In a recent article from The Athletic, Jesse Granger ranked Joel Hofer as the top potential breakout goaltender in the NHL for the coming 2026-27 season. Granger made it clear that he was defining a breakout player as a player who fundamentally changes his outlook and role within the league — transitioning from a secondary option to a franchise pillar.
While this may be a bit of a “no duh” for Blues fans, Granger focused on Hofer taking over the primary workload late in the season. Hofer’s playing history shows us that he could not only be poised for a routine step forward, but the pedigree to make his push as a top-10 goaltender in the league.
During the second-half of the 2025-26 season, Hofer had a dominant stretch of play where he posted a .917 save percentage and 16.38 goals saved above expected. However, looking at his career, this wasn’t just a flash in the pan type of performance.
Proven history of dominating with increased workloads
Looking over Hofer’s history and playing career, it is filled with a consistent pattern of a player who takes full advantage of earned opportunities. During the 2020 World Junior Championships, he stepped into Canada’s net and posted a 1.30 GAA and .946 SV% over six games, taking home the Gold and Best Goaltender honors. When he was been tasked with carrying the Springfield Thunderbirds during the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, he responded with a dominant stretch with a .934 SV% across 10 postseason games. He followed up that performance in 2022-23 by earning AHL Second All-Star Team honors with a 27-win season and .921 SV% over 47 appearances.
When he transitioned to the NHL, most wondered if there would be a learning curve that he would have to overcome and there would be a clear adjustment to the games top-level. While he did struggle at times, Hofer continued to keep his head down and play his game. Over the past season, he expanded his workload to 46 appearances, grabbing 24 wins, a .910 SV%, and six shutouts. At every level of his development, the increased responsibility has only sharpened his execution.
Granger noted Hofer’s high-end physical tools, his technical poise, and elite puck-handling as the overall foundation for his argument for Hofer’s breakout season. Looking beyond that, though, St. Louis’ defensive structure, adjustments in coaching staff, and the natural development from players like Logan Mailloux and Philip Broberg to push himself to a potential top-10 goaltender in the NHL.
Grabbing six shutouts in 46 games placed him second across the NHL behind one goaltender, Ilya Sorokin (NYI) who earned seven shutouts in 55 games. Hofer has already been linked in early conversations for the Team Canada’s international play and has checked every box from the WHL to the AHL and into the NHL. The history is there showing that Hofer isn’t a goaltender who just meets expectations when given the crease, he rises to the occasion and redefines the expectations.
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