Minnesota United has become known for its defense, and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair is getting some recognition for his contribution to that reputation. MLS announced Monday that St. Clair is the 2025 Goalkeeper of the Year, an honor for a keeper who reached another level this season.
St. Clair posted the best numbers of his career this season, setting career highs for clean sheets and saves, and his advanced shot-stopping numbers were also excellent. Stats website American Soccer Analysis said St. Clair had saved nearly 10 goals more than expected, the fourth-best season in its database, which goes back to 2013.
For St. Clair, 2025 was about “raising his floor,” in his words.
“I know I’ve had those big moments in the past and of course I’m able to make those big saves, but I think for me I really wanted to hone in on the consistency,” he said. “I think I’ve made a lot of saves either early on, or in the middle of games, at the right times to allow the team to then go and get results.”
The 28-year-old keeper has also developed a reputation as the penalty-kick king of MLS. He’s faced 15 penalties in league play and allowed just seven goals, and while the available stats for the entire 30-year history of the league are incomplete, that percentage has to be up there with just about any goalkeeper in the history of MLS.
St. Clair has won three consecutive playoff shootouts, with the Loons having won two last year against Real Salt Lake and Game 1 against Seattle this season. Coincidentally, St. Clair’s numbers in those three shootouts are identical to his career numbers in the regular season: 15 attempts faced, just seven goals allowed.
“I think in general we would feel as confident as you can be in a penalty shootout, if it was to go that way again,” manager Eric Ramsay said.
St. Clair locked down the Loons starting job for good in 2022, and has been a top-tier keeper in the league in the four seasons since. And if his focus is part of that, then he was true to form when he found out about this award.
