When the NHL Network revealed its top-10 goaltenders heading into the 2026-27 season, the St. Louis Blues were nowhere to be found among the elite. While the list left off a few of the top goaltenders, there was one name in particular that has Blues fans excited for the future and has yet to be recognized among the top in the league. Looking closely at the underlying numbers and trajectory of St. Louis' new starter, the national graphic listing the top-10 could look drastically different this time next year.
Blues goaltender Joel Hofer put together a breakout 2025-26 campaign and established himself as the primary option to take over the Blues' crease with the franchise looking to contend once more for postseason play. Over 46 games played, he finished with a 24-13-5 record with a 2.61 GAA and .910 save percentage (SV%). Looking beyond the traditional statistics, however, the "under the hood" numbers have started to show a goaltender who is pushing his team and driving winning hockey in St. Louis.
For those who have not watched Hofer over the course of his career, his emergence is not a flash in the pan, but has been built on a consistent track record throughout his career. During the 2019-20 WHL season with the Portland Winterhawks, Hofer carried the bulk of the action, finishing with a 34-8-5 record, a 2.49 GAA, and a .915 SV% that helped push him to a Gold Medal at the 2020 World Juniors, along with being named Best Goaltender after posting a 1.30 GAA, and a .946 SV%.
This is the 'big-game' type of pedigree that has helped carry Hofer's professional development with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL and beyond. In the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, he posted a .934 SV% over 10 games and an unforgettable goalie goal before cementing his status as a top prospect in 2022-23, earning AHL Second All-Star Team honors with a 27-15-5 record, a 2.50 GAA, and five shutouts over 47 games.
Looking under the hood
His ability to lock down games and adapt his play quickly translated well to the NHL in 2025-26, despite a bumpy start to the season. Hofer recorded six shutouts, trailing only the New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin for the league lead. Finishing 8th in Goals Saved Above Average (GSAA) with 1B goaltending responsibility through a majority of the season as well. The number alone has helped to reinforce that Hofer's metrics are not built as a byproduct of team structure, but by actively outperforming expected shot-stopping on a nightly basis.
Regardless of an expanded workload, Hofer has shown his ability to bounce back on special teams to log an .878 SV% on the power play and .889 SV% short-handed. With over 1,000 even-strength shots against him, including 182 high-danger scoring chances against, his even-strength save percentage has held on at an above-average .915 rating, matching that of his actual goals allowed (87) and his expected goals against (87.8 xGA).
Scaling up to a starter's workload
From leading Canada at the World Juniors and anchoring Springfield in the AHL, to becoming the starting goaltender in St. Louis, Hofer has proven at every step that his performance continues to scale up with his workload. As he transitions to his new role and eyes carrying a workload of roughly 55 or more starts, history shows his counting stats should continue to align with his top-tier rate metrics. By the summer of 2027, Hofer could very well see his name among the NHL's elite netminders.
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