It’s no secret that goalies play an important role in keeping the puck out of the net and allowing the team to win. However, thanks to the growing popularity of hockey on the web, you can now easily find detailed stats on goalies and share them with your friends.
One of the most commonly asked questions about goalies is how to calculate their save percentage. Thanks to some handy-dandy hockey stats sites, like HockeyViz, this question can now be easily answered!
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The Basics
In the same way that other team stats are calculated, save percentage is simply the sum of the goalie’s saves divided by the total number of shots on goal. This is also known as ‘shots saved’ or ‘goals saved’ and can be expressed as a decimal between 0 and 1.
This might not seem incredibly complex, but there are two caveats that you need to be aware of. First, keep in mind that a goalie’s save percentage will vary from game to game based on the number of shots he has to face – or, more accurately, the number of shots on goal that he has to face. The second caveat is that you need to be careful when comparing save percentages amongst goalies of different sizes. If you have access to goalie stats, you can easily compare smallish goalies to huge ones. Doing this on your own will be extremely difficult, as you will not have access to the same information and comparisons will be much more difficult to make.
Where Do The Saved Shots Come From?
Because a goalie’s save percentage relies on his having to face shots on goal, the vast majority of the shots that he saves will come from play directly in front of the net. Typically, a goalie’s primary goal area is a circle with a 30-foot radius surrounding the net. While this area is not an exact science and different goalies have different ‘hot zones,’ it is generally acknowledged that this is where most of the action happens and where most of the scoring chances occur.
Keep in mind also that the more skilled the player, the more likely he will be to score in this area and the less the goalie has to do – other than stop the puck. This is also called ‘deskilling’ and is why skilled goalies get the nickname ‘duckies’ from fans and media members who want to avoid getting killed by their goalie.
How Many Goals Does A Goalie On Average Save?
Another way to look at a goalie’s performance is to determine how many goals he scores on average. While this is not an exact science – as there are many variables that can enter into this formula – it is generally acknowledged that the more experience a goalie has, the more he will be able to save. This is also called ‘career saves’ and, on average, a career goalie will save around 80% of the shots he faces.
It is also important to point out here that some goalies will save more goals than others depending on the number of shots that they have to face. If you are trying to determine how good a goalie is based on regular season statistics alone, you will need to look at the number of games he has played in order to get an accurate gauge as to how many goals he has actually saved. A little bit of research should reveal the amount of games he has played and the number of goals he has saved (or let in).
What Is The Range Of Save Percentage Scores?
With all of the complexities that go into goaltending, it is no surprise that there is a wide range of save percentages. This is because the more experience a goalie has, the more he will be able to save. The best goalies can save around 90% of all the shots that they face. This is also known as ‘lightning-quick reflexes’ or ‘instant-reaction capability’ and is what allows them to steal games and keep opponents off of the scoreboard.
In addition to experience, other factors can affect a goalie’s performance, including the ice surface on which he is playing and the direction in which the puck is heading. All of this can dramatically change the outcome of a game and, therefore, the save percentage for a particular goalie.
Taking Experience Into Consideration
In the end, it is worth bearing in mind that all of the statistics that we have discussed so far are considered on a per-game basis. A great goalie will not necessarily have the best save percentage for the entire season even though he might end up with the best career average. This is because goaltending is a highly demanding sport and the workload can be extremely heavy. In addition, the position requires a lot of athletic ability, leg strength and reaction speed.
Depending on how many games he has played, a goalie’s performance over the course of the season can vary from bad to excellent. Looking at his statistics over the course of an entire year can give you an indication of how good a goalie is and whether or not he is worth betting on for the future. Knowing how many games he has played also allows you to gauge how many goals he has actually saved. This can be used to determine whether or not he is capable of carrying a team on his back for the entire season.
The best way for a goalie to prove to the world that he is the best is to save as many shots as possible. The key to achieving this is by playing more games and taking advantage of your team’s opportunities. By doing this, you will raise your goalie’s save percentage and, ultimately, the percentage of the shots that he saves will be higher than ever before!
There are many variables that can impact a goalie’s performance including the ice surface on which he is playing and the direction in which the puck is heading. All of this can dramatically change the outcome of a game and, therefore, the save percentage for a particular goalie.