Joel Armia

Armia was banged up all season long. He didn't make his debut until late October due to an upper-body ailment and he was in and out of the lineup the rest of the way. Armia managed seven goals and 14 points in 43 games, oddly enough, the third straight year he finished with exactly 14 points. Armia tallied double-digit goals in four straight campaigns from 2016-17 to 2019-20, but has failed to crack that plateau in three years since. Any production the Canadiens receive from the 30-year-old Finn should be considered a bonus at this point.

Armia's offensive production was down in 2020-21, as he managed just seven goals and 14 points in 41 games on the heels of a season in which he posted 16 goals and 30 points through 58 contests. The Finn did, however, manage five goals and eight points in 21 postseason games. Unconcerned with Armia's down season, Montreal handed him a new four-year, $13.6 million contract this summer. Armia is just 28 years old and does plenty of things well that don't show up in the boxscore, so this should be a fair deal for both sides assuming Armia continues to progress. However, his fantasy value will remain limited to deeper leagues.

Armia enjoyed a career-best year with 16 goals, 30 points and 146 hits in 58 games last season. That's exactly what fantasy managers can expect from the Finn in 2020-21 -- decent scoring numbers and plenty of hits. With Josh Anderson in the fold, Armia will likely revert to a bottom-six role unless he plays his way up the lineup. That said, he can play in all situations if necessary and should be a factor for 25 points in the shortened campaign, which gives him some appeal in deeper formats that reward tough guys.

Armia will rejoin the Canadiens in 2019-20 on a new, two-year, $5.2 million deal that he signed in July. Last season, his first in Montreal, was a success in many ways for the 6-foot-4 winger. He played up and down the lineup, which suggests he's trusted by coach Claude Julien, but most of his minutes were spent with Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the Habs' prized rookie pivot. The 26-year-old established a new career high in goals (13) in 57 contests, and his defensively responsible game provided Kotkaniemi with an opportunity to get acclimated to the NHL. That's all well and good, but of Armia's many positive hockey traits, point producer is not one of them. As a result, the Canadiens may reconsider deploying him on their second power-play unit again this season, which will undoubtedly negatively impact his production, as he picked up a quarter of his points on the man advantage last campaign. Armia will be a high-end bottom-six option for the Canadiens this year, but his lack of offensive upside will prevent him from achieving fantasy relevancy.

Armia is coming off a career-best season in 2017-18, as he set highs in nearly every significant statistical category including goals (12), assists (17), and power-play points (four). However, with a bevy of talented youngsters competing for minutes in Winnipeg, the sniper headed to Montreal on a one-year deal. While he probably won't be filling a top-six role with his new club, the versatile winger offers solid two-way play, along with quality depth scoring -- all of which combines to make him an effective mid-range fantasy option.

An upper-body injury limited Armia to 57 games last year, and he came up just one point shy of reaching the 20-point threshold. Coming over from the Swedish league, the winger was touted as a sniper -- he put up 55 goals in three season with Assat Pori -- which led to him being selected 16th overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by Buffalo. Unfortunately, the Finn has never really lived up to that billing. There’s no reason to think the 24-year-old can't log a full 82-game campaign for the first time in his career, but it will likely be in a third-line role. His ice time figures to be about the same as last year (15:08 per game), and he should provide lower-end fantasy value while falling in around 15 goals and 30 points if he can stay healthy.

A highly-touted sniper in Finland before coming overseas last year, Armia struggled in his first season in North America, producing just seven goals in 54 games with Rochester. Armia was hampered by a wrist injury suffered in training camp, and didn’t find his groove until the AHL playoffs, where he scored three goals in five games. Big things are still expected from Armia, who is just three years removed from being drafted in the first round. He will have a chance to earn a spot with the Sabres but will most likely spend the 2014-15 season with Rochester to further acclimate himself to the North American game.

Armia was one of the top prospects outside North America last season, and is set to begin an NHL career following another impressive campaign in his native Finland. He posted 33 points in 47 games for Assat Pori of the SM-Liiga and also impressed with Team Finland at the World Junior Championships. Those in keeper leagues should be watching Armia very closely as he arrives in North America to begin his entry-level contract. With the Sabres in need of some offensive punch, Armia will have a strong chance at starting the season in Buffalo, and could contribute early on.

Armia, the 16th overall selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, will remain in his native Finland this season to continue his development. The Sabres have high hopes for the offensively gifted winger, who signed his entry-level contract in June. Keep a close eye on him in keeper leagues, as he may be ready to cross the pond next season. Armia grabbed 38 points in 54 games for Assat Pori of the SM-Liiga.

The Sabres grabbed Armia with the 16th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, adding size to a relatively small crop of forwards that they have in the organization. Armia will stay in Finland as he is committed to play at least one more year with Assat of SM-Liga.