The decision to submit Joel Armia to waivers was “calculated” according to Martin St-Louis.
“It’s a calculated decision. But it’s perhaps more of a question for Kent (Hughes),” commented the Canadiens head coach Monday afternoon.
In his opinion, this choice does not mean that Armia is no longer in the team’s plans. “I don’t think he’s no longer in the plans,” St-Louis said.
Asked about his assessment of the Finnish striker’s work in training camp, he replied simply: “He was always decent, but he was injured and it was hard to make up for it.”
Armia participated in two of his team’s six preparatory games, collecting no points.
In 43 games last season, he had only 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists). The 30-year-old winger has a two-year contract at a salary of $3.4 million, which likely explains why he was passed over by the other 31 NHL teams, who had until 2 p.m. claim.
A saving of 1.15 million
Marc Bergevin offered him a contract extension of four years and 13.6 million on July 27, 2021. Armia had just had a good run in the playoffs with eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) in 21 games.
First round pick (16th) of the Buffalo Sabers in 2011, Armia has always been described as a mysterious winger. In Montreal, Claude Julien, Dominique Ducharme and St-Louis all made similar speeches about him, recalling that he has all the talent in the world, but not always the rage to win.
If ever Armia were to continue his path with the Laval Rocket, the Habs would make a saving of 1.15 million.
According to the collective bargaining agreement (article 50.5), NHL teams can burn a lump sum by trading a player with a one-way contract in the American League. The calculation is as follows: the minimum salary ($775,000 in 2023-2024) plus $375,000.
Armia, meanwhile, would earn his entire salary. Note that number 40 will affect 4.8 million in 2023-2024, but its salary footprint will remain at 3.4 million.
– With the collaboration of Jean-François Chaumont, Montreal Journal