Three Montreal Canadiens Flying Under the Radar

Many players have been heralded for their contributions to the Montreal Canadiens this year, but three have flown under the radar.

This season has been a pleasant surprise for virtually every Habs fan out there. I am certain even Marc Bergevin could not have dreamed that the Montreal Canadiens would be in a four-horse race for the second playoff spot in the Atlantic along with a strong young Leafs team, the ever-consistent Bruins and fellow underdog Sabres.

However, solid off-season moves have propelled Les Habitants to this strong season (thus far), and the impact of players such as Max Domi, Tomas Tatar and Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been lauded by the media and the fans alike. Philip Danault, who was flying under the radar until he scored an impactful hat-trick against Max Pacioretty and his Vegas Golden Knights just prior to the Christmas break, has since gained attention for his Patrice Bergeron-esque play (slight exaggeration, but still).

While these players are now anchored in the spotlight, I would like to focus on the impact of three other players that have been impactful while simultaneously avoiding the limelight.

First up: Joel Armia

Joel Armia, who was acquired this off-season in a deft salary dump trade involving the Winnipeg Jets and bought-out and currently unemployed goaltender Steve Mason. We also received a pair of picks in the trade. In other words, it was a very hard trade for the Habs to come out of as the losers, and they didn’t, not even close.

Joel Armia who is a right shot possesses soft hands and stands tall at 6’4″, making him the joint tallest player on the team, along with Shea Weber. He isn’t just big either, he is really strong as well, winning many of his battles along the boards.

He has spent most of his season on Kotkaniemi’s right side, playing a real mentor’s role. He is always there when the kid makes a mistake and ensures it doesn’t hurt the team. This allows Kotkaniemi to concentrate a bit more on getting the puck to the net and it allows him to learn, which is crucial for his quest to become a first line centre in Montreal.

Armia is reliable defensively and has cemented his spot on the Canadiens’ penalty-kill. While he was brought in to be a reliable third-liner and perform exactly as he did against Arizona (being physically dominant and making quick smart decisions), he has also displayed his offensive capabilities. He has collected six goals and as many assists through 26 games. while this may not seem magnificent, keep in mind that he is a defensive third liner.

If he had avoided his knee injury, which caused him to miss 25 games, he would be on pace for a 19 goal, 38 point season over the full 82. Not half bad for a player acquired in a salary dump.  While he may not be integral to this team’s success, he definitely adds size and makes those around him better. Those two things have earned him a shout-out in my eyes.