Joel Armia traded for a brutal return? Last-minute development emerges

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Elias Edmonson
June 28, 2024 (9:02)

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As the NHL draft approaches, there is still speculation about what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton will do in the trade market.

There have been all sorts of rumors for some time, but it's important to remember that some Canadiens players will also be placed on the trading block, and as reported by the site Marqueur, one of them is quite intriguing.

A trade involving Joel Armia this summer for the Montreal Canadiens?

According to an article by TVA Sports, Joel Armia could indeed attract some interest from various teams. He had a fairly good season by his usual standards, tallying 25 points, including 17 goals, in 66 games.

It should be noted that he started the season with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League and, due to his $3.4 million salary, he wouldn't be too expensive for a team looking to add some depth to their offense.

«It's the most likely scenario. It would be surprising if the Canadiens kept No. 40, so why not trade him while his value is at its peak? The $3.4 million he earns would be much easier for a team to absorb during the summer, especially since the salary cap is expected to increase significantly for the next season.

The CH would always have the option to take another contract in return or to absorb some of the deal to facilitate the trade. Kent Hughes still has space to absorb part of a player's contract he trades.»

- TVA Sports

TVA Sports' arguments are quite good, but Kent Hughes will need to find a GM willing to make a deal with him because, despite Armia's interesting performance in 2023-2024, he doesn't have the best reputation in the NHL regarding his work ethic.

In the best-case scenario, Hughes could add an interesting draft pick to his list instead of losing Armia for nothing once he becomes a free agent.

It remains to be seen if the CH will be able to trade him during the offseason or if they will have to wait until the 2025 trade deadline.

This situation could resemble the trade made by the Chicago Blackhawks for Sam Lafferty and Ilya Mikheyev.

Credit : Marqueur.com
Un attaquant du Canadien sur le point d'être échangé par Kent Hughes?

Credit : TVA Sports
Joel Armia, l'homme le plus intrigant de l'été chez le Canadien