At this time last year, Joel Armia found himself with the Laval Rocket. Wednesday night, he will face the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of the Montreal Canadiens’ second line.
Armia will thus obtain an offensive role, he who was mainly used on the third and fourth lines by Martin St-Louis.
“I think it’s something new,” admitted the Canadiens’ head coach ahead of his team’s first game of the season. But I don’t think it’s too big a mouthful. He has all the skills to be in that chair.”
The veteran worked a lot with the team’s sports psychologist, Jean-François Ménard, last season, which he concluded with 25 points, including no less than 17 goals, against all odds, in 66 games.
“Last year, it was rebuilt,” explained St-Louis. If there was ever a time that we could judge him to be ready for that chair, it might be today. He had the skills to [un rôle offensif] before, but he wasn’t ready.”
Watch Martin St-Louis’ press briefing in the video above.