Player Discussion Joel Armia turnaround year?

[SwiftyHab]

This guy has so much potential as we all saw during our last playoff runs and at the worlds this year.
I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on whether MSL and co can help him become the dangerous power forward he shows flashes of

 

[Habs Halifax]

This guy has so much potential as we all saw during our last playoff runs and at the worlds this year.
I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on whether MSL and co can help him become the dangerous power forward he shows flashes of

Yes, he and others like Drouin, Hoffman, Byron, Gallagher, Dvorak should have better seasons. Too many Habs fans counting them out.

The thing I noticed with Armia is he does better with better usage but not so much on the 4th line. Seems to be uninspired when demoted to 15 min or less.

It will be interesting to see how MSL manages ice time for both the vets and the youth. Plus I do think there is going to be a trade to create more cap flexibility and Armia might be the one traded. Could be any one of Armia, Dadonov, Hoffman, Drouin, Byron. I think Dvorak stays. Center depth is thin with him out. If Dvorak is traded, I would expect a younger center to come back in that return.

 

[Seb]

Let's hope not! We need him, Drouin and Hoffman to suck.

 

[A55P2]

I like Armia a lot. But he needs to come prepared to camp. He's a notoriously slow starter that gets stronger as the year progress. For his own sake, I hope he starts on day one this year. He had flashes of playing like Nichuskin, just needs to find consistency.

 

[LaP]

Yes, he and others like Drouin, Hoffman, Byron, Gallagher, Dvorak should have better seasons. Too many Habs fans counting them out.

Drouin produced at the same pace as his career average. Dvorak actually outproduced his career average. Hoffman will be 33 soon. Byron is 33. Gallagher is 30. There's a pretty good chance those 3 guys are just regressing due to age. We should have les injuries but but don't expect much more from those guys unless they are being carried by Suzuki and Caufield.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Drouin produced at the same pace as his career average. Dvorak actually outproduced his career average. Hoffman will be 33 soon. Byron is 33. Gallagher is 30. There's a pretty good chance those 3 guys are just regressing due to age. We should have les injuries but but don't expect much more from those guys unless they are being carried by Suzuki and Caufield.

Nah... what you seen last year was a stock pile of injuries and a dum dum coach for more than half the season.

I bet you we get more games played overall from this group. You're looking at pts/game and ignoring when they are not in the line-up.

Hoffman: 67 games
Dvorak: 56 games
Gallagher: 56 games
Drouin: 34 games
Armia: 60 games
Byron: 27 games

 

[Team_Spirit]

So many Berge golden boys, so little ice time.

 

[abo9]

Lol "potential" the guy is 29 maybe its time to accept that he's a good 3rd/4th liner?

His strength is using his big body on the board to protect and control the puck. Decent hands.

But his speed and skating overall is limiting his effectiveness there... to the boards and in tight spaces.

I like him, and we got him for free, but I don't see anything more than a role player. the big positive is that since he's slow as molasse and big, I dont think we really have to worry about his game going downhill in the future like a Byron who was fast and small, or a Gallagher who's feisty and small, or even a Drouin who might just become useless without his "skills".

 

[HomeAndHome]

By the end of the year other teams will be begging us for the remaining 2 years of his contract

He's a decent puck possession 3rd line player, but last year he played more like a borderline 4th liner. I think he'll be back to near his old self this year. But who knows, maybe he's lost a step for good.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

...this is basically a yearly wish since he got here, isn't it??...

 

[SwiftyHab]

Lol "potential" the guy is 29 maybe its time to accept that he's a good 3rd/4th liner?

His strength is using his big body on the board to protect and control the puck. Decent hands.

But his speed and skating overall is limiting his effectiveness there... to the boards and in tight spaces.

I like him, and we got him for free, but I don't see anything more than a role player. the big positive is that since he's slow as molasse and big, I dont think we really have to worry about his game going downhill in the future like a Byron who was fast and small, or a Gallagher who's feisty and small, or even a Drouin who might just become useless without his "skills".

He’s also got a great shot

 

[abo9]

He’s also got a great shot

I personally don't see it, but a "shot" is subjective. He's able to be accurate, but his release is slow, predictable and the torque on the puck doesn's seem that great.

He can shoot well if given the time, but so do most NHLers.

His career SH% also supports the idea of a below average shot, 9% career average is not super good.

I like him more as a garbage collectir around the net than as a tradititonal sniper. Could maybe pot 20 in a year like that if we can maintain some sort of offensive pressure

 

[tooji]

He’s like Price where he only tries in tournament / playoff settings. He would be a good depth piece for a contender. If he actually plays well in the regular season maybe we could squeeze a 2nd for him at the deadline.

 

[Wats]

Nah... what you seen last year was a stock pile of injuries and a dum dum coach for more than half the season.

I bet you we get more games played overall from this group. You're looking at pts/game and ignoring when they are not in the line-up.

Hoffman: 67 games
Dvorak: 56 games
Gallagher: 56 games
Drouin: 34 games
Armia: 60 games
Byron: 27 games

15 games from Hoffman is pretty tame, especially when most of it came at early in the season when rest of the Habs were healthy.

Armia is always injured, only had one full year. 60 games is pretty much the norm for him.

 

[le_sean]

Yeah hopefully it’s a turnaround year. As in turnaround and find yourself on another team.

 

[Runner77]

...this is basically a yearly wish since he got here, isn't it??...

He’s been coddled and given a plum deal but he is what he is.

What a frustratingly, stealthy player.

 

[Captain Mountain]

...this is basically a yearly wish since he got here, isn't it??...

No? He had the worst season in the NHL almost accross the board. If he can get back to being the guy he was pre-Ducharme then he'll be a pretty useful player. Not worth his contract, but in the standard most UFA aged players aren't worth their contract way.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Yeah hopefully it’s a turnaround year. As in turnaround and find yourself on another team.

...truly hopeful that we lose every game 7-5 or somesuch and Hoff, Armia, and Floaty all have career years offensively...so we can move them at the deadline for assets...

 

[beowulf]

We can only hope he has a strong enough year that someone pays up for him in a trade.

 

[Hannibal]

Hate the player and hate the contract. Hope we drop him somewhere!

 

[dcyhabs]

Yes, he and others like Drouin, Hoffman, Byron, Gallagher, Dvorak should have better seasons. Too many Habs fans counting them out.

The thing I noticed with Armia is he does better with better usage but not so much on the 4th line. Seems to be uninspired when demoted to 15 min or less.

It will be interesting to see how MSL manages ice time for both the vets and the youth. Plus I do think there is going to be a trade to create more cap flexibility and Armia might be the one traded. Could be any one of Armia, Dadonov, Hoffman, Drouin, Byron. I think Dvorak stays. Center depth is thin with him out. If Dvorak is traded, I would expect a younger center to come back in that return.

The habs have a lot of players who can do really well as long as someone else is carrying the puck and keeping the opposing defense busy. Armia, like Drouin, Hoffman, and many other habs will look good if we have centers who can make space and defense who can carry the puck.

The easy part of the team is built and, unfortunately, takes up the whole cap. The habs need the hard to acquire players and have no money to sign them.

 

[Tetragrammaton]

Big lazy useless.. Big contract.. The Bergevin special.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Armia and Drouin are going to explode this year, they are still young, one year under MSL will do them wonder...

See you next year for the same thread.

 

[McGees]

He should be paid 1.25 per and we could keep him on the 4th line but he got the Bergy special sauce deal along with Gally and now we are F'd.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

He should be paid 1.25 per and we could keep him on the 4th line but he got the Bergy special sauce deal along with Gally and now we are F'd.

"Hi, welcome to McBargainBin's; what can I get for you?"

"Yeah, I'd like the Long-Term deal with Supersized AAV, please."

"Would you like a full No-Trade/No-Movement Clause with that?"