high quality start percentage if they consistently hover just above .913.
How does shot volume affect save percentage interpretation?
Shot volume significantly impacts how save percentage should be interpreted, both in single games and across seasons. In a game with only 15 shots, each goal swings the save percentage by about .067, so a single bad bounce can turn a .933 into an .867. In a game with 40 shots, each goal only changes the percentage by .025, providing a more stable reading. Over a season, goalies who face more shots generally have slightly lower save percentages because fatigue and volume create more opportunities for mistakes. However, some goalies actually perform better with higher workloads because they stay more engaged. Analysts recommend at least 1,500 even-strength shots before drawing firm conclusions.
References
Reviewed by Sher, Sports Science & Nutrition Specialist · Editorial policy