Is Joel Armia the most important player for the Canadiens?
No. And no one said that.
But Joel Armia can be useful when he wants to play and when he makes the necessary effort. When he’s at his best, we’re talking about a player who can help a National League club…
Time flies, but Armia is (already) in his sixth season in a Habs uniform.
We know that he has found himself at the heart of certain rumors in the past… But what we didn’t know is that the Canadian has been trying to trade him for a long time.
At least that’s what Pierre McGuire, who was on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, revealed:
McGuire goes on to say that three years ago, he worked for an NHL club (the Senators) and that the Canadian offered Joel Armia to that club.
Tony Marinaro returned to the subject this morning on the radio (BPM Sports) and he said that a transaction involving several pieces was on the table, but the Senators ultimately decided to decline the offer.
In my eyes, there is two reasons which could explain the fact that other teams haven’t wanted Armia for a long time.
The player’s inconsistency, as I talked about at the start of the article… And his contract.
Armia is in the last year of a four-year contract that he signed in the summer of 2021. But this contract allowed him to earn an average of $3.4 million per season…
For some, $3.4 million… It’s not a lot. But the real problem is paying a player who shows up once in three or once in four at that salary.
It’s a shame in a way because Joel Armia has some really interesting qualities. He can play shorthanded, he’s good at forechecking (when he wants to play) and he excels at puck protection because he has magic hands.
That said, he probably wouldn’t be playing in Montreal right now if he hadn’t been so inconsistent in recent years. And probably his stay in Laval last year didn’t help either…
In burst
– The infirmary is overflowing in Caroline.
– Hum…
– Does player size have an impact on team selection in the draft? [RG]
– Oh yes?
– Happy holiday!
