Player Discussion Joel Armia

[MarVell]

Armia is for sure a better player than Lehkonen, if you ask me.

 

[sheed36]

Armia signed. 1 year, 1.85M

 

[le_sean]

Would have preferred multiple years but let’s see what we got instead.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Is he a UFA after the season? Really like Armia, I think there is major potential still and his size, playstyle, and rh shot are just what we needed.

 

[jaffy27]

We hope. We can't count our chickens before they hatch.

So far, Lehkonen hasn't proven he can be more than a 3rd liner and Armia hasn't proved he can be a 4th liner. Kotkaniemi, Ylonen, and Ikonen haven't proven they can be NHLers.

I never said anything about top line players

Having said that, I see 3 of those 5 players players in our top 6 in the very near future

 

[Adam Michaels]

Is he a UFA after the season? Really like Armia, I think there is major potential still and his size, playstyle, and rh shot are just what we needed.

He's RFA after this contract, too.

 

[Archijerej]

Good contract. I believe Julien is going to use him in a checking role with Plekanec. This allows to deploy Lehkonen more offensively. He was kind of sacrificed last year, because he also happens to be good on the other side of the puck. Having Armia alleviates this problem. If this is indeed the way they're gonna be used, I don't expect much offensive output from Armia.

 

[CauZuki]

Armia is for sure a better player than Lehkonen, if you ask me.

Lehkonen is still very young and has a much better shot , I think Lehkonen still has a lot to prove.

 

[26Mats]

Lehkonen has proven to be a Top-6 player. He had 18 goals in his rookie season and had 4 points in 6 playoff games. And even though he was held back by injury last year, the rate he was scoring towards the end of the year, he was Top-6.

Armia last year was a 3rd line player in Winnipeg. So he has proven to be more than a 4th liner.

They both still have more to prove, for sure. But I think Lehkonen's done enough to prove he's more than a 3rd liner and Armia more than a 4th liner.

Lehkonen had 18 goals and 28 points in his best season. Those are 3rd line numbers in today's NHL. He has the potential to be top 6, imo. But he hasn't gotten there yet.

As for Armia, who do you have him playing in the top 9 ahead of? If Pacioretty gets traded and a forward doesn't come back, is 12 goal, 29 point Armia ahead of 22 goal, 35 point Byron? Of should we move one of the young guys (Scherbak, Domi, Lehkonen, or Hudon) to the 4th line to make room for him?

Pacioretty Danault Domi
Scherbak Drouin Gallagher
Lehkonen Plekanec Hudon
Armia Byron/Shaw Deslauriers

 

[ijuka]

Lehkonen is still very young and has a much better shot , I think Lehkonen still has a lot to prove.

Joel Armia has value in other things such as:

 

[NotProkofievian]

Joel Armia has value in other things such as:

Lol that last puck steal made me chuckle.

 

[Hostile Offer]

Lehkonen is still very young and has a much better shot , I think Lehkonen still has a lot to prove.

Lehkonen is just fairly weak with the puck, not a particularly good skater either for his size. He has all the karakter in the world but I just don't think he is ever going to have what it takes to be a legit top 6 forward. Armia on the other hand is a force when he's on. However, both need to find consistency.

 

[TannedBum]

Some high praise for new Canadiens right-winger Joel Armia

Richardson finally got what he wanted

 

[Et le But]

Lehkonen is just fairly weak with the puck, not a particularly good skater either for his size. He has all the karakter in the world but I just don't think he is ever going to have what it takes to be a legit top 6 forward. Armia on the other hand is a force when he's on. However, both need to find consistency.

Say what you want about advanced stats but Lehkonen has been a very good possession driver in middle line usage and is good defensively. He still needs to prove a lot more to be penciled in the top 6 offensively, but at this point he still has more upside than Armia, although I like both of them.

 

[Fazkovsky]

If plugs get top 6 icetime all the time i bet armia will too

 

[NobleSix]

I got a chance to watch a lot of Jets games down the stretch last season. Armia will be a good pick up for us. Could see him spend some time on the second line covering for an injury, although he is best suited for the 3rd line.

Hopefully he shows what he can do and signs again next summer.

 

[Nate070]

I got a chance to watch a lot of Jets games down the stretch last season. Armia will be a good pick up for us. Could see him spend some time on the second line covering for an injury, although he is best suited for the 3rd line.

Hopefully he shows what he can do and signs again next summer.

I watched all Jets games where Armia played. I think if he gets some quality line mates it could be his breakout year in Montreal.

He is so strong on the puck as you could see in that clip and a really smart player

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[smirob]

Lehkonen-DLR-Armia

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I got a chance to watch a lot of Jets games down the stretch last season. Armia will be a good pick up for us. Could see him spend some time on the second line covering for an injury, although he is best suited for the 3rd line.

Hopefully he shows what he can do and signs again next summer.

I imagine next year we will be rolling 4 lines. I think the top 3 RWs are gonna be Gallagher, Armia, and Scherbak. It really just depends on mixing and matching in terms of who would play with who.

 

[smirob]

I wouldn’t be surprised if he could crack our top 6.
If he could: Domi-Drouin-Armia could be effective.

Domi is a good setup guy
Drouin should be able To finish
And Armia frees up space for the other two

That’s if he can crack the top 6

Otherwise Lehkonen-DLR-Armia

 

[donghabs98]

Lehkonen-DLR-Armia

That line would be a great checking line and if DLR developed more offensive skills they would be a good 2 way line.

 

[pylon17]

I’m expecting a 20-20 season from Armia at a minimum. He’s damn good.

 

[Scriptor]

I’m expecting a 20-20 season from Armia at a minimum. He’s damn good.

Aria can surprise, for sure, and getting plenty of ice time under Julien is a distinct possibility given his effort level and back-checking abilities.

 

[yianik]

I don't like the fact he will be a year to UFA status after this season, but there really was no choice here. It made sense to both sides to sign a one year show me deal.

We need Armia to show he is at least a very good 3rd liner because the team identity of speed and quickness is good and all, but we will hit a wall even in this " new " NHL if we ice " The Smurfs 2 ".