Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia sealed a 3-1 road victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday with his 100th career goal into an empty net. The Finnish forward, who was selected to his nation’s team at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, now has eight goals and 20 points through 44 games and is on pace for a career season.
Armia scored a career-high 17 goals last season (25 points) despite having been cut out of training camp. Through a rash of injuries he got another chance at full-time NHL work, earning the team’s candidacy for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport. It ultimately went to Connor Ingram of the Arizona Coyotes (now Utah Hockey Club), with Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen and Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington having been the two other finalists.
Related: The Unlikely Resurgence of Canadiens’ Joel Armia
Nevertheless, on pace for 37 points, with a current career high of 30 (in a 58-game 2019-20), Armia has become a key component of the team’s checking line with centre Jake Evans and fellow-winger Emil Heineman, the latter of whom is now tragically out 3-4 weeks after having gotten hit by a car a few days ago, when the team was visiting Utah HC.
In the last year of his four-year, $13.6 million contracts, Armia is poised to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. His and Evans’ play has led to some suggestions the Habs re-sign both, albeit to short-term deals with many prospects on the rise in the rebuilding team’s system. Armia last scored on Dec. 29 (adding an assist) in an impressive 5-2 road win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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