40 Joel Armia RW

Montreal head coach Claude Julien said Armia (concussion) will be "out for a bit," Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette reports.

Armia took a hit from Vancouver's Tyler Myers late in the third period -- a play that will be reviewed by the NHL's Department of Player Safety. While Julien wasn't specific, the coach's comments all but confirm Armia won't be available for Saturday's game against the Canucks. With Armia set to be sidelined, Corey Perry or Michael Frolik will likely enter the lineup against Vancouver.

Armia suffered a concussion in Thursday's game versus the Canucks, Arpon Basu of The Athletic reports.

Head coach Claude Julien relayed the injury news in his postgame press availability. Armia was injured late in the third period on a Tyler Myers headshot. It's unclear how long Armia will be sidelined, but it's likely Corey Perry will enter the lineup in a bottom-six role during his absence. Armia had four points (two goals, two helpers) in the game prior to suffering the concussion.

Armia left Thursday's game against the Canucks after a headshot from Tyler Myers, Thomas Drance of The Athletic Vancouver reports.

The play occurred late in the third period with the Canadiens already ahead 6-3. Myers received a match penalty, while Armia went immediately to the locker room, likely to undergo concussion protocols. Armia was having the best game of his career before the hit -- he scored twice and assisted on both of Tyler Toffoli's goals in the contest. The four-point effort was the first of Armia's career, but the greater concern for the 27-year-old is his health. An update on his status should be available prior to Saturday's third straight game versus the Canucks.

Armia posted an assist, two hits and a plus-2 rating in Wednesday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Canucks.

The assist was Armia's first point in four outings this year. It's been a tough readjustment to bottom-six duty for the Finn, who enjoyed all-situations usage and 17:14 of ice time per game last year. With the slow start, Armia will be a long-shot to match the 30 points in 58 games he had in 2019-20. He's produced seven hits, four shots and a plus-3 rating this season.

Armia recorded his first two shots of the season in Saturday's 5-1 win over Edmonton.

Armia is off to a quiet start with just two shots and four hits over the first two contests. He's lined up with center Jesperi Kotkaniemi and the newly acquired Tyler Toffoli on Montreal's third line. He has yet to appear on the power play after averaging 2:01 with a man advantage in 2019-20, so he may be hard pressed to match last season's career-high 16 goals and 30 points.

Armia recorded two assists in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Flyers in Game 6.

Armia had an interesting playoff run -- he began with five scoreless outings in a bottom-six role. In his next five games, he scored three goals and added two helpers. The Finn added 27 shots on goal, a plus-5 rating and 10 hits. After reaching the 30-point mark for the first time in his career during the 2019-20 regular season, Armia seems poised to challenge for a top-six role next year.

Armia scored a pair of goals and went plus-4 in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Flyers in Game 5. His first goal came while shorthanded.

Armia opened the scoring at 2:53 of the first period, and then tied the game at two midway through the second. The winger is up to three tallies in nine postseason outings. He's added 25 shots and a plus-5 rating. Armia had career highs in goals (16), points (30) and hits (146) in 58 regular-season outings this year.

Armia has 16 goals, 14 assists and 146 hits while averaging a career-high 17:14 of ice time per game over 58 games in 2020-21.

Armia has routinely undershot the expectations of a being a first-round pick (16th overall, 2011), but he showed some growth in 2019-20. The big-bodied Finn is known for being physical, but he added offensive flair this season. The goals and points are new career highs while his hits blew away previous career standards. Armia's scoring pace dropped off after a midseason hand injury cost him 11 games, but it was encouraging to see the first-round talent begin to emerge. The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his deal and could skate in a top-six role depending on Montreal's offseason moves.

Armia scored a goal and an assist, both short-handed, in Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Islanders.

Allowing two shorties sums up the kind of night it was for the Isles. Armia hasn't found the scoresheet in six straight games and had only one goal in his last 11, but on the season he now has 16 goals and 30 points -- both career highs -- through 55 contests.

Armia scored a goal in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to Dallas.

He opened the scoring with his 15th of the season. The goal snapped a four-game point drought. Armia sits third in goals scored for Montreal and every one he snipes sets a new career mark. He also has set career marks in hits (130) and shots (139).

Armia assisted on Jeff Petry's game-winning goal in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over the Ducks.

Armia has points in four of the last five games and is cruising toward the most offensively productive season of his six-year NHL career. Earlier this week, he notched his career-high 14th goal, and Armia now has 27 points through 43 games. The 26-year-old forward has surpassed the 23 points (57 games) he had in 2018-19, his first year with the Canadiens, and is setting sight on the career-high 29 points (79 games) he had for Winnipeg in 2017-18. Armia appears to be fulfilling the potential the Sabres saw when they selected him 16th overall in 2014.

Armia scored his 14th goal of the season in a 5-4 shootout victory over New Jersey on Tuesday.

The size-with-skill winger scored a shorthanded goal at 13:08 of the second period to cue Montreal's comeback. Armia has been effective since returning from a long injury layoff with five points in seven games and currently sits four shy of his career high of 30.

Armia scored a goal on three shots in Saturday's 5-4 shootout win over Vegas. He added one hit and one block while finishing minus-1 over 17:48 of ice time.

A goal that was originally credited to defenseman Brett Kulak was changed to Armia, who finished off a hopeful Montreal start, scoring the home team's third goal of the first period and giving the Habs a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes. It was Armia's 13th goal in 37 games, matching the career high he set last season in 57 games. The 6-foot-4, 213-pound Armia appears to be fulfilling the potential the Sabres saw in the Finn when making him a first-round selection in 2011. He's averaging a career high in overall ice time (17:03) and power-play minutes (2:06) while using that big frame (96 hits, team-high 2.6 per game) to dominate opponents.

Armia had five shots, three hits and one blocked shot over 20:49 of ice time in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Flyers.

Armia, who missed the previous 11 games due to a hand injury, was active in his first game back. The three hits give him 95 through 36 games and threatens the career-high 113 thumps he posted over 57 games in 2018-19. Armia joined Montreal's second line, skating with Max Domi and Nick Suzuki. He'll likely stick in the top-six role until Brendan Gallagher (head) and Jonathan Drouin (wrist) work their way back to the active lineup. Jordan Weal was a healthy scratch to make room for Armia.

Armia (hand) will rejoin the lineup for Thursday's game against Philadelphia.

Armia has been sidelined for over three weeks with a hand injury, but he's been skating for a while and practiced fully Tuesday, so he shouldn't have any limitations against the Flyers. The 26-year-old Finn, who's notched 12 goals and 21 points in 35 games this campaign, should return to a top-six role and a spot on one of Montreal's power-play units Thursday.

Armia (hand) will join the Canadiens on the road in Philadelphia, Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic reports.

It's unclear if Armia will play Thursday against the Flyers or if he's just there to continue practicing. Matthew Peca was returned to AHL Laval on Wednesday, which suggests Armia is getting close to a return. The winger has missed 11 games with the injury. He has 21 points in 35 appearances this season. Armia will need to officially be activated from injured reserve prior to joining the lineup.

Armia (hand) took part in a full practice Tuesday for the first time since suffering his injury Dec. 23 against the Jets, Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette reports.

Armia is not expected to suit up for Wednesday's meeting against the Blackhawks at the Bell Centre, but head coach Claude Julien sounded hopeful that the forward could play before Montreal's bye week. "He's really a day-to-day situation," Julien said. "There's still some little issues there that will probably prevent him from playing tomorrow. But the next day, I don't know, and the day after I think that will really belong to him and the medical staff. So is he getting close? Yes." Following the game against Chicago, the Canadiens are on the road in Philadelphia on Thursday and return to Montreal to host Vegas on Saturday.

Armia (hand) is closing in on a return to the lineup, but he won't be available for Wednesday's clash with Chicago.

Armia is clearly ahead of schedule in his recovery, as he was initially expected to be sidelined until after Montreal's bye week, which ends Jan. 26. Once he's given the green light, the 26-year-old Finn, who's picked up 21 points in 35 games this campaign, will return to a middle-six role as well as a spot on one of the Canadiens' power-play units.

Montreal head coach Claude Julien said Armia (hand) is not expected to return to the lineup until after the team's bye week, which ends Jan. 26, Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette reports.

Armia skated along with Jonathan Drouin (wrist) and a trainer following the team's morning skate Thursday, but he still has at least another three-plus weeks before returning to the active lineup. The first game after the bye week is Monday, Jan. 27, when the Canadiens host the Capitals. Julien also mentioned that Drouin and Paul Byron (knee) are not expected back until after the bye week.

Armia (hand) was labeled week-to-week by coach Claude Julien on Friday.

At a minimum, Armia figures to miss the entirety of his team's upcoming three-game road trip due to his hand issue. Prior to getting hurt, the winger had notched six points in his previous seven contests. In order to make room on the 23-man roster for Jesperi Kotkaniemi (concussion), the team will almost certainly designate Armia for injured reserve shortly.