40 Joel Armia RW

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.

Armia (upper body) is out for the remainder of Monday's game against the Jets, Eric Engels of Sportsnet.ca reports.

It's unclear how Armia suffered the injury, but he was forced to leave the game in the second period. The team will roll with 11 forwards for the rest of the contest, and look for Brendan Gallagher to get a bump up to the first power-play unit. Expect an update on Armia's status ahead of Saturday's game against Tampa Bay.

Armia scored a goal on four shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Flames.

Armia helped the Canadiens erase a 2-0 deficit, tying the game at 2-2 with just under seven minutes left in the second period. It was his 12th goal of the season, already just one away from matching the career-high 13 he scored in 57 games last season.

Armia collected two assists, one on the power play, in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Canucks.

Armia helped out on a Nick Cousins goal in the second period and then offered the primary assist on Shea Weber's power-play tally in the third. Armia has a goal and four helpers over the last three games. He reached the 100-point mark in his career with the first helper Tuesday, which was his 269th game. The 26-year-old Finn has 20 points, 104 shots on goal and 89 hits in 32 appearances this season.

Armia had a goal and an assist along with two shots, two hits and two blocked shots in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Penguins.

Armia continues what has been the most productive season of his career. The two-point night gives him 11 goals and 17 points through 29 games, putting him on pace to blow away existing career benchmarks (13 goals, 29 points). The 26-year-old Finn has picked up the pace the last three weeks, coinciding with injuries to Jonathan Drouin (wrist) and Paul Byron (knee). Armia has seven points (five goals, two assists) over the last 11 games despite a shifting cast of linemates.

Armia scored his team's only goal in a 3-1 loss to the Bruins on Sunday.

Armia's 10th goal of the season opened the scoring at TD Garden, but the Bruins scored three unanswered goals in the third period to hand Montreal its eighth straight defeat. Amidst his team's struggles, Armia has been playing some of his best hockey and now has scored in three straight games.

Armia scored a goal on nine shots along with four hits in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Flyers.

Armia potted his ninth goal just 19 seconds into the game. The 6-foot-4, 213-pound winger was dominant at times, the type of game that had reporters asking head coach Claude Julien why Armia doesn't show this side more often. "When he decides to dominate a game, he's certainly capable of doing it," Julien told Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette after the game. "He almost won it for us there in the last few seconds. He's so strong on the puck and he's got good hands and he's got a great shot. So we need him right now to be that player on a nightly basis. So hopefully he builds off of that." Armia has 14 points through 24 games, putting him on pace to better his career high of 29 points in 79 games with the Jets in 2017-18.

Armia scored a goal on five shots along with one hit and a minor penalty in Thursday's 6-4 loss to New Jersey.

In a back-and-forth affair at Bell Centre, Armia tied the game, 3-3, midway through the second period with a wicked wrist shot. It was his eighth goal of the season but just the second over the last 14 games.