“Joel Armia is available” : it would take a second-round pick to get him out of Montreal

Just because Jake Evans signed doesn’t mean the Canadiens won’t be sellers.

The nuance is there: Joel Armia’s best value, one of the most likely pieces to leave, just took a hit because pairing him with Evans would have been available.

But now that we know Evans isn’t going anywhere, it changes things.

However, it remains that right now, David Savard and Joel Armia (the two biggest trade pieces on the table… with Christian Dvorak) are in limbo.

Both guys shouldn’t be traded at the same time (expect at least one of them to stay, if not both) and right now, due to his potential value on the market and due to his importance in the city, I feel like Savard will stay. #SixDefensemen #Veteran

David Savard with a wild 14-second hold in the corner to close this thing out. pic.twitter.com/yAhWUYv7f9

— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) January 22, 2025

But Armia? At the price some guys are being traded, you have to wonder if the Canadiens will give in.

If Kent Hughes gets his price (he’s the type to only move if he gets his price) on the market, it could change everything. After all, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic, not only is Armia available, but it should cost a second-round pick to get him out of Montreal.

Athletic subscribers: NHL trade board 9.0 — new top target with one day until the deadline. ⁦@reporterchris⁩ ’ list is refreshed and ready to go. #stlblues https://t.co/3JtVheS16D

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) March 6, 2025

I wonder what the price is for Savard…

From what we can understand, if the Canadiens don’t have a second-round pick on the table, Armia will finish the season with the Canadiens — and all the guys in the locker room will be happy.

A second-round pick was the price for Evans. Does Armia’s case involve salary retention? Who knows.

Note that unlike Evans, it seems there really is a world where Armia stays in town even if he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season. These are different situations for Kent Hughes, apparently.

In a nutshell

– Note.

#CFMTL this Thursday morning at Marie-Victorin :

Clark and Campbell with the group. Clark is no longer sick,
Piette and Synchuk without a ball,
Neal and Vrioni with a ball, but apart,
Sirois, Breza and Gazdov are there
The plane to Vancouver will leave this afternoon,
Only…

— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) March 6, 2025

– CH: no practice this morning.

No morning skate for the #Habs in Edmonton ahead of tonight’s game vs the #LetsGoOilers

— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) March 6, 2025

– Mikko Rantanen: his name is circulating a lot.

We’ve got a new No. 1 on our Trade Targets board.

Sources say #Canes are sifting through multiple ‘compelling’ offers for Mikko Rantanen.

Latest on @DailyFaceoff Top 40:https://t.co/GwpOHyHwaB

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 6, 2025

– To watch.

The Blue Jays lineup is taking shape. https://t.co/c4QIwrG6TC

— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 6, 2025

– Will he leave the Sharks?

San Jose Sharks are listening on LHD Mario Ferraro, 26, who has one more year on his deal next season at $3.25M cap hit.
It doesn’t mean they’ll move him. Happy to keep him. But given the small number of D on the trade market, Sharks are seeing what comes their way.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 6, 2025