PuckSleuth
30Cap hit
$3.4M
3.3% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$5.179M
vs. $8.579M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
1 starts
Record
1-0-0
SV%
1.000
GAA
0.00
Shots against
25
GSAx
+2.9
goals saved above expected
Game Score
+2.95
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | Dec | SA | SV | GA | SV% | TOI | xGA | GSAx | HD saves | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2@ DAL · W 4-0 | W | 25 | 25 | 0 | 1.000 | 60:00 | 2.95 | +2.95 | 1/1 | +2.95 |
| Apr 16@ UTA · W 5-3 | W | 23 | 20 | 3 | .870 | 60:00 | 2.63 | -0.37 | 2/2 | -0.37 |
| Apr 13vs MIN · W 6-3 | W | 31 | 28 | 3 | .903 | 59:50 | 3.06 | +0.06 | 4/5 | +0.06 |
| Apr 11@ CHI · W 5-3 | W | 34 | 31 | 3 | .912 | 60:00 | 2.99 | -0.01 | 1/2 | -0.01 |
| Apr 7vs COL · L 3-1 | L | 37 | 34 | 3 | .919 | 55:51 | 2.67 | -0.33 | 2/3 | -0.33 |
Dec = decision (W, L, OTL; ND = started, no decision). HD saves = high-danger shots on goal stopped. GS = our Game Score.
Advanced metrics
2025-26 · 46 GP · 2,625 min · percentile vs. NHL goalies
89th percentile
87th percentile
83rd percentile
56th percentile
81st percentile
77th percentile
86th percentile
70th percentile
63rd percentile
49th percentile
Expected goals come from our own model and rate every unblocked shot he faced by its chance of going in. High-danger shots are those worth 0.15 expected goals or more. Percentiles compare him with goalies who played 600 minutes that season. xGA/60 shows how hard his workload was, so its bar is grey.
Play styleClean-sheet rebound controller
Trait percentiles vs. NHL goalies · 2025-26
Hofer's numbers show a well-rounded starter who is above average on every measured trait, led by elite rebound control and strong saves on dangerous shots. He saves more goals than expected, with 13.5 goals saved above expected and quality starts in 60% of his games.
- High-danger saves
- 81
- Routine saves
- 67
- Rebound control
- 97
- 5-on-5 saves
- 73
- PK saves
- 80
- Consistency
- 70
- Workload
- 64
Strengths
- Rebound control ranks in the 97th percentile, giving few second-chance shots.
- High-danger saves sit at the 81st percentile, with a .729 save % on 155 shots.
- PK saves rank in the 80th percentile while his team is shorthanded.
Watch-outs
- Routine saves are his lowest trait at the 67th percentile, still above average.
- Consistency is at the 70th percentile, with 40% of starts falling short of quality.
Similar style: Jet Greaves (CBJ), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF)
Built from play-by-play and our expected goals model, compared with goalies who have 600+ minutes in the season.
Where his Game Score comes from
2026-27 · 1 GP
Season total +2.9, or +2.95 per game.
- Goaltending
- +2.9
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | GS | W | L | OTL | SV% | GAA | SO | SA | GA | GSAx |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | St. Louis Blues | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .880 | 3.07 | 0 | 50 | 6 | — |
| 2022-23 | St. Louis Blues | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .905 | 3.22 | 0 | 179 | 17 | -1.9 |
| 2023-24 | St. Louis Blues | 30 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 1 | .914 | 2.65 | 1 | 830 | 72 | +13.2 |
| 2024-25 | St. Louis Blues | 31 | 28 | 16 | 8 | 3 | .904 | 2.64 | 1 | 767 | 74 | -5.3 |
| 2025-26 | St. Louis Blues | 46 | 43 | 24 | 13 | 5 | .910 | 2.61 | 6 | 1250 | 114 | +13.5 |
| 2026-27 | St. Louis Blues | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.00 | 1 | 25 | 0 | +2.9 |
| Career | 6 seasons | 116 | 107 | 60 | 35 | 10 | .909 | 2.64 | 9 | 3101 | 283 |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GSAx (goals saved above expected) is ours, from our expected goals model.
Usage
Last game: @ DAL, Oct 2
Started in net last game.
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- McTavish wastes no time making his mark with the Blues
bleedinblue.com · Oct 3
- Mason McTavish scores and Joel Hofer shuts out Stars: 5 Blues season-opener observations
The New York Times · Oct 3
- Statement made: Hofer season-opening shutout is the start of a new era in St. Louis
Bleedin' Blue · Oct 3
- Hofer makes 25 saves, Blues shut out Stars in season opener
NHL.com · Oct 3
- Joel Hofer & St. Louis Blues Blank Dallas Stars 4-0 On Opening Night At AAC | DLLS STARS POSTGAME
dlls-dallas-stars-podcast.simplecast.com · Oct 3
- Joel Hofer, Blues start season with shutout win over Stars
Macon Telegraph · Oct 3
- Hofer stops 25, Blues shut out Stars in season opener
NHL.com · Oct 3
- Joel Hofer with a Goalie Save vs. Dallas Stars
Yahoo Sports · Oct 3
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.64 per game over these 10.
Age curve
NHL goalies · production index
At 26, goalies typically produce 100% of their peak (age 26).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | STL | $3.4M | 3.3% |
RFA after 2026-27. $3.4M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).