Joel Armia would have liked to stay in Montreal if the Habs had matched the Kings’ offer

The loss of Armia isn’t ultra crucial, but it’s still relevant.

And I say that for a specific reason: he was (really) useful on the power play. Armia was excellent on his line with Jake Evans, and both guys did a really good job last season there.

But then again, the reason the Habs let him go – even though Armia didn’t sign a big contract – was because Kent Hughes was no longer interested in having him in Montreal. Armia wasn’t the Canadiens’ most important player, and there are other guys with a similar style in the NHL.

It’s also worth noting that in Los Angeles, Armia will be joining Marc Bergevin – the GM who picked up the forward in Winnipeg in 2018. Armia will also have the opportunity to reunite with Phillip Danault… with whom he spent a few years in Montreal with the Canadiens.

He should therefore be able to adapt well to his new club.

extension

– We can also expect him to play a similar role in Los Angeles. He’ll play short-handed, he’ll be used on the Kings’ bottom-6… and he’ll be able to help the team defensively because he’s reliable in his zone.