Goals against average

Lore & Background

The goals against average statistic has been used by the National Hockey League (NHL) since 1965, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) since 1990, and the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) since 2024. When calculating GAA, overtime goals and time on ice are included, whereas empty net and shootout goals are not. It is typically given to two decimal places. The top goaltenders in the NHL have a GAA of about 1.85–2.10, though this has not been seen since the Dead Puck Era. The measure of a good GAA changes as different playing styles come and go. In lacrosse, top goaltenders in the National Lacrosse League have a GAA of about 10.00, and top 2005 Western Lacrosse Association goaltenders had a GAA of about 9.00. At their best, elite NCAA water polo goalies have a GAA between 3.00 and 5.00.

Reader's Guide

Since the statistic is highly dependent on the team playing in front of a goalie, save percentage is usually considered a more accurate measure of a goaltender's skill, especially in ice hockey and lacrosse, as it takes into account the number of shots the goaltender has faced. For example, in hockey, a goaltender saving 83% of shots but allowing a 2.00 GAA would be considered worse than a goalie who saves 96% of shots and has a 4.00 GAA. In soccer, since it is considered part of the goalkeeper's job to coach defenders on proper positioning to prevent opponents' shots, GAA is more commonly used to evaluate goalkeepers than save percentage. The statistic's significance lies in its long-standing use across multiple sports and leagues, though its interpretation varies by sport and era. The Dead Puck Era in the NHL produced notably low GAA figures, but the metric remains a standard benchmark for goaltender performance despite its dependence on team defense.

Did You Know?

• In Japanese, the same translation (防御率) is used for both GAA and ERA.
• Empty net and shootout goals are not included when calculating GAA.

A Universal Metric Across the Goal Line

Goals against average, frequently abbreviated as GAA or sometimes referred to as average goals against, serves as a foundational performance indicator for the last line of defense in several team sports. The statistic appears in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo, where it quantifies the mean number of goals a goaltender or goalkeeper concedes over the course of a game. Its conceptual lineage traces directly to baseball, where the earned run average measures a pitcher's effectiveness in preventing runs; the two metrics occupy parallel roles in their respective sports. A fascinating linguistic echo exists in Japanese, where the identical term 防御率 is applied to both GAA and ERA, reflecting the shared purpose of these two seemingly different measurements. This cross-sport universality makes GAA one of the most widely recognized defensive benchmarks in all of competitive athletics, bridging disciplines that differ enormously in pace, field size, and scoring frequency.

The Ice Hockey Formula and Its Institutional History

In ice hockey, GAA carries a precise mathematical definition that distinguishes it from the looser per-game averages used in other disciplines. The figure represents goals allowed per sixty minutes of playing time, derived by multiplying the total goals against by sixty and then dividing by the actual minutes the goaltender spent on the ice. This standardized 60-minute framework has been embraced by the National Hockey League since 1965, adopted by the International Ice Hockey Federation beginning in 1990, and most recently incorporated by the Professional Women's Hockey League starting in 2024. The calculation includes overtime goals and all time on ice, while deliberately excluding empty-net situations and shootout attempts, ensuring the number reflects genuine defensive pressure rather than ceremonial or unopposed scoring. Results are conventionally rounded to two decimal places, giving fans and analysts a consistent, granular yardstick for comparing keepers across eras and leagues.

What Constitutes Elite Varies by Sport

Because GAA is inherently tied to the scoring frequency of each sport, the number that signals elite performance shifts dramatically from one code to another. In the NHL, the very best goaltenders historically posted figures between 1.85 and 2.10, though that range has not been witnessed since the so-called Dead Puck Era, a period when the game's tempo and shot volume changed the baseline for what counts as outstanding. The standard for a good GAA in hockey also flexes with evolving playing styles, meaning a number that looked exceptional in one decade may appear unremarkable in the next. By contrast, top keepers in the National Lacrosse League hover around a 10.00 mark, while the leading 2005 Western Lacrosse Association goalies sat near 9.00. In NCAA water polo, the elite range stretches from roughly 3.00 to 5.00. These wide disparities remind analysts that GAA must always be interpreted within the context of its specific sport and era.

The Ongoing Debate: GAA Versus Save Percentage

A persistent question in goaltender evaluation is whether GAA truly captures individual skill or merely reflects the team playing in front of the keeper. In ice hockey and lacrosse, save percentage is generally regarded as the more reliable indicator because it factors in the volume of shots a goaltender actually faces. A striking illustration: a hockey keeper who stops 83 percent of attempts yet concedes a 2.00 GAA is judged inferior to one who saves 96 percent of shots while posting a 4.00 GAA, because the latter is dealing with far more traffic and still performing at a higher rate. Soccer presents a different philosophical case. There, coaching defenders into proper positioning to suppress opponents' shot attempts is considered an intrinsic part of the goalkeeper's responsibilities. Consequently, GAA remains the more commonly cited metric for evaluating soccer keepers, since it captures the full scope of their organizational and defensive influence on the outcome.