Player Discussion Joel Armia

[Tyson]

He was okay while healthy, I thought, and was playing better with KK near the end as well, but a big piece of this team? I'm not sure about that. Not yet. Too bad he got injured because, if he had kept progressing, maybe I would have thought so.

You saw him getting better and better, started feeling comfortable. Don’t underestimate the impact he has on Kotkaniemi

 

[Walrus26]

Wonder what the immediate future will hold for either Peca or Hudon once Armia is back in the lineup? As others have said, he was starting to look an integral part of the team on Kotka's 3rd line.

 

[1909]

Wonder what the immediate future will hold for either Peca or Hudon once Armia is back in the lineup? As others have said, he was starting to look an integral part of the team on Kotka's 3rd line.

Hudon or Peca will be "hopefully" dealt... not waived !

 

[ryan callahan]

Hudon or Peca will be "hopefully" dealt... not waived !

Dealt for what? A 5th round pick? I'd rather keep my depth

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

Dealt for what? A 5th round pick? I'd rather keep my depth

They created depth in the off season but now are losing it for nothing. I rather they get a fifth for Peca or Hudon then lose one on waivers again like de la Rose and Scherbak.

 

[THE HOFF]

In terms of points, no, but he has played an very solid all around game that coaches and players love. This isn't fantasy hockey the guys are playing.

It might not be fantasy hockey, but they still need to put the puck in the net and having him on the powerplay will cause me to experience anger.

 

[26Mats]

Wonder what the immediate future will hold for either Peca or Hudon once Armia is back in the lineup? As others have said, he was starting to look an integral part of the team on Kotka's 3rd line.

I have Lehkonen and byron ahead of armia on the 3rd line. These are 3 Julien favorites, so it will be interesting to see who gets bumped to the 4th line. If shaw doesn't keep it up, I think he will be the one and byron will get a shot on the first line.

 

[Fixxer]

You saw him getting better and better, started feeling comfortable. Don’t underestimate the impact he has on Kotkaniemi

There also the number of hits he makes too. 36 hits in 15 games....

 

[scrubadam]

Like Byron we are missing this guy in the line up.

He isn't a top 6er but he brings a lot to the bottom 6 and adds some size to the team. And he was chipping in too before his injury.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I would put Byron with KK and Armia and Lehkonen on the 4th

Not me, Lehkonen is in my top 9. I don't like his finishing ability cause he tends to get chances and hit the goalie in the chest but his speed and 200' game is good.

However, someone from Armia, Byron, Shaw is playing 4th line. Will be interesting to see what Julien does.

As far as Armia, we lack these types in our top 9 and I find a way to get him in after he gets into game shape. Big body that protects the puck well is a good piece with Kotkaniemi IMO.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Dealt for what? A 5th round pick? I'd rather keep my depth

DLR gone
Sherbak gone
Plekanec gone
Hudon gone soon

what depth are you talking about ? McCaron ? the two AHLers currently on the Habs ?

 

[Habs Halifax]

DLR gone
Sherbak gone
Plekanec gone
Hudon gone soon

what depth are you talking about ? McCaron ? the two AHLers currently on the Habs ?

The depth is still decent but certainly not as good as it was when we started the year. Now the future depth we have in the AHL sort of falls into next year... Evans, Vejdemo, Alain, Suzuki, Poehling. Not even sure McCarron gets a NHL contract from us.

Belzile is having one fine season at the moment though. I don't even thing he has a NHL contract.

 

[TannedBum]

Like Byron we are missing this guy in the line up.

He isn't a top 6er but he brings a lot to the bottom 6 and adds some size to the team. And he was chipping in too before his injury.

And most of all, he adds takeaways, takeaways and some god damn takeaways. He has that Datsyuk -level defensive stick. He led the team with a clear margin in takeaways before his injury. No surprise there. He's puck possession monster with size, mobility and fantastic hands. At least Julien has noticed that. And once he's back, he will play in all situations and big minutes like he did before, as he should.

 

[26Mats]

And most of all, he adds takeaways, takeaways and some god damn takeaways. He has that Datsyuk -level defensive stick. He led the team with a clear margin in takeaways before his injury. No surprise there. He's puck possession monster with size, mobility and fantastic hands. At least Julien has noticed that. And once he's back, he will play in all situations and big minutes like he did before, as he should.

But so many offensive plays die on his stick. Everything you say is true, but he lacks offensive awareness. I don't want him on the pp, even the 2nd unit. and he has to be put on the right line. Hopefully not Kotkaniemi's. If he's going to be in the top 9, I hope it's with Danault. It's hard to know who of Lehkonen, Byron, and Armia will be on the 4th line.

Drouin Domi Shaw
Tatar Kotkaniemi Gallagher
Byron Danault Armia/Lehkonen
Agostino Chaput Armia/Lehkonen

 

[TannedBum]

But so many offensive plays die on his stick. Everything you say is true, but he lacks offensive awareness.

BS. And yet so many offensive plays didn't die on his stick. There are players on PP that have f***ed up a lot more than him. And no one has that reach and skill + right handed shot. Yeah, he should definitely be on PP.

Kotkaniemi benefits from Armia, but not the other way around. Not yet at least.

 

[417]

BS. And yet so many offensive plays didn't die on his stick. There are players on PP that have ****ed up a lot more than him. And no one has that reach and skill + right handed shot. Yeah, he should definitely be on PP.

Kotkaniemi benefits from Armia, but not the other way around. Not yet at least.

Tend to agree with you - Armia has been missed since being injured and I thought he was under-appreciated when he did play.

It's unfortunate he got injured when he did as I thought he was playing his best hockey, hopefully it'll be more of the same when he's back and is up to speed.

He's a unique player on this team in terms of what he brings.

 

[scrubadam]

But so many offensive plays die on his stick. Everything you say is true, but he lacks offensive awareness. I don't want him on the pp, even the 2nd unit. and he has to be put on the right line. Hopefully not Kotkaniemi's. If he's going to be in the top 9, I hope it's with Danault. It's hard to know who of Lehkonen, Byron, and Armia will be on the 4th line.

Drouin Domi Shaw
Tatar Kotkaniemi Gallagher
Byron Danault Armia/Lehkonen
Agostino Chaput Armia/Lehkonen

He was nearly .5 PPG when he got injured.

I agree he shouldnt be on the PP, but he is a solid bottom 6er that adds depth and size into the line up.

 

[26Mats]

He was nearly .5 PPG when he got injured.

I agree he shouldnt be on the PP, but he is a solid bottom 6er that adds depth and size into the line up.

so who are you taking out of the top 9 to put him in?

 

[26Mats]

BS. And yet so many offensive plays didn't die on his stick. There are players on PP that have ****ed up a lot more than him. And no one has that reach and skill + right handed shot. Yeah, he should definitely be on PP.

Kotkaniemi benefits from Armia, but not the other way around. Not yet at least.

Yeah he should definitely be on the power play. The proof is in the numbers. He's never, ever scored a single goal on the pp. Must be everyone else's fault.

These conversations remind me of those where many said Lars Eller should be our #1 center. He's big and he doesn't have tunnel vision, honest.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Worst case you can have him as the 4th line RW which was his role in Winnipeg.

 

[scrubadam]

so who are you taking out of the top 9 to put him in?

Thats tough. I think we see the finish line back together. Byron on the 1st line and Shaw on the 4th. Depending how Shaw is playing and the team habs are facing we could switch those up.

 

[417]

Thats tough. I think we see the finish line back together. Byron on the 1st line and Shaw on the 4th. Depending how Shaw is playing and the team habs are facing we could switch those up.

It's a tough call - i'd like to see the Lehkonen-Kotkaniemi-Armia line reunited at some point.

What that means for the rest of the lineup is tough to say, I guess whoever is playing better between Byron or Shaw gets to stick with the Double D's (Domi & Drouin).

Drouin-Domi-Byron
Tatar-Danault-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Kotkaniemi-Armia
Agostino-Chaput-Shaw

That gives the Habs 4 pretty balanced lines...it feels even weird having Shaw on a 4th line given how he's produced this year.

 

[26Mats]

Thats tough. I think we see the finish line back together. Byron on the 1st line and Shaw on the 4th. Depending how Shaw is playing and the team habs are facing we could switch those up.

Normally I'd be fine with that, but Shaw has something like 15 points in the last 15 games. He was in front of Crawford's vision for two of our 3 goals. No way I'm taking him off the first line.

If Shaw stays, where do you have Armia then?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Wonder what the immediate future will hold for either Peca or Hudon once Armia is back in the lineup? As others have said, he was starting to look an integral part of the team on Kotka's 3rd line.

Spare parts. If we can lose DLR and Scherbak for nothing, we can waive them too. Honestly, I would of waived Peca and Hudon before DLR and Scherbak.

 

[26Mats]

It's a tough call - i'd like to see the Lehkonen-Kotkaniemi-Armia line reunited at some point.

What that means for the rest of the lineup is tough to say, I guess whoever is playing better between Byron or Shaw gets to stick with the Double D's (Domi & Drouin).

Drouin-Domi-Byron
Tatar-Danault-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Kotkaniemi-Armia
Agostino-Chaput-Shaw

That gives the Habs 4 pretty balanced lines...it feels even weird having Shaw on a 4th line given how he's produced this year.

I still don't think that Finnish line had enough finish. I see Armia playing with Danault on a hard forecheck line, if he's not on the 4th line. Maybe next year with Poehling coming in Danault-Armi will be the main duo of our 4th line. But I still can't put him ahead of Byron or Lehkonen. Maybe Lehkonen if he goes cold. At any rate the lines will and should change as chemistry gets stale, injuries, etc...

Drouin-Domi-Shaw
Tatar-Kotkaniemi-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Danault-Byron
Agostino-Chaput-Armia