Canadiens Forward Armia Makes Most of Latest Chance with Habs

While Roy has scored a modest two points in five games NHL so far, he’s looked far from out of place playing with Armia and Sean Monahan. It’s safe to say both veterans have helped with his smooth transition to NHL life. Armia meanwhile has three points in that span, but, more significantly, eight goals in 30 games in his multiple call-ups to the Canadiens this season. Over an entire 82-game season, that translates to 22, when the most he’s ever had is 16.

That 2019-20 season, Armia scored at over a half-point-per-game clip, perhaps influencing then-general manager Marc Bergevin to re-sign him to his current four-year, $13.6 million contract. Combined with his penalty-killing prowess, his scoring potential made the contract a good idea in principle, not practice. Unfortunately, Armia’s production has since dipped, to the point it’s become clear the now-30-year-old will never develop into a legitimate top-six forward despite his draft pedigree (16th overall in 2011), despite having been tried out there on occasion by the Canadiens.

Armia Rebounds from Poor 2022-23… Eventually

While Armia does have something to offer an NHL team, the $3.4 million cap hit is obviously hard to swallow, when you’re looking at three points in 26 games, which is how he started off his 2022-23. To his credit, he did finish strong, with 11 points in his last 17 games, ending up with 14 in 43, which is production largely in line with his Canadiens tenure overall.

Armia’s strong finish to 2022-23 did spark hope he could rebound this 2023-24 season… and, while he has all things taken into consideration, it’s hard to look past his demotion. It’s not necessarily because it’s a stain on his season. If anything, the fact that he reportedly took it in good stride and didn’t let it affect his gameplay is a point in his favour. It’s more so what the demotion represented: a lack of roster space.

The Canadiens didn’t really demote Armia as a punishment out of a lack of performance. There are plenty of horror stories of players who have coasted through training camp but stayed on because of their unofficial status as NHL veterans. No, the Habs demoted him because keeping him instead of Jesse Ylonen just didn’t make logical or logistical sense. Ylonen was no longer exempt from waivers and had somewhat impressed after having been called up due to injuries the previous season.

Furthermore, rather than expose a 24-year-old with offensive upside, why not expose Armia who had peaked offensively years prior in the hopes someone would take his contract off their hands? Interestingly though, Armia’s production with the Canadiens this season may give them second thoughts to taking the same action next season. Should they really want anyone to claim Armia if he were hypothetically able to keep up his 20-plus-goal pace?

In a word, still “yes,” although there probably would be some hesitation attached to the affirmative response. Despite his resurgence, it’s fairly clear Armia won’t be re-signed when his contract comes due in 2025. So, it’s not exactly a stretch to say he doesn’t have a long-term future with the Canadiens. Maybe Ylonen doesn’t either… but it’s the same situation, just with regard to other names like Emil Heineman, Sean Farrell and, yes, even Roy. Those are potentially three names with only Monahan and Tanner Pearson set to move on as pending unrestricted-free-agent forwards (if they’re not traded before).

Armia vs. Hoffman vs. Monahan

In fact, you have to believe Armia’s resurgence has only added to the likelihood that current-GM Kent Hughes trades him before his contract expires. He did after all manage to trade Mike Hoffman last offseason under similar circumstances, as an unwanted contract up front to make space for younger players. There’s every reason to believe Hughes is operating behind the scenes with much the same mindset, regardless of how well he fits with Roy.

Look at it this way, if, for whatever reason, you’re having trouble letting go of Armia (there are support groups for that type of thing, I imagine): We’re approaching the point where more and more fans are coming to terms with the fact the Canadiens should deal Monahan, with whom Roy also plays. In fact, there’s a good argument it’s Monahan and not Armia who’s more valuable to that line and Roy’s development, under the odd assumption the Habs would absolutely need that line to stick together for the sake of his development.

If the Canadiens can trade Monahan, they certainly can Armia… I mean, assuming they can. One way or another though, it’s unlikely Armia remains with the team at the end of next season. At the end of the day, the Habs have bigger plans for Roy than as a simple bottom-six forward. He’s conceivably got a future in the Top Six. So, the idea that they should make room to keep Armia, a failed top-six forward for all intents and purposes, is counter-intuitive. Put simply, they should aspire to greater things than being a team where he fits into the Top 12. For right now, because of all the injuries, it works… but it won’t for long. That’s the hope anyway, or at least it should be.