Martin St-Louis sends a strong message to Joel Armia, and it says a lot about his future with the team

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Elias Edmonson
October 10, 2023 (11:02)

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Although many fans were strongly hoping that the Montreal Canadiens would put Joel Armia on waivers Sunday afternoon, very few expected Kent Hughes to make such a decision because of his veteran status and his $3.4 million contract valid for the next two seasons.

However, the general manager of the Tricolore sent a serious message by sending the Finnish forward to the American League, showing that the organization wanted to absolutely keep the players who deserved to be in the lineup. Young players such as Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Jesse Ylonen forced the management's hand during the preseason games, proving they were ready to do everything to allow the Habs to achieve success.

Moreover, the head coach of the Canadiens, Martin St-Louis, did not hesitate to send a powerful message to the forward when asked about Joel Armia's situation yesterday afternoon. Indeed, he mentioned that injuries had caught up with him and he simply seemed no longer able to keep up with the pace set by the young players on the team.

"You have to understand that the window for a professional athlete is small. We can't dwell on our mistakes. We have to stay in the moment and pursue the goal."

"I don't think he's out of the plans. He's always been alright, but he was injured and it was hard to catch up." - Martin St-Louis

Even if the Canadiens' head coach remained respectful towards the 30-year-old forward, it was the complete opposite for Tony Marinaro during his segment on BPM Sports radio. The columnist quickly praised the Canadiens' move, adding that Joel Armia had no heart and didn't deserve to play for the Canadiens.

"I applaud the Canadiens because Joel Armia has no heart, desire, or passion for the game. I feel like he's a guy who plays hockey because he has the size and the tools, but I don't think he loves it. Personally, I don't even know how he looks at himself in the mirror after a day's work. If I were in his shoes, I would give half my salary to the Montreal Canadiens Foundation or a charity offer. Anyway, kudos to the Canadiens!" - Tony Marinaro

Wow! Let's just say that's clear!

Selected 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2011, the Finn has never been able to showcase his talent, amassing a meager total of 14 points over his last three seasons with the Habs.